Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I am trying to find the rest of my grandfathers family. He was born in Widnes, Lancashire in 1868. His name was William Leather. He had a younger sister named Sarah.

His family orginally came from Hale in Lancashire a few miles to the west.
He became a member of the United Society of Boilermakers Iron Ship
Builders in 1888 and soon after moved to Liverpool. He worked for Elder-Dempster Line where he eventually became foreman boilermaker.

He married Margaret Beasley (or Beesly) a Manchester lass who was involved in the suffragette movement in Manchester.

Can anyone help please.

Hi Cheshirecat,

Do you have a marriage cert to confirm father's name and occupation?

I have found this family in 1881 census RG11 3725 folio 117 page 76

Lugsdale Lane Widnes.

Thomas Leather Head Married age 43 Blacksmith born Halewood
Catherine do wife age 39 bn bickerstaff
Jane Roulinson visitor M age 20
Robert son age 18 born Hale
James son age 16 bn Hale
William son age 13 bn Hale
Margaret dau age 11 bn Hale
Richard son age 4 bn Widnes
Sarah dau age 2 bn Widnes
Harriet a Roulinson visitor age 6 months bn Warrington.

Is that your family?

Jan

I have found William and Margarets marriage

Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1892
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
LEATHER William BEESLEY Margaret E Manchester, Hulme, St. Philip Manchester 71/3/198

Jan

I think Jane and Harriet should be surname Rowlinson could be a mis-transcription.

Jan

This could be little Harriet's birth registration

It would be intersting to see what her mother's maiden name was, she could be a sister of Thomas or Catherine.

Name: Harriet Annie Rowlinson
Year of Registration: 1880
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
District: Warrington
County: Cheshire, Lancashire
Volume: 8c
Page: 176

Jan

Just as I thought, Jane must be Thomas's sister.

Here is the marriage.

Cheshire Marriage indexes for the years: 1876 to 1880
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
ROWLINSON George LEATHER Jane Warrington, Holy Trinity Warrington C22/1/81

I found the Rowlinson family in 1901, I will get it again.

Jan

I think I may be wrong about Jane being Thomas's sister, I think she is his daughter,

I found them in 1871 census, but Thomas's wife is Esther, born bickerstaff!

Jan

Getting back to the Rowlinson family in 1901.

RG13 3584 folio 74 page 46

122 School Brow Warrington

George Rowlinson head M age 44 Labourer (Wire works) born Cheshire Lymm
Jane Rowlinson wife age 41 born Widnes
Harriet A dau age 20 bn Warrington
George son age 18
Esther dau age 15
Margaret dau age 13
Sarah dau age 11
Joseph son age 9
Gertrude dau age 7
Frances E dau age 4
then on next page of the census
James E Rowlinson son age 2
Leonard son age 1 month

All the children born Warrington

Jan

Hi Jan ( I hope you enjoyed your air show free Sunday!)
You've been a busy little bee, well done
I emailed cuz Tommy because one of our members a few years ago came over from Yorks & Tommy took her around Hale/wood....her family named Wood.
Wood/Bayleys Lane/ Leathers Lane all in the same area, the men were farm labrs. He thinks Leathers Lane was named after the family although they lived in Bayleys Lane in the early days.
The best site is Mike Roydens, time needed as heaps of reading.
Tina
photo taken from cnr Wood Rd, Leathers Lane down the hill to Bayleys Lane.

Hi Tina,

Great photo, thanks for that. (Yes nice to be off now for 6 months!)

Did a bit more searching and I think this could be Harriet's marriage.

Cheshire Marriage indexes for the years: 1905
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
ROWLINSON Harriet A LINAKER William B Warrington, St Elphin Warrington C25/18/207

Jan