1881 Birth Place

[mookp1892]

Thomas Houghton and Ellen Gibson married 1874, Wigan and were living at 1 Watmough's Yard, Wigan in 1881.

I cannot find any background information on Thomas before he married, despite his marriage giving his father's name as James Houghton.

On the 1881 census I cannot decipher the birth location, other than Lancashire and possibly 'Lower'. Please could someone hazard a guess as to what it says.

Thanks in advance

[Jool]

It could be Lower Ground, maybe short for Standish Lower Ground near Wigan 

[horselydown86]

It could be Lower Ground, maybe short for Standish Lower Ground near Wigan 

I agree.  Provided that the last two vertical strokes at the end of the second word are an even more sloppy version of his already open d (see Ireland on the previous line), then it appears to be Lower Ground.

[mookp1892]

Thanks to both of you. I'm in agreement and will go with Lower Ground!