Another one that puzzles me

[Kerrill]

Hi,
        have been trying to trace a ancestor and thought it would be pretty straight forward until...........
   Margaret Morrison was born 1859 Preston Lancashire to a James Morrison  and Mary Barrigan (Berigan)  her mother died when she was 12  I have her on the 1861, 1871 census but it's the 1881 census that I cannot get my head around,  (if it is her)  she is living with her aunty  Catherine in Singleton Row, Preston , but I have already found her aunty Catherine she Married a Lawrence Brennan and was living in Brow Square Preston Lancashire in  1881 with her children. Has she got two Aunty Catherine's ?   

[PaulineJ]

Without seeing the record(s) that you refer to, it's unrealistic to expect any meaningful interpretations.

Pauline

[Neale1961]

Have you considered that she might have been married by 1881, and therefore with a different surname?

[Pennines]

The aunt Catherine, living in Singleton Row is called Catherine Morrison and is a widow. That implies to me that Catherine was the wife of a brother of Margaret's father.

Hence not a blood relative. The other Aunt Catherine you refer to, is presumably a sibling of one of Margaret's parents.

(Or am I terribly confused!!)

[Kerrill]

No you are spot on Pennines, but cant find who the brother of Margaret's Father was yet, would be a lot easier if I could put up all the records for you to look through but don't think that's allowed Pauline.
Have bought several wedding certs that I thought could be her but no joy Neale.

[heywood]

The two children living with the married Catherine Morrison have mmn Morrison.

[heywood]

In those censuses:
Catherine Brennan is 38yrs born abt 1843, Ireland

Catherine Morrison, 33 yrs born abt 1848, Ireland

[Pennines]

So Heywood's find alters things a bit - Catherine Morrison may not have actually married, if the mother's maiden name was Morrison on the childrens' birth registrations. It is an outside chance that a Morrison married a Morrison (but I would be surprised).

Neale -- I think you need to follow Catherine Morrison back through the censuses (where you can, as she was born Ireland). Just to see what has happened to her and whether she was 'born' Morrison! If she was - then she is likely the sister.

(Just look at it this way -- it would be boring if it went smoothly!)

[PaulineJ]

would be a lot easier if I could put up all the records for you to look through but don't think that's allowed Pauline.

Of course it's allowed. What you don't do is cut&paste from the index.
You can provide the direct URL, on either ancestry, familysearch or FindMyPast.

Pauline