Robert Fitton born 1850s in Oldham area

[Craclyn]

This is a bit of a longshot, but nothing to lose by trying.

Has anyone "lost" a Robert Fitton who was born in the Oldham area in the 1850s and disappeared without trace some time before 1891?

My reason for asking is that my great grandfather Robert Webb appeared out of thin air as a pitman in Northumberland in the 1891 census claiming to be from Oldham and aged 42. He fibbed a lot on subsequent records (1901 census, 1911 census, 2 marriages) giving no consistent information about his age. Taking those into account and the age on his death certificate he may have been born any time between 1849 and 1861. Using his death cert, where he was not there to do the fibbing, would suggest he was born 1857. His marriage certificates give his father as Edmund Webb, stone mason, deceased. I have not been able to pin him down in my searches on Webb over the last few years. Have tested out several theories, including illegitimate births to single Webb women.

DNA evidence is now pointing to the probability that one of his parents was a Fitton. I have several matches now with Fitton ancestors in Oldham, Shaw, Royton, Crompton and surrounding areas and am trying to tie the families together to see where he might fit in. It is not an easy name to research as there are many of them and names repeat through all branches. Since he named a son Edmund I am inclined to think that maybe he didn't fib about his father's first name.

Other names that are coming up repeatedly among my Oldham matches include Brierley, Bardsley, Kershaw, Taylor, Sladen and Haworth, but I can see from those I have investigated so far that these families are fairly intertwined.

So, if you have a Robert Fitton in your tree who disappeared off the censuses before 1891 and you cannot find a burial for him perhaps he could be my mystery man. Let me know and maybe we can join the dots and fill some gaps in both of our trees.

Lynda

[garstonite]

none in 1850s
nearest is this

Baptism: 15 Aug 1849 Shaw Chapel, Oldham, Lancashire, England
Robert Fitton - [Child] of Richard Fitton & Mary
    Abode: Surf Lane
    Occupation: Cotton Manufacturer
    Baptised by: D. Brammall
..............................................................................
this looks like their marriage - via occupation

Marriage: 29 Aug 1848 St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich, Lancashire, England
Richard Fitton - full age, Cotton Spinner, Bachelor, Turf Lane Royton
Mary Pomfret - full age, Spinster, Shaw
    Groom's Father: John Fitton, Waste Dealer
    Bride's Father: James Pomfret, Publican
    Witness: Elizabeth Pomfret; Thomas Pomfret..( .brides address Shaw is in Oldham )

[chempat]

'Taking those into account and the age on his death certificate he may have been born any time between 1849 and 1861. Using his death cert, where he was not there to do the fibbing, would suggest he was born 1857.'

The age at death will be from what he told those around him before his death, therefore also likely a fib.

[Craclyn]

Chempat, I have been working on the assumption that all of the potential dates could be wrong, including that based on age at death. He lopped off a few years each time he got married and over 5 documents has 5 different calculated birth years, giving me a 12 year range to work with.

Garstonite, Thanks for the suggestion. I have looked at many possible candidates, but think I may have missed that one. I will take a look to see if he disappears by 1891.