James Wilkinson born Jan 1871 St Mary's Parish Wigan Lancashire

[Sandblown]

The Family is Catholic, from what is  seen on James Wilkinson's Army Service Census. Therefore His Father, James, could be using a Catholic Baptism middle name, Joseph ? or vice versa. Could James Junior be doing the same, therefore the difficulty in finding His Wigan Birth.

[liscoole]

HI Sandblown

This could very well be correct!

His daughter was born in Malta September 1897. She was named Adeline Josephine Annie Wilkinson.

So the name Joseph must factor in somewhere of importance.

I will try searching for Joseph Wilkinson instead of James as his father in census records.

Many thanks

[liscoole]

I am sure that both of those records I looked at are him.  The original attestation was the one that had next of kin on, that also mentioned Annie and the children.  The Sherwood Forrester record also connected to the date of leaving in 1906.

Jas. is often used as a shortened form of James and Jos. for Joseph.  I wonder if somehow one has been mistranscribed.

Rosie you could well be right! Thank you for that. Now I just need to search the census with this information. many thanks

[Sandblown]

James Sister, Margaret, is on the Wigan 1881 Census, living with Father Joseph Wilkinson, Mother Betsy ( Elizabeth), and Siblings. James not there. What's interesting They are living at 79 Queen Street, next door to the Hind's ? at 81 Queen Street.

ADD: Have misread Hind, for Hurd.
ADD: Same address on 1891 Census. Next door at 81, Occupied by Henry Hurst.

[liscoole]

James Sister, Margaret, is on the Wigan 1881 Census, living with Father Joseph Wilkinson, Mother Betsy ( Elizabeth), and Siblings. James not there. What's interesting They are living at 79 Queen Street, next door to the Hind's ? at 81 Queen Street.

ADD: Have misread Hind, for Hurd.
ADD: Same address on 1891 Census. Next door at 81, Occupied by Henry Hurst.

Thanks. I dont understand why he names Margaret as his sister but yet he is not on any census with the rest of the family. I have managed to find all the children of the marriage of Elizabeth Hurst and Joseph Wilkinson and they never had a son called James or even a male child around 1870/71
Am starting to think that James may have been illegitimate though why he names Margaret as his sister is a real mystery to me...

[rosie99]

It is strange that his sister Margaret was mentioned as next of kin if his parents were still alive 

The Margaret Wilkinson marriage does tie in with the family in Queen Street and by 1901 at 107 Caroline Street the address she gives at marriage. 

[Sandblown]

I'm wondering if Margaret was really James Sister, and not another Relative, Cousin perhaps ?

If James Father real name is James, and not Joseph, then could James Senior be a Brother of Joseph ?

I also think James Senior's Occupation might be Hewer, not Brewer, as in Coal Hewer.

ADD: However, If James Senior was a Brewer, then He could have worked for the Albion Brewery Comp., located at Hardybutts, Wigan.

[rosie99]

I also wonder if James was illegitimate and father was fictitious.

Is his marriage certificate image available anywhere 

[jonw65]

Is his marriage certificate image available anywhere 

2 October 1895, Belfast
James age 24, Soldier
Father James Wilkinson, Brewer
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1895/10541/5839750.pdf