Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi
I'm looking for Mary Bristow (nee Johnson/Johnston)
In1874 Mary Johnson married James Bristow at Everton, Walton on the Hill, Liverpool.
Her father is stated as James Johnson - Sweep.
She is 17 years old, making her birth about 1857.
James Bristow died in 1877. So Mary is a widow.
She then seems to disappear. I cannot find her on any cenus, a 2nd marriage or even a death.
I believe I have her on the 1871 census at Netherfield Road, Everton, under Johnston, with her father - James Johnston - Chimney Sweep, age 44, born Cumberland ?? , Mother - Jane age 42, born Yorkshire.
and 3 brothers and 3 sisters. All the children say they where born in Liverpool.
I would also like to find Mary's birth/baptism record. I have found plenty of records for Johnson children, all with James and Jane as parents. But not much to connect anyone.
Can anyone find Mary for me.
thamks Maxine

Let's start with the information from 1871

356 Netherfield Road, Everton
All children born Liverpool
James Johnston Head M 44 Chimney Sweeper Cumberland
Jane Wife M 42 Yorkshire
James son Unm 18 Chimney Sweeper
John " " 17 "
Thomas " 12 "
Mary daughter 14 Scholar
Sarah " 11 "
Jane " 9 "
Anne " 7 "
RG10; Piece: 3816; Folio: 9; Page: 12

I have a baptism of Ann 25th October, 1863, St Matthias, parents James & Jane Johnson, address 105 Great Homer Street, occupation Chimney Sweep.

I have a possible baptism for a Mary at St Peter, Everton, parents James and Mary, address 153 Great Homer Street, occupation Coal Merchant.

I think it worth keeping in mind that James may have been married twice, there is a lot of similarity between a coal merchant and a chimney sweep and the location is close.

Hello Mary A
I have since found a marriage for son James Johnson - Chimney Sweep to Sarah ann Dixon. His father is James Johnson - also chimney Sweep. The address 356 Netherfield road. Married 29 March 1972, Walton on the Hill, Everton.
The witness are George Cain and Mary Ellen Matthews.
This is one of Mary's brothers. Haven't found his baptism.
I have found an elizabeth sarah Johnson, baptised 1 jan 1860. father james and mother Jane. Address is gt Howard street, and he is a chimney sweep.
But I shall keep looking.
thanks Maxine

Maxine, you may have this already... sad...

1881: JOHNSON, Jane - Inmate - Widow - 51 - 1830 - No occupation - Leeds, Yorkshire.
West Derby Workhouse, Rice St, Walton On The Hill.

Does the missing Mary have a second forename on her marriage cert?

Morning Dickiesam
Thanks for the info on Jane. After reading your message, I found her.
Unfortunatly, Mary has no middle nameon her marriage cert. Just good old Mary.
It seems that some of the other sibings where baptised under 2 names.
ie sarah on the 1871 census was Elizabeth Sarah. (i think this is her sister) so Mary may have a first name but didn't useit at the time.
thanks for the help cappuccino is calling
Maxine

Morning again everyone
I think i have just found the Johnsons in 1861.
Under Jonson
Father - James, mother - Jane, Son - james, Daughter - Marie/Morie (my Mary i do believe), plus John, Thomas, Ann and eliza.
The address is gt Howard Street, which matches the odd baptism i was not sure of. Jmaes is stated as a Wheelwright, not a sweep. But people did change jobs quickly in them days.
I shall search for a Marie Johnson, maybe she remarried under that name.
bye Maxine

Hello Maxine,
Something puzzling me about the marriage of Mary Johnson and James Bristow. It would appear they were both 17 when they married. Why did they marry so young? They didn't elope did they because they married close to home and apparently in a church ceremony? Why? Was Mary pregnant?

There are only a few Bristow births in Liverpool around that time:
Births 1874 to 1877:
Births Jun 1874: Bristow, Mary Jane - W. Derby - 8b - 341 [died Dec qtr 1874]
Births Mar 1875: Bristow, Henry - Liverpool - 8b - 194 [died June qtr 1875]
Births Jun 1875: Bristow, Annie Elizabeth - W. Derby - 8b - 554. [She and her parents are alive and well in London in 1881].
Births Jun 1877: Bristow, Christina - Liverpool - 8b - 172. [Died in Dec qtr 1877]

There's a death of a Mary Jane Bristow in 1877 aged 14. I thought a mistake may have been made and that should that be 24 but she is in the 1871 and she's a Bristow.

It does seem a little strange that although there are so many brothers and sisters the witnesses were E G Ayers and Ann Derby (who made her mark). The marriage took place at St George's Everton, and was by Banns, I wonder if there might be anything in the Parish documents that would show whether the parents gave permission. Yes the ages were James 18 and Mary 17 on the certificate.

Found this intriguing entry in 1881. A 23 yr old widow who is an anuitant, living off a pension or other income. About the right age, did she revert to Johnson, perhaps in error in the census? Was her husband killed in an accident perhaps where she may have received compensation?

JOHNSON, Mary, Head - Widow - 23 - 1858 - Annuitant - Liverpool, Lancashire.
BURNS, Ann - Servant - 12 - 1869 - General servant - Liverpool, Lancashire
THORNHILL, Amy - Boarder - u/m - 24 - 1857 - Dressmaker - Ireland.
Address: 63 Dorothy St, West Derby.
RG10 - Piece: 3710 - Folio: 36 - Page: 28.

Re the witnesses to the marriage..

the witnesses were E G Ayers and Ann Derby (who made her mark)

There is only one E Ayers of a 'suitable' age [1850 +/- 5 years] in the 1871:
AYERS, Emma - aged 17 - bn 1854 - 6 Albion Street, Everton.

The only other female candidate is AYERS, Ellen, 47, who is the mother of Emma Ayers.
And the only male is Emma's father: AYERS, Edwin - aged 44 - bn 1827.

And only one Ann Derby...
DERBY, Ann - aged 33 - 4 John Street, Everton.

Worth checking their addresses to see if they were neighbours?

Liverpool Mercury etc (Liverpool, England), Monday, June 11, 1877; Issue 9174.
Coroner's Inquests
On the body of James Bristow, 20 years old, a chimney sweeper, who resided in Bostock Street. On Tuesday evening he jumped on a swing boat in Elias Street, with the view of stopping it, and when it was high in the air he lost his hold and fell to the ground. He sustained injuries from which he died in the Royal Infirmary on Thursday. Verdict "Accidental Death".

I don't suppose there was any sort of compensation then but maybe.

Re witness E G Ayers... reckon he could be Edwin Goymer Ayers b c 1828, married 1852 Ellen Tuers at St Philip.

wondering if Mary found herself pregnant at time of Jame's death

some entries from Anc*

baptism
Name: Sarah Jane Bristow
Father: James Bristow
Mother's Name: Mary
Birth: abt 1878
Baptism:
4 Mar 1878 - Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Other: 1878
took place at St James the Less, Liverpool according to IGI


birth
Sarah Jane Bristow
Date of Registration:
Jan-Feb-Mar 1878
Registration district: Liverpool
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8b
Page: 13

death
Sarah Jane Bristow
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Date of Registration:
Jan-Feb-Mar 1878
Age at Death: 0
Registration district: Liverpool
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8b
Page:40

simone wrote:Re witness E G Ayers... reckon he could be Edwin Goymer Ayers b c 1828, married 1852 Ellen Tuers at St Philip.

Hi Simone,
This Edwin Goymer Ayers would be the head of the Ayers family I found in 6 Albion Street, Everton in 1871. His wife's name and his age match.

There's a Mary Bristow and a Mary Ann Bristow on Canadian passenger lists from Liverpool, but I cn't access them to see if they fit

baptism
Name: Sarah Jane Bristow
Father: James Bristow
Mother's Name: Mary
Birth: abt 1878
Baptism:
4 Mar 1878 - Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Other: 1878
took place at St James the Less, Liverpool according to IGI

Sarah Jane Bristow, looks to have died age 3 months, buried March 17th 1878 at Walton Park Cemetry.. address was 2/3 Scotland Road.

There is also a Mary Jane Bristow b 1874, d 1874.. buried age 9 months at Walton Park on 1/1/1875.. address Chapel Walks

also a Jane Brestow (actually Bristow I think) died 1874..8 weeks old.. buried 18 Sep 1874 at Walton Park.. address 5/51 Hornby Street...

just ideas.. one or the other may be children of James and Mary.. maybe that is why they had to marry so young

simone wrote:There's a Mary Bristow and a Mary Ann Bristow on Canadian passenger lists from Liverpool, but I cn't access them to see if they fit

I had taken a look but the births don't fit, unfortunately most passenger lists aren't available until about 1890 and she may have left before then.

1881 there's an M.B, female, age 23 born Liverpool, in county lunatic asylum at Prestwich...occ- household duties
RG11; Piece: 4033; Folio: 122; Page: 47

simone wrote:1881 there's an M.B, female, age 23 born Liverpool, in county lunatic asylum at Prestwich...occ- household duties
RG11; Piece: 4033; Folio: 122; Page: 47

Hi Simone,
I don't think that MB is an inmate of the asylum because the written word 'Inmate' at the top of the column next to the names has been crossed out and 'Patient' written above it. I think MB was in the infirmary and living locally in the infirmary catchment area.

Hi all

Little Sarah Jane Bristow looks to have died at James Bristow's brothers house 3 court 2 house Scotland Rd proberbly put it the other way around 2 house 3 court 2/3, James parents also lived there Joseph & Mary..


xx

Hello Colette
I ahve sent away for the death cert for Sarah Jane Bristow.
The Scotland Road is correct.
So I await for the post to arrive.
I shall look to see if any other children where born or died to this couple.
thanks Maxine