Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I am looking for info on my g.g.grandmother Jane Beesley(Beasley) born abt 1850 in Farnworth/Widnes? (thats what it says on the census) she married William Samuel Williams born abt 1848 from Wales in 1875 (cant find his family either Williams from wales like needle in haystack!) Jane's father was John Beesley - watchmaker, I dont have her mothers name although on one census there is a Harriett Beoley transcribed wrong i think which im assuming is her mother or grandmother? I cant seem to get any further with her father John Beesley, there are quite a few watchmakers in the Beesley family! if theres anyone who can steer me in the right direction that would be great

For the crew
Jane Beasley married William Samuel Williams in St Elphins, Warrington, Q4 1875 Warrington 8c 194

Can you please give us the full details from the certificate, including witnesses and also the details including reference from the 1881 census to make sure we are looking at the correct couple.

from marriage cert -
1875 Parish Church Warrington
no 232 October 18 1875
William Samual Williams 29 bachelor minor
father William Williams Joiner? not too clear
Jane Beasley 26 spinster
father John Beasley Watchmaker
residence at time of marriage
Burtonwood (for both)
Witnesses
John Beasley
Elizabeth Beesley

1881 census RG11; Piece: 3707; Folio: 15; Page: 23
William Williams 33 lab. builders Wales
Jane Williams 28 Lancashire
Elizabeth Ann Williams 7
Grace Williams 4
Mary Williams 2
Harriett Beoley 62 (beesley?) cheshire
charles sorge 39 lab gen lancashire
william goodier 32 '' cheshire
harriett williams
michael maloney 25 blacksmith tipparary
isabell maloney 19 isle of man

thank you

Based on the names of witnesses and suspected mother, I would think this is the family

1871 Widnes (can't find a street name), Lancashire
RG10; Piece: 3857; Folio: 84; Page: 22
John Beesley Head M 59 Watchmaker Lancashire, Widnes
Harriet Wife M 48 Cheshire, Northwich
William Son Unm 14 Lancashire, Widnes
Elizabeth daur 12 " "

and 1861 Whitfields Yard, Farnworth & Widnes, Lancashire
RG 9; Piece: 2742; Folio: 42; Page: 13
John Beesley Head M 47 Watchmaker (Fuzee) Lancashire, Parish of Farnworth
Harriett Wife M 34 Shoe Binder Cheshire, Littlelea
Thomas son 10 Scholar Lancashire, Parish of Farnworth
Jane daur 6 " Lancashire, Farnworth
William son 4 " "
Elizabeth daur 2 " "

1861:
BEESLEY, John - Head - Married - 47 - 1814 - Watchmaker [Fuzee] - parish of Farnworth, Lancashire.
BEESLEY, Harriett - Wife - 34 - 1827 - Shoe binder - Little Leigh, Cheshire.
BEESLEY, Thomas - Son - 10 - 1851 - Scholar - p/o Farnworth, Lancashire.
BEESLEY, Jane - Dtr - 6 - 1855 - Scholar - p/o Farnworth.
BEESLEY, William - Son - 4 - 1857 - p/o Farnworth.
BEESLEY, Elizabeth - Dtr - 2 - 1859 - p/o Farnworth.
Address: Whitefield Yard, Farnworth Village, Widnes, Lancashire.
[In the township of Widnes in the parish of Farnworth]
RG09 - Piece:2742 - Folio: 42 - Page:13
Registration District: Prescot.

And before anyone asks.. a fuzee was a central component of early watches and clocks. It was a tapered 'conical' cylinder around which a chain was wound in a spiral groove. It was a device to 'balance out' the reducing power of the mainspring, one end of the chain being attached to the barrel containing the mainspring and the other to the fuzee. When the spring was fully wound and therefore at 'full power' it pulled the chain from the narrower end of the fuzee. When the spring was almost fully unwound it would be pulling on the larger diameter of the fuzee, thereby applying a constant power to the watch mechanism as the spring wound down and therefor contributing to better timekeeping.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusee_(horology)

How do I know this? Among other skills my dad was a watch and clock maker and repairer, and I was 6 when I first succeeded in taking a clock to bits and putting it back together again. And it still worked!

Haven't found a marriage yet for John and Harriet. Suggesting these births for the children:

BEESLEY, Thomas
Registration district: Prescot
Year/qtr of registration: 1853 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 385.

BEESLEY, William
Registration district: Prescot
Year/qtr of registration: 1857 / Jan-Feb-Mar
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 469.

BEESLEY, Elizabeth
Registration district: Prescot
Year/qtr of registration: 1858 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 457.

Was Jane registered late, in 1859 instead of 1855?
BEESLEY, Jane
Registration district: Prescot
Year/qtr of registration: 1859 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 431.

Based on a hunch and coincidence... I think this could be Harriet Beesley in 1851 or one of those straws we are sometimes tempted to clutch.....

SMALLWOOD, Harriet - Dtr - u/m - 26 - 1825 - Shoebinder - Smallwood, Cheshire.
Address: Dub Thorn, Betchton Road, Betchton, Cheshire.
Piece: 2168 - Folio:162 - Page:3
Registration District: Congleton

Smallwood is a small 'hamlet' just like Little Leigh, Harriet's stated origin in 1861, one of many in the area around Northwich and not very far from Widnes and the Mersey.

Anyone able to find baptisms for the children?

dickiesam wrote:Anyone able to find baptisms for the children?

Nope sorry, I did try earlier.

MaryA wrote:

dickiesam wrote:Anyone able to find baptisms for the children?

Nope sorry, I did try earlier.

Oh well, looks like a birth cert to find Harriet's maiden name. And at the moment I haven't found a John B getting married to a Harriet....

Nor me - again tried earlier but was hoping somebody would spot something I missed.

thank you for your help i haven't been able to find marriage for John B but thought maybe it was just me you have given me some information to go one tho
thanks again