Genealogy Chat

Need help with my GG Grandfather. This is him, definately, on the 1881 census. He married martha at manchester cathedral on 20.03.1875, roughly 7 years after their son was born. It states on their wedding cert that the couple are widower and widow. The problem I have is if it is him on the 1871 census, he had his son before his first wife died! I know that william firkins was a common name amongst the boat/canal people, so can anybody find another william firkins on either the 1861 or the 1871 census. William was born in birmingham abt 1826 1871 CENSUS William Ferkins, head, married, 45, canal boatman, bn Birmingham, Warwickshire. Hannah Ferkins, wife, married, 50, boatmans wife, bn Rowley, Yorkshire. Hannah Ferkins, daughter, single, 19, boatmans daughter, bn Rowley, Yorkshire. Benjemin Collins, serv, unmarried, 22, boatmans hand, Staffordshire 1881 CENSUS Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability William FIRKINS (Head) M Male 55 Birmingham, Warwick, England Boatman (Waterman) Martha FIRKINS Other M Female 50 Manchester, Lancashire, England Boatman Wife William FIRKINS Other Male 14 Birmingham, Warwick, England Boatman Son

Just need to split up the census info to make it easier to read.... Need help with my GG Grandfather. This is him, definately, on the 1881 census. He married martha at manchester cathedral on 20.03.1875, roughly 7 years after their son was born. It states on their wedding cert that the couple are widower and widow. The problem I have is if it is him on the 1871 census, he had his son before his first wife died! I know that william firkins was a common name amongst the boat/canal people, so can anybody find another william firkins on either the 1861 or the 1871 census. William was born in birmingham abt 1826 1871 CENSUS William Ferkins, head, married, 45, canal boatman, bn Birmingham, Warwickshire. Hannah Ferkins, wife, married, 50, boatmans wife, bn Rowley, Yorkshire. Hannah Ferkins, daughter, single, 19, boatmans daughter, bn Rowley, Yorkshire. Benjemin Collins, serv, unmarried, 22, boatmans hand, Staffordshire 1881 CENSUS William FIRKINS (Head) M Male 55 Birmingham, Warwick, England Boatman (Waterman) Martha FIRKINS Other M Female 50 Manchester, Lancashire, England Boatman Wife William FIRKINS Other Male 14 Birmingham, Warwick, England Boatman Son

DO YOU HAVE THE BIRTH CERT ? I WOULD IMAGINE HIS MOTHER IS THE FIRST WIFE

1861 View Record Hannah Firkin abt 1813 Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England Wife Vessels Staffordshire View Record Hannah Firkin abt 1852 Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England Daughter Vessels Staffordshire View Record William Firkin abt 1826 Birmingham Boatman Master Vessels Staffordshire View Record Henry Smith abt 1849 N Mate Vessels Staffordshire Unknown vessel in 1861

No, can find no evidence of william jrs birth, always undrstood he was martha son

Lynda GR always scrunches up the first posting on a new thread, so I have taken the liberty of re-arranging yours to make it easier to read. Your GG Grandfather William FIRKIN married Martha at Manchester Cathedral on 20.03.1875, roughly 7 years after their son was born. Wedding cert says the couple are widower and widow. The problem I have is if it is him on the 1871 census, he had his son before his first wife died! I know that william firkins was a common name amongst the boat/canal people, so can anybody find another william firkins on either the 1861 or the 1871 census. William was born in Birmingham abt 1826 1871 CENSUS William Ferkins, head, married, 45, canal boatman, bn Birmingham, Warwickshire. Hannah Ferkins, wife, married, 50, boatmans wife, bn Rowley, Yorkshire. Hannah Ferkins, daughter, single, 19, boatmans daughter, bn Rowley, Yorkshire. Benjemin Collins, serv, unmarried, 22, boatmans hand, Staffordshire ********************************** 1881 William FIRKINS (Head) M Male 55 Birmingham, Warwick, England Boatman (Waterman) Martha FIRKINS Other M Female 50 Manchester, Lancashire, England Boatman Wife William FIRKINS Other Male 14 Birmingham, Warwick, England Boatman Son Institution 'Boat William' 01310 Lock Bridge Census Place London, Middlesex, England Family History Library Film 1341039 RG11 Piece / Folio 0182 / 23 Page 44 Do you know if the 1871 census has the same boat name as William's home?

Possible death of first wife: FIRKINS, Hannah Record Type: Deaths Age at death: 63 Quarter: March Year: 1874 District: Birmingham (1837-1924) County: Warwickshire Volume: 6d Page: 158 nell

I cannot find william jr, who was born birmingham abt 1867/68 on the 1871 census

What was Marthas maiden name?

Marthas maiden name was nuttall, 1st married name was yates

so might be a William Yates you need to look for....

Thanks, hoping I would'nt have to go through that again

1861 is same family as 1871 William Firkin abt 1826 Birmingham Boatman Master Vessels Staffordshire Hannah Firkin abt 1813 Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England Wife Vessels Staffordshire Hannah Firkin abt 1852 Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England Daughter Vessels Staffordshire Henry Smith abt 1849 N Mate Vessels Staffordshire I can't see a William Yates in 1871 with mother Martha.

This is all I can find: Yates, William Thomas Record Type: Births Quarter: March Year: 1868 District: Birmingham (1837-1924) County: Warwickshire Volume: 6d Page: 18 If Martha is his mother and William senior only his step-father, you would need to find them - hopefully together - on 1871 census. nell

Thanks that is him. William snr is his father, politely put william snr liked to 'play away'

Do you know why William and Martha married in Manchester, and not in Warwickshire? nell

william snr had a narrow boat and plowed the canels delievering goods, believe they got married in manchester, because that is where martha comes from