John Cunliffe 1921 - 1973

[RodEast]

John was generally known as Jack and was born in Wigan, Lancashire, England to John Cunliffe, Collier son of James Cunliffe, Collier and Annie (Hannah) Fillingham daughter of John Fillingham, Collier, being baptised on 10 April 1921 in St Mary’s Church, Ince, Lancashire, England.  John and Annie were married on 8 August 1908 in St Mary’s Church, Ince, Lancashire, England.  They had three other sons: William born about September 1909, Henry born about June 1912 and James born about December 1919.
I am seeking any information on the ancestors of JAMES CUNLIFFE and JOHN FILLINGHAM if anyone can help

[philipsearching]

On GRO - potential births for Annie in Wigan from 1858 to 1895 (allows her to be aged 13 up to 50 at date of marriage in 1908)
1:  FILLINGHAM Ann, Mar qtr 1861 Wigan vol 8c p4 mmn ARMSTRONG
2:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, Jun qtr 1866 Wigan vol 8c p3 mmn ARMSTRONG
3:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, Jun qtr 1867 Wigan vol 8c p56 mmn LIVESEY
4:  FILLINGHAM Mary Ann, Mar qtr 1869 Wigan vol 8c p38 mmn EDEN
5:  FILLINGHAM Mary Ann, Mar qtr 1874 Wigan vol 8c p65 mmn BARNES
6:  FILLINGHAM Annie, Sep qtr 1879 Wigan vol 8c p47 mmn (NONE SHOWN)
7:  FILLINGHAM Alice Ann, Jun qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p72 mmn BARNES
8:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, Dec qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p76 mmn WILKINSON
9:  FILLINGHAM Annie, Jun qtr 1894 Wigan vol 8c p120 mmn TONGE

Let's knock out a few candidates: (struck through on above list)
2:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, death Jun qtr 1866 Wigan vol 8c p2, age 0
5:  FILLINGHAM Mary Ann, death Mar qtr 1874 Wigan vol 8c p65, age 0
6:  FILLINGHAM Annie, death Sep qtr 1880 Wigan vol 8c p22, age 0
9:  FILLINGHAM Annie, Jun qtr 1901 Wigan vol 8c p59, age 6

Next step is to check marriages of the parents to see if they match with Annie's father John.

Philip

NOTE - this does not preclude the possibility that Annie's birth was not registered in Wigan!

[ThrelfallYorky]

Try free online site "Wiganworld" There are a couple of brilliant people on there who are really great at ferreting out family history information. I've had oodles of help on OH's links in that part of Lancashire, from there.
And their skills extend far beyond Wigan!!
TY

[philipsearching]

Step 2: marriages for parents in Wigan
1:  FILLINGHAM Ann, Mar qtr 1861 Wigan vol 8c p4 mmn ARMSTRONG
3:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, Jun qtr 1867 Wigan vol 8c p56 mmn LIVESEY
4:  FILLINGHAM Mary Ann, Mar qtr 1869 Wigan vol 8c p38 mmn EDEN
7:  FILLINGHAM Alice Ann, Jun qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p72 mmn BARNES
8:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, Dec qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p76 mmn WILKINSON

Let's knock out a few more candidates - marriages where father is not John: (struck through on above list)
1:  FILLINGHAM Samuel, Mar qtr 1846 Wigan vol 21c p618 same page as ARMSTRONG Hannah
3:  FILLINGHAM William, Dec qtr 1866 Wigan vol 8c p66 same page as LIVESEY Grace
4:  FILLINGHAM Thomas, Dec qtr 1868 Wigan vol 8c p88 same page as EDEN Jane

This leaves two possibles:
7:  FILLINGHAM John, Jun qtr 1873 Wigan vol 8c p106 same page as BARNES Flamah
8:  FILLINGHAM John, Sep qtr 1876 Wigan vol 8c p85 same page as WILKINSON Mary


Candidate 8 could be:
(see also 1891 Census RG12/3054/16 p25 - Brown Street, Wigan - John is a coal miner)
1901 Census (FamilySearch) Wigan St Thomas, Lancs
FILLINGHAM John, head, 50, Colliery labourer above ground, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Mary, wife, 49, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Margaret, daughter, 18, Packer jam works, born Nottingham
FILLINGHAM Hannah, daughter, 16, Cotton spinner, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Henry, son, 14, Driver milk cart, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Richard, son, 8, born Wigan

(GRO has mmn WILKINSON for both Henry and Richard)

Philip

[RodEast]

The Lancashire Parish Clerks on line project lists
Marriage: 8 Aug 1908 St Mary, Ince, Lancashire, England
John Cunliffe - 24, Collier, Bachelor, 3 Windleshaw Street
Annie Fillingham - 23, Spinster, 6 Delacarte Street
    Groom's Father: James Cunliffe, Collier
    Bride's Father: John Fillingham, Collier
    Witness: Henry Fillingham; Sarah Ann Griffiths
    Married by Banns by: J. A. Cooil
    Register: Marriages 1905 - 1915, Page 81, Entry 162
    Source: Original register at Wigan Archives
They also have a potential baptism:
Baptism: 26 May 1884 All Saints, Wigan, Lancashire, England
John Cunliffe - [Child] of James Cunliffe & Margaret
    Born: 12 May 1884
    Abode: Lower Ince
    Occupation: Fireman
    Notes: [Child's name originally recorded John Thomas, Thomas crossed out]
    Baptised by: E. Ruck-Keene Curate
    Register: Baptisms 1882 - 1884, Page 376, Entry 3001
    Source: LDS Film 1885686
which also ties in with an entry on FreeBMD for Dec 1884 - wigan 8c 163.
Thats when it got more difficult and I sought help.  I hope this is breeching any copyright.
RodEast

[philipsearching]

The Lancashire Parish Clerks on line project lists
Marriage: 8 Aug 1908 St Mary, Ince, Lancashire, England
John Cunliffe - 24, Collier, Bachelor, 3 Windleshaw Street
Annie Fillingham - 23, Spinster, 6 Delacarte Street
    Groom's Father: James Cunliffe, Collier
    Bride's Father: John Fillingham, Collier
    Witness: Henry Fillingham; Sarah Ann Griffiths
    Married by Banns by: J. A. Cooil
    Register: Marriages 1905 - 1915, Page 81, Entry 162
    Source: Original register at Wigan Archives
They also have a potential baptism:
Baptism: 26 May 1884 All Saints, Wigan, Lancashire, England
John Cunliffe - [Child] of James Cunliffe & Margaret
    Born: 12 May 1884
    Abode: Lower Ince
    Occupation: Fireman
    Notes: [Child's name originally recorded John Thomas, Thomas crossed out]
    Baptised by: E. Ruck-Keene Curate
    Register: Baptisms 1882 - 1884, Page 376, Entry 3001
    Source: LDS Film 1885686
which also ties in with an entry on FreeBMD for Dec 1884 - wigan 8c 163.
Thats when it got more difficult and I sought help.  I hope this is breeching any copyright.
RodEast

The General Register Office (GRO) has births in 1884:
CUNLIFFE John, Mar qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p150, mmn (NONE GIVEN)
CUNLIFFE John, Mar qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p153 mmn LITTLER
CUNLIFFE John, Jun qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p113 mmn WINSTANLEY
CUNLIFFE John, Sep qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p149 mmn CUNLIFFE
CUNLIFFE John, Dec qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p163 mmn CUNLIFFE

The June quarter 1884 registration could tie in with
Marriage Jun qtr 1876 Wigan vol 8c p35 on the same page: CUNLIFFE James, DAVENPORT William, FOX Frances Ann, and WINSTANLEY Margaret

Philip

ADDED: I can't find a CUNLIFFE James to CUNLIFFE Margaret marriage, or a CUNLIFFE James to LITTLER Margaret to match the 1884 record you cited, and the absence of a mother's maiden name for the first in my list above suggests this John was illegitimate.  I think if Lancashire OPC have a marriage record for John CUNLIFFE and Margaret WINSTANLEY in 1876 it would be a good lead

[philipsearching]

ADDED: I can't find a CUNLIFFE James to CUNLIFFE Margaret marriage, or a CUNLIFFE James to LITTLER Margaret to match the 1884 record you cited, and the absence of a mother's maiden name for the first in my list above suggests this John was illegitimate.  I think if Lancashire OPC have a marriage record for John CUNLIFFE and Margaret WINSTANLEY in 1876 it would be a good lead

And it is there!
Marriage: 21 May 1876 Christ Church, Ince, Lancashire, England
James Cunliffe - 20, Collier, Bachelor, Lower Ince
Margaret Winstanley - (X), 25, Spinster, Lower Ince
    Groom's Father: Thomas Cunliffe, Collier
    Witness: John Houghton; Ann Barker, (X)
    Married by Certificate by: C. Newton
    Register: Marriages 1873 - 1879, Page 141, Entry 281

So I think your John (born 12 May, baptised 26 May 1884) must be:
CUNLIFFE John, Jun qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p113 mmn WINSTANLEY

The 1884 baptism naming John's father as a Fireman almost certainly means the job of Fireman in a colliery, not the water hoses and fire engine type.  See https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=561470.0 for a discussion on this (it refers to 1911 regulations, so it's a bit too modern for 1884!).

Philip

[philipsearching]

Going back to reply #4 below.

If we go for your Annie/Hannah FILLINGHAM being:
8:  FILLINGHAM Hannah, Dec qtr 1884 Wigan vol 8c p76 mmn WILKINSON
with the marriage of parents:
8:  FILLINGHAM John, Sep qtr 1876 Wigan vol 8c p85 same page as WILKINSON Mary

1901 Census (FamilySearch) Wigan St Thomas, Lancs
FILLINGHAM John, head, 50, Colliery labourer above ground, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Mary, wife, 49, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Margaret, daughter, 18, Packer jam works, born Nottingham
FILLINGHAM Hannah, daughter, 16, Cotton spinner, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Henry, son, 14, Driver milk cart, born Wigan
FILLINGHAM Richard, son, 8, born Wigan

(GRO has mmn WILKINSON for both Henry and Richard)

then there is a marriage on FamilySearch:
28 Aug 1876, St George's Wigan,
John FILLINGHAM, miner to Mary WILKINSON (both of full age, both in Millgate)
Groom's father: Samuel FILLINGTON, miner
Bride's father: William WILKINSON, blacksmith
Witnesses: Henry WILKINSON and Harriet (?)

image of marriage cert: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DWP4-JD?i=330

Philip