Family Higgins -Lowton/Pennington & greetings from Melbourne

[Sean]

Hi everyone

I'm new to this forum so thought I would introduce myself.

My GG Grandfather, John Field, was born in Leigh in 1836 and migrated to South Australia in 1855.

Whilst we know a lot about our family's history since that time, we know little or nothing about John Field's family history in England. As I am in Australia it is not possible to inspect original records and so on which makes things a little challenging.

So here goes.

John's mother (Mary Field) died in Lowton in 1840, leaving him an orphan. His father, James Boardman, we know nothing about for sure but a few persons of that age died in the Leigh district about that time. In any case, after Mary died John went to lodge with the HIGGINS family who, in 1841, lived in King Street, Lowton. In 1851 they lived in King Street, West Leigh, Pennington.

I'm wondering if anyone on this forum may have some connections to the Higgins family. I am hoping that maybe by this route I can get more information about John Field and his early life in Leigh and perhaps some more information about his mother and father.

John Field clearly had very fond memories of the Higgins, seeing as he named a number of his (10) children in Australia after members of the Higgins family!

If anyone has any relevant interests or information I'd love to hear from you.

In the meantime, thanks to everyone for sharing their information and ideas on this forum.

Best regards

Sean Field

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

As John's surname is Field, have you assumed that he was illegitimate? If so how do you know James Boardman's name?

It is possible that there might be a filiation order or any mention of Mary and John in other Parish documents and I have asked a member of our Leigh Group to look at your post to see if she is able to be of any more specific help.

[simone]

Hi welcome to the boards

for anyone trying to find him in 1841 he is not listed with the Higgins family on transcription although they are on the image, but with

HO107; Piece: 513; Book: 8; Folio: 41; Page: 9;

John Field 5
Jeremiah Daly 50
George Jagger 20
Hannah Jagger 20
Robert Jagger 3
Elizabeth Makin 15


here are the Higgins' all born in county except for Richard who was bron Roddington Shropshire on later census. Elizabeth gone be 1851
HO107; Piece: 513; Book: 8; Folio: 41; Page: 9; Line: 19;..
Richard Higgins 60 Fustian cutter
Elizabeth Higgins 55
Priscilla Higgins 20
William Higgins 20

[simone]

Do you have Mary's death cert... how old was she at death? was she Mary Field at death or Mary Boardman?

there are a few James Boardman's in the Criminal registers

Lancashire record Office has
Bill of costs of prosecution of James Boardman QSP/3036/73 c1836

which could lead to

James Boardman
Age: 22
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814
Larcnecy of the person
Date of Trial: 11 Jan 1836
Trial Year: 1836
Location of Trial: Lancashire, England
Sentence: Transportation 14 years


but like I say there are a number of others and none of them may be him anyway... difficult to say until you tell us more about where you got James Boardman from
Look forward to hearing more

Simone x

[simone]

I take it this is her death?

Deaths Jun 1840

FIELD Mary Leigh 21 445

or is it this one?

Mar q 1940
Boardman Mary Leigh 21 483

[Glenys]

Hi Sean and Simone,
As I haven't got access to Ancestry at the moment, could you give me the address of the 1841 Census of these two families.
I'll try and check other details during the next few days and get back to you with any results.

[simone]

Hi Glenys

the address just says King Street, township of Pennington
still there in 1851 and Richard still there in 1861

Simone x

[simone]

Daughter Priscilla

Priscilla Higgins :Female
baptism/christening date: 18 Oct 1818
baptism/christening place: LEIGH,LANCASHIRE,ENGLAND
father's name: Richard Higgins
mother's name: Elizabeth
batch number: C00539-4

also

other likely children


Robert Higgins
gender: Male
01 Oct 1815
WIGAN,LANCASHIRE,ENGLAND
birth date: 13 Sep 1815
father's name: Richard Higgins
mother's name: Elizabeth
number:C00556-7



Richard Higgins
gender: Male
baptism/christening date:19 Jul 1812
WIGAN,LANCASHIRE,ENGLAND
28 Jun 1812
Richard Higgins
Elizabeth Sharrock
C00556-7


marriage
Rd Higgins
bride's name: Betty Sharrock
marriage date: 24 Jun 1804
marriage place: Prestwich, Lancashire, England

all from IGI

Also on Lancs opc


Marriage: 24 Jun 1804 St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich, Lancashire, England
Richard Higgins - of Oldham
Betty Sharrocks - (X), of Oldham
Witness: John Chappell; Edw. Redford
Married by Banns by: John Garnett
Register: Marriages 1801 - 1809, Page 240, Entry 1199
Source: LDS Film 2356185

Baptisms: 1 Oct 1815 All Saints, Wigan, Lancashire, England
Robert Higgins - 3 Son of Richard Higgins & Elizabeth
Born: 13 Sep
Abode: Hindley
Occupation: Fustian Cutter
Baptised by: Edwd. Hill
Register: Baptisms 1813 - 1816, Page 255, Entry 2036


Baptisms: 18 Oct 1818 St Mary the Virgin, Leigh, Lancashire, England
Priscilla Higgins - Daughter of Richard Higgins & Elizabeth
Abode: Penington
Occupation: Fustian Cutter
Baptised by: D. Birkett
Register: Baptisms 1818 - 1821, Page 26, Entry 207

[simone]

Son Richard seems to be around in Hindley 1851 married to Alice about 5 yrs older and have children with them. he is a bookeeper
HO107; Piece: 2205; Folio: 32; Page: 29;

1861 still in Hindley- clerk on canal
RG 9; Piece: 2803; Folio: 79; Page: 18

in 1841 he is in Liverpool with another possible brother John
HO107; Piece: 565; Enumeration District: 18; Folio: 37; Page: 21; Line: 9
John Higgins 33 warehouseman
Ann Higgins 31
Elizabeth Higgins 1 3 Mo
Richard Higgins 26 bookeeper
Alice Higgins 31

[Sean]

Thanks everyone for the responses!

I will try to add some further details -

I believe the June 1840 death recorded in Lowton is the correct one for Mary Field; according to the certificate she was aged 40 at death.

We know about James Boardman only because he is cited as John Field's father on John's death certificate (Middleton, South Australia, 1911); we have no other documentary evidence regarding Mr Boardman, he is something of a mystery! It would be extremely interesting indeed if he was transported to Australia. I had not thought of that possibility and will have to look for him in any records here also!

I have no idea why John Field took the "Field" surname rather than "Boardman"; I assume from this that Mary Field and James Boardman were not married.

I understand there is an entry in a printed register (G11 LE1) from St Joseph, Leigh, recording the baptism of John, son of Mary; I've not seen a copy of this.

I've checked a few death certs. in the area for likely James Boardmans, but have found nothing conclusive. For example, there is a death in that name registered in Lowton, on 6 Feb. 1841. This could be relevant as John Field had been fostered to the Higgins by the time the 1841 census was taken. However there is nothing on the certificate to link this James Boardman with John or Mary Field.

Just to complicate things further, family legend has it that Mary was Irish. But I don't know if this is correct.

A further thought - could there be any documentation recording or referring to John Field being fostered to the Higgins? It would have been in about 1840; John would have been 4 or 5 years old.

Thanks again everyone.

All assistance is much appreciated.

Sean

[MaryA]

Many of us don't know what details are given on Australian documents so you will have to forgive us if we ask questions that seem to be obvious to you.

I want to backtrack a little and ask what evidence you have that John's mother was Mary?

You mention a baptism for him, mother Mary, in St Joseph's, Leigh, I think you need to obtain a copy to see what details are given, although it might be that there is nothing else of value on the document, when you have the date I think you should check in the same Parish for a Filiation Order. Illegitimate babies were usually baptised so that they would be eligible for "Parish Relief" if necessary and probably it often was, and it was often the Parish who would attempt to ascertain the father's name and slap a Bastardy Bond on him to obtain money for the child's upkeep.

Until 1927 there was no formal adoption system, so there will be no official records of either adoption or fostering by the Higgins, who may have just taken the lad into their home because there was nobody else to do so. However, again if the Parish became involved and paid any money for his keep then the church documents are again the place to check.

I think Glenys will know where the documents for St Joseph's are held, perhaps you have a contact in the area who might be able to check these records for you.

Again, so far as James Boardman is concerned, if his name was on John's death certificate - who entered it? think about it, it wasn't John himself! John may have invented a name to save face with family members. Was there a father's name given on his marriage certificate?

Sorry more questions than answers but they are things to think about.

[Hilary]

Who reghistered Mary Field's death and where did she die?

[simone]

Wondering if John had a sister
found this little girl on her own in the same area

Mary Field age 10 silk winder
HO107; Piece: 513; Folio: 23; Page: 5; Line: 16
Bradshawgate Street?

John was in Lowton, district 3.. she is in Lowton district 5

Simone x

[simone]

here is burial of Mary

Burial: 26 Jun 1840 St Mary the Virgin, Leigh, Lancashire, England
Mary Field -
Age: 40 years
Abode: Penington
Buried by: J.R. Taylor Curate
Register: Burials 1838 - 1847, Page 104, Entry 825

[simone]

Young John and Mary seem to be the only people with the name Field/Fields in that area at that time

quite a number of Boardmans though

[Glenys]

I had a friend check the death register for Mary FIELD in 1840 and it says that she died in Pennington, which is in the Lowton registration district at that time. Her death was registered by a Mary BURTONWOOD who was present at the death which means that she wasn't a relation, so may not have given an accurate description of her status. She may have been a neighbour. She says that Mary FIELD was a widow. There is only the one death of a Mary FIELD in 1840.

I have checked the Baptismal Register of St. Joseph's Church and found John FIELD baptised on 27th September 1835 mother Mary FIELD, no father listed.

I also found another John FIELD baptised on 20th June 1832 with mother Mary FIELD and no father. I presume this must have been an earlier child who must have died but I couldn't find a burial in the St. Joseph's Register.

I couldn't find a funeral of either a Mary FIELD or Mary BOARDMAN in 1840 at St. Joseph's Church.

The 1841 shows John FIELD living in King Street with both the Higgins and Jagger families together.

We do not have a meeting at the Leigh Group until August now so I can't ask any of our members if they know of any Higgins family.

I see that you haven't joined the Society and suggest that if you did so, your family names would be included in the Journal which is circulated to all members and you could also write an article asking for anyone who knows of any connections.

I did check with the Local History Officer but she does not have any Bastard Bonds or Affiliation Orders. These may be with the Archivist or at Lancashire Record Office. The Local Archivist is at http://www.wlct.gov. Leisure Services then Heritage Service.

[simone]

There is a Mary Burtonwood at Traflager Street, Culcheth in 1841, age 20
HO107; Piece: 513; Book: 5 District: 5; Folio: 23; Page: 6; Line: 10.

However, thers is a Margaret Burtonwood age 35 in King Street about 4 doors away from John in 1841
HO107; Piece: 513; Book: 8 District: 3; Folio: 41; Page: 9; Line: 1

[MaryA]

Thank you for such an in depth look at your records Glenys and for such valuable links.

Simone the Margaret Burtonwood seems a great coincidence doesn't it?

Sean, The Lancashire Record Office needs to be investigated for a Bastardy Bond. http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/ ... =30539&e=e

Glenys suggestion of joining the Society is of course, an excellent one, http://www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk/membership.html your names interests will not only be searchable on the website but also posted in the Journal.

[simone]

Hi

I am wondering if Jeremiah Daly born c 1791 Ireland on the 1841 census with John mey be a clue...

I was having a browse on the IGI and notices a Thomas Daly married Mary Field at Cork in 1802, member submitted.. and obviously not the right Mary.... but then remembered a Daly was listed with John.
The enumerators marks on the page seem to put Jeremiah and John together although in the same houes as the Higgins family.. if you can see my meaning

Jeremiah is still in the area in 1851 HO107; Piece: 2205; Folio: 117; Page: 13

The marriage I found on IGI is probably nothing to do with it.. just got me thinking with mention of Mary coming from Ireland maybe Perhaps Jeremiah holds more of a clue than the Higgins family

[Sean]

Wow, thanks to all for the further suggestions/comments! A few things to think about and investigate further there.

Simone - thanks for suggesting a Daly connection, had not twigged to that one. The fact that there are not many other Fields around in the area at the time does tend to suggest that Mary may have been from elsewhere. Thank you SO much for turning up the burial of Mary Field, that is a fantastic new bit of information. Could John have had siblings? I've often wondered. There is no family mention of such.

Mary - Mary Field's name as John's mother comes from John's death certificate. I imagine the details at his death would have been provided by his wife and/or children. I think James Boardman is also on John's marriage certificate, I will check that. Who knows how the Boardman name has come to us - John may never have known him (and was 4 or 5 when Mary died). It is quite possible, I suppose, that this information is not correct.

Glenys - I will be joining the Society soon, thanks for the recommendation. Yes I've often wondered about Mary being referred to as a widow on her death certificate, I'd assumed she was not married. I suppose it is possible that Field is her married name!

While I digest all of the above, can anyone recommend any good historical texts on the Leigh district with information about the area in the 19th century?

Thanks again to everyone, I'm starting to feel like I can now make some progress again on this hitherto stalled project! I really appreciate it.

Sean