Samuel Housley

[Blithe]

New member, first post:

I've only been doing this for a few months, and keep getting stuck with one Mr Elusive.
Samuel Housley, born 1816, Smalley, Derbyshire. Parents William Housley and Ellen Carrington.
Married Elizabeth Brookes in 1844 in Wolverhampton. Had 3 daughters before wife died in 1849.
1850 sentenced to one month hard labour for failing to maintain his 3 children (reason for 2 daughters admittance to Belper workhouse: father in prison, June 1850. My gr gr grandmother the youngest daughter Catherine born six weeks before mothers death was lodging with the Bennistons in Heanor on 1851 and 1861 census)

Can not find a death for him anywhere, but he appears on daughter Elizabeths marriage in 1873 in Liverpool as father (and does not say deceased, can I assume that means he is still alive?)

He was a plumber and glazier.

Can't find him on any census though!
Possibly on 1861 Walsall/Darlaston census as a lodger but has been transcribed as Hosty although looks like Hosly.
No sign of him on 1841, 1851, or 1871 census and I've looked and looked, and can't find a death for him either.

Would very much appreciate any help trying to find him after 1850!
Thank you

[jim1]

Hello & welcome
Well I've had a look for him & like you I'm not finding much.
Have his family in 1841 but he's not with them.
Possibly in the Army but I don't see a service record for him
but that doesn't mean to say he wasn't.
The 1861 census looks like him.
His death cert. may have an incorrect age as this would have only
been as good as the informant knew it & his name may have been misspelt.
As he seems to be on his own there's nothing keeping him in one place.
There aren't any deaths under any variant in Staffs. 1861-91 but there are several in Derbys.
It wasn't compulsory to state if he was deceased on a marriage cert.
So pretty much an impossible task trying to pin someone down when they are transient & not
with other family members.
Not the answer you're looking for I know.

[spendlove]

Hello,

Welcome.

Wonder if you could give details of where you have the information that Samuel was in prison 1850,
For failing to maintain children?  Have failed to find in newspapers.

Are these the correct children born to Samuel and Elizabeth

Elizabeth sept. Q 1845
Mary Ann mar Q 1847
Catherine mar Q 1849. All registered Belper

Reason I ask is that the GRO on line. https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp#Results

States that the first 2 were born in Belper Union, which appears to be the workhouse, so prior to an 1850 conviction.

Spendlove

[rosie99]

Reason I ask is that the GRO on line. https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp#Results

States that the first 2 were born in Belper Union, which appears to be the workhouse, so prior to an 1850 conviction.

Spendlove

Freebmd lists them as just Belper.  GRO website often has 'Union' added after their districts, this did not mean it was a workhouse entry

[jim1]

Wonder if you could give details of where you have the information that Samuel was in prison 1850

It came from a newspaper cutting dated May 1850.

[Blithe]

Wonder if you could give details of where you have the information that Samuel was in prison 1850,
For failing to maintain children?  Have failed to find in newspapers.

Are these the correct children born to Samuel and Elizabeth

Elizabeth sept. Q 1845
Mary Ann mar Q 1847
Catherine mar Q 1849. All registered Belper

Thank you for your reply. Yes, those are the 3 daughters that were born in Smalley/Horsley.  I looked through some 600 pages of Belper workhouse records and found that Mary Ann and Elizabeth were admitted in June 1850, the reason was "father in prison". I looked and looked to find prison records and have not found them yest, but eventually found a newspaper clipping from the Derbyshire Courier 18th May 1850: Samuel Housley, of Smalley, one month and hard labour, for neglecting to maintain his three children.

[Blithe]

There aren't any deaths under any variant in Staffs. 1861-91 but there are several in Derbys.
It wasn't compulsory to state if he was deceased on a marriage cert.
So pretty much an impossible task trying to pin someone down when they are transient & not
with other family members.
Not the answer you're looking for I know.


Thank you Jim1,

I think we've ruled out the Derbyshire deaths that we've come across so far.
At least now I know I haven't missed something obvious!

many thanks

[spendlove]

Hi Rosie99

Thanks for that, wonder why some entries at GRO state Union and others don’t, expect like everything it depended who actually recorded the entry.

Jim1,

Even knowing it was a May 1850 entry, I still cannot find, however using FindMyPast so perhaps not included.

Spendlove

[Comberton]

Derbyshire Courier 18th May 1850