Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

James Boardman was Liverpool’s first registrar of births and deaths but his family history has some surprising question marks. Any assistance would be much appreciated.
His obituary in the Liverpool Mercury, 22.1.1861, indicated that he was son of Samuel Boardman “of this town”, he had been cashier to the local marine board after being registrar, and died aged 70 at his residence in Huskisson Street. I would guess from this that James was born in Liverpool.
He is in the 1851 census, aged 60, secretary of sailors’ home, b. Liverpool, wife Elizabeth, with son aged 13 (living at Baileys Lane, Garston). In 1841 he was aged 50, with wife Elizabeth and son James aged 3½; profession is “Ind” (living at Islington).
I can’t find any reference to a James Boardman, son of Samuel, being born in Liverpool at the time.
More puzzling is his death certificate. It gives his age as 75 (not 70), his occupation as formerly a glass and china merchant, and place of death as lunatic asylum, West Derby (not Huskisson St); he had general paralysis for 2 years.
I might guess that the newspaper covered up the place of death; and that the age on the death certificate was an incorrect guess from the person who informed the death, an attendant in the lunatic asylum, rather than the wife or son. Not sure where the glass and china merchant came from, though we know that James Boardman had some expensive artefacts (but maybe not glass and china) at his home; they were to be sold a few days after his death (Liverpool Mail, 9.2.1861).
Any comments that would indicate his birth and either validate or disprove the guesswork on his death would be welcome!
Chris O’Brien

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I wonder if he is mentioned in the Liverpool Worthies? a question to the Record Office might be useful in that respect.

Checking directories. No mention of either a relevant James, nor a Samuel in 1843.
1825 Baines, there are no occupations given so the only entry I would guess at a J Boardman was in Pembroke Gardens, no Samuel.

This entry in the 1790 Gores might be useful
Boardman Samuel, merchant, 23, King st. Manchester warehouse, 22, King st.
So he may have lived next door to his warehouse.
I wonder if James may have been born in Manchester?

Confusingly in the 1772 Liverpool Directory there is Samuel Boardman, Stocking Warehouse, King Street.
No mention in the 1769, 1767, 1766, directories.

Have you checked for a will of either James or Samuel?
Probate - Boardman James, effects under £1,500 11 February 1861
The Will of James Boardman late of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster Gentleman deceased who died 13 January 1861 at Liverpool aforesaid was proved at Liverpool by the oath of Elizabeth Boardman of 20 Huskisson Street Liverpool aforesaid Widow the Relict the sole Executrix.

It would be interesting to see the content of the Will if you don't have it, also it indicates that Elizabeth survived him.

MaryA wrote: I wonder if he is mentioned in the Liverpool Worthies? a question to the Record Office might be useful in that respect.

Forget that, the list only started in 1879, so too late.

Would you have the birth cert for James Roscoe Boardman.

We have found that the unrecorded mothers maiden name on the GRO site normally means it's the same as the child's surname, perhaps no father's name included during registration?

Have you found a marriage before or after the child's birth, James Boardman/Elizabeth?



https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/cert ... efault.asp

Many thanks to all the respondents, much appreciated!
I have ordered the pdf of what I assume is the son's birth; the middle name Roscoe made me wonder if there was a connection with the famous Roscoe family but, to date, I haven't found any.
I have ordered a copy of James Boardman's will. The probate record says he died on 13 Jan 1861 whereas the death certificate says 20 Jan, again suggesting something odd about the death. Also odd that the probate date of 11 Feb predates the sale of his art etc, which took place on 12 Feb.
I haven't traced his marriage.
I had expected that tracing a registrar would have been easier!
Chris

James Roscoe Boardman's marriage is on Ancestry. Hi father is given as James Boardman. Both father and son's occupations are given as Gentlemen.

Address given as Huskisson Street

The 1851 census shows the son as J Roscoe and Boardman dittoed with his parents.

Also his second marriage,

Marriage: 15 Nov 1868 St Mary the Virgin, West Derby, Lancashire, England
James Roscoe Boardman - Full, Merchant, Widower, Sutton Place, Upper Holloway, London
Catherine Jane Cowen - Full, Spinster, Bamber Street West Derby
Groom's Father: James Boardman, Deceased, Merchant
Bride's Father: Thomas Cowen, Brewer
Witness: Thomas Cowen; Catharine Cowen
Married by Licence by: John Stewart

James Roscoe Boardman was divorced by his first wife on the grounds of adultery the papers are on Ancestry so he's telling fibs saying he's a widower!

Dundee Courier, July 23, 1866.

Thanks again! Family history has plenty of surprises!
The son referred to his father as a merchant in the second marriage, which is consistent with the death certificate's glass and china merchant - though in view of the son claiming to be a widower rather than a divorcee, it is not authoritative!
I will see if the birth certificate of the son and the will of the father throw more light on what happened.
Chris

If you google James Boardman Liverpool there are quite a few hits. His letter of application to be one of the first Liverpool Registrars is apparently at the National Archives.

There is also an article he wrote about William Roscoe and a very long article about the Wedgewoods and their connections to Liverpool with mentions of the Bordmans.

The Boardmans appear to have been Non Conformist and have links to the Octogan Chapel and its predecessors.

Thank you!
I see that Boardman wrote an article on the BM&D records of Roscoe. A pity that Boardman's own records are more of a problem.
It strikes me that an interesting research project would be to examine the first registrars; who were the people interested in such a job? (but not for me!)
Chris

Sorry, It's Samuel Boardman who had the connection with the Wedgewoods which probably continued with James.

Found this

This record is held by Liverpool Record Office
See contact details
Reference: 920 NIC/5/9
Title: From Mary Boardman (née Nicholson) (1748-1833), daughter
Description:
Mary was the third surviving child of James and Elizabeth Nicholson. On 20 Jul. 1774 she married Samuel Boardman (d. 1818), a Liverpool merchant. He had a business interest in pottery and "... for many years ... had the sale and export of the products of the Etruria pottery ...". See pp. 77-83.
Held by: Liverpool Record Office, not available at The National Archives
Language: English

Also there are 2 baptisms for the couple in the Non Conformist records on Ancestry. They are at Benn's Chapel and as far as I can see the records sent in when civil registration began. Stopped at 1780 for this chapel so presumably why no baptism for James but presumably called after his paternal grandfather. The above document, not sure what it is, could be interesting.

Many thanks, again!
The brief reference of James Boardman’s death in the Liverpool Mercury (22.2.1861) indicates that he was the 3rd son of Samuel. It looks as Samuel married Mary in 1774, and we can see the births of Samuel (1775) and Elizabeth (1776).
What we know of James’s birth is:
- from 1841 census, aged 50 (i.e. 50-54), so born 1786-1791
- from 1851 census, aged 50, so born 1790-91
- from obituary in Liverpool Mercury, 70 at 20.2.1861, i.e. born 1790-91
- from death certificate, 75, i.e. born 1785-86
- from letter applying for position as registrar, in 1837, had been a ratepayer for 25 years; not sure at what age he would have paid rates, but if 21 (may have been later), would put year of birth at 1790-91.
Given the frequency at which children were appearing after Samuel’s marriage, one might have expected a third son before 1790, but not necessarily.
I would still like to think that the registrar made correct entries in the census, hence a birth in 1790-91 but can’t be sure.
Chris