Genealogy Chat

Just for our info

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census
12, Lorne Road, Barrow in Furness, Lancashire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Thomas Lee Head Married Male 50 1831 Brickmaker Tarlton, Lancashire, England
Mary Lee Wife Married Female 68 1813 - Tarlton, Lancashire, England
John W Hamilton Boarder Single Male 13 1868 Scholar Barrow, Lancashire, England

Just because I found it before reading the rest of the post. Is this Ann possibly
his sister??


1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Raglan Street, Barrow, Ulverston, Lancashire, England


Thomas Lee Head - Male 40 1831 - Lancashire, England
Mary Lee Wife - Female 61 1810 - Lancashire, England
Margaret Lee Daughter - Female 19 1852 - Lancashire, England
Ann Hamilton Granddaughter - Female 5 1866 - Lancashire, England

Thanks ErikaH, I did suspect that. This is what I actually know. His name was John William Hamilton born at 12 Cavendish Street Barrow in Furness in 1868. On his birth certificate he is named as John William Ambleton, but his mother Ann signed it with an x so was probably illiterate. His actual date of birth is 11 March 1868. (This matches my great grandfathers as on 1939 Register). I have found nothing for years 1868 to 1881. In the 1881 census aged 13 he was 'boarding' with a couple called Mary and Thomas Lee. Mary was 20 years older than Thomas and a widow when they married and her previous married name was Hamilton. I think maybe Mary's previous marriage is key to finding out about John William. Both Mary and Thomas were born in Tarleton Lancashire. They married in 1853 in Ormskirk. They moved to Ulverston/Barrow in Furness by 1871.

If no father is named on the birth cert, the ‘father’ on the marriage cert was fictitious. He didn’t want the in-laws to know he was illegitimate

If you want people to help, post name and location info.

I am trying to find out information regarding my great grandfather. He is proving to be quite elusive. I have a birth certificate and there is no father named and the surname is slightly different, but his actual birth date is the same as my great grandfather on the 1939 register. There is a gap in my research between his birth in 1868 and the census in 1881 where I cannot find anything about him. I have obtained his marriage certificate and a father is named on there (adopted maybe) but the father named on that has the same surname as he has. I have been searching the Irish and Scottish records to see if he spent the missing years there. I am getting a little frustrated. I have lots of facts but just have to find the missing link. Has anyone any hints as to how to approach this from a diffierent angle and find the link.