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

[jonw65]

Annie Wilkinson and two children in Cork in 1901
Daughter born Malta, as said
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Cork/Kinsale_Rural/Fort_Hill/1121800/

[rosie99]

Thank you John 

Rosie

[jonw65]

You're welcome, Rosie.
Well done for finding the military papers and Margaret

Widowed Annie Wilkinson in 1911, boarding in Belfast with the two children
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai001406230/

John

[liscoole]

Hi

Yes. Thank you to everyone who has chipped in for your help and time with this. It really is a mystery.

I have the marriage certificate. 2nd October 1895.

St Patrick's RC chapel Belfast.James Wilkinson married Annie McKee. His age 24 her age 23. His profession soldier hers cook. His address Victoria Barracks hers New Lodge Road Belfast.
Below is from the marriage cert- to me it looks very like brewer?

[liscoole]

I am wondering, he states his birth Parish as St Mary's RC in Wigan.
Does anyone know if these parish records are available on line? This may have been where he was baptised. I am at a loss to find a registered birth entry in the General Register for him.

Again, my thanks to everyone for their hard work in this thread, it's very much appreciated.

[rosie99]

Briefly returning to the Margaret that was found in Queen Street, her sister Alice was baptised C of E

Baptism: 20 Feb 1881 St Thomas, Wigan, Lancashire
Alice Wilkinson - parents Joseph Wilkinson & Elizabeth
Born 7 Feb 1881
Abode Queen Street
Fathers occupation Collier

[liscoole]

Hi Rosie

Thanks for that. Yes I notice that family were not RC. I am puzzled regarding the connection between Margaret and James.
Looking at a few baptism records I see that there was a St Mary's in Ince. I also see a record there of a James Henry born to James and Ann 22nd Jan 1875, baptised there in 1890.
However that would make him a full 4 years younger than he claimed to be in all paperwork. Also father's occupation does not match.
The reason I am drawn to this record is that he named his first son James Henry, and this is a name which was continued down 3 generations or more.
I wonder why he would have claimed to be RC?

[Sandblown]

One of My Wife's English Ancesters was Formally Registered and CofE Baptised John (Surname), in England.

 He married an Irish RC Girl in Kidare, and prior to the Marriage, had converted to RC, in Kildare.

He was RC Baptised John Joseph (Surname), and that forename carried forward on to both His Irish Marriage and Death Certificates.

Therefore, it's also possible James Wilkinson converted to RC, just prior to the Irish RC Marriage.

I managed to locate John Joseph's Irish RC Baptism, there may also be one for James Wilkinson in Ireland.

[liscoole]

Hi Sandblown

Thanks, that is a good theory. However, it states on his enlistment papers that he was RC, which was in 1892. It was only when his regiment moved to Victoria barracks in Northern Ireland that he met and married Annie, who was also RC. This would have been c 1894/5.
It appears he may have had some cause to leave his family, or disown them, to cause him to lie about his next of kin on the enlistment papers.
I did find a James Wilkinson b 1871 Orell, Lancs in the 1891 census living with Thos and Elizabeth, who seem old enough to be grandparents (62/63) though they are described as parents. All colliers.
This might possibly be him, though I haven’t checked to see if he appears in 1901/1911 ( in which case if he does, it’s not the right person).