Voter lists 1878

Post by **antonio111** » 30 Nov 2009 19:28

My gt gt grandparents John Donlan and Mary Wilson were married on 25th May 1878 at Wigan register office. Unfortunately the addresses were down simply as Roby Mill. If I can find the voter lists for that year I may be able to work out exactly where they lived and who they were working for.

Does anyone know where these records are kept? I think I saw on the Wigan library website that they would do simple look ups for you but I can't find where I saw it!

Post by **MaryA** » 01 Dec 2009 10:39

http://www.wlct.org/Culture/Heritage/lhistory.htm

This might be what you are looking for.

Post by **Tina** » 01 Dec 2009 11:44

Just before we try and find John in 1871
Is he 30 odd bn Galway, Mary 20 living in Upholland in 1881?

Tina

Post by **Tina** » 01 Dec 2009 11:51

I won't list John in 1891 as I'm guessing you have all his details.

T.S

Post by **antonio111** » 01 Dec 2009 12:39

Hi Mary,

Thanks, thats the page I couldnt find again.

Tina, yes they are the ones at Higher Lane Upholland in 1881 incorrectly transcribed as Donboy, but Mary was only 16 and John 31, though if you look at the record for 1891 John is down as 49 which would have made him 39 in 1881.

As I said before they were married on 25th May and son John registered in the last quarter of that year. I suspect they worked on the same farm together. If I can find him in the voter book for that year i might find out where they lived before the marriage,

Ant

Post by **Hilary** » 01 Dec 2009 17:17

I think it is unlikely that he would have had the right to vote at that time. Most agricultural labourers only got that right in 1884 and some even later than that.

Was his wife to be living at Roby Mill? It wasn't very big so he perhaps was near. At this time many official records just give a place name if it wasn't very big.

Ed Officer

Post by **antonio111** » 01 Dec 2009 17:29

Yes she was living at Roby Mill also.

I wondered if some areas just used the voter lists as a type of local census as I have been told Mary appears in a voter list in Blackburn in the late 1890's well before women were allowed to vote!

Post by **Hilary** » 01 Dec 2009 19:23

You need to check out electoral reform perhaps on google. I believe some property owning women did get the vote earlier than 1918 when some women over 30 got the vote however I don't know for sure.

I would check the Blackburn information to see what Mary is listed on.

I've never heard of an electoral roll being used as a census they are two different things.

The early 20th century electoral rolls tell you what the qualification for a vote was so I'd definitely check out the Blackburn information in more detail.

Ed Officer

Post by **antonio111** » 02 Dec 2009 13:40

The only electoral rolls I have personally seen so far ar the St Helens ones which are bound into books.

Once I find out where the electoral rolls are held (am waiting for a reply from Wigan Libraray)it should not be too big a job to go through everyone living in Roby Mill.

It was a relative in Blackburn who was trying to find out exactly what year they moved that found the information there so Will ask her to check for me!

Post by **antonio111** » 08 Dec 2009 17:31

It's going to have to go on hold, Lancashire Records Office does not have the poll lists for the year I need and the Wigan ones are in storage until the Family History Shop reopens.