Frances May Johnson

[Jacky saunt]

I am looking for information about my garandmother. Frances May Watts nee Johnson, born 1894. She married Frederick Watts on 28th February 1916. her residence at the time of her marriage was 19 Scarisbrick New Road, Southport. Lancs. She listed no occupation. Her father was John Reynolds Johnson, occupation warehouse man. On her marriage certificate an Annie Johnson was a witness (a sister?). My father thinks there were quite a few brother / sisters in the family. but never met any of them (a family fall out he thinks?) Frances played Hockey for Lancashire and England around the 1920's.

[Hilary]

The marriage acccording to www.lancashirebmd.org.uk took place at St Philip's Southport which would be the parish church for Scarisbrick New Road (I used to live on Scarisbrick New Road not far from 19!!)

If you are in the UK your local library will prbably have free access to the website Ancestry where you can look for the census entries for the family.

However the first census you really need to start with is the 1911. This is not on Ancestry and has to be paid for. You can buy credits to look at it on www.1911.co.uk and www.findmypast.co.uk The terms and conditions of people's subscriptions do not allow lookups.

Once you have the 1911 entry that will give the people's place of birth and help you to find them in other censuses. To start you of I suspect this is the family in the 1901 census at RG13 3289 folio 13 page 17
2 Howard Ave Heaton Norris
John R JOHNSON H M 45 warehouseman bn Liverpool
Alice wife 42 bn Bakewell Derbyshire
John R son 20 telegraphist
Edgar M son 19 clerk
Alice 17 daughter apprentice milliner
May daughter 6
all children bn Manchester

Hilary
Ed Officer

[CaroleW]

Using the free 1911 index I found the following living in Stockport Cheshire

John Reynolds Johnson 55
Alice 52
Emma 42
Annie Gertrude 25
Frances May 16

Here are some instructions I compiled for searching the index

USING THE FREE 1911 INDEX

http://www.1911census.co.uk/search/tnaform.aspx

Once you find the right person - make a note of the county and district in which they were living

Return to the index and in PERSONAL DETAILS - just put the surname of the family - nothing else

In LOCATION - Select the county and below it - type in the district

In OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD - show the full name of the person you have found on the index

Click SEARCH

[northmeols]

Marriages Sep 1879
JOHNSON, JOHN REYNOLDS to THOMPSON, Alice
Bakewell 7b 877

[Jacky saunt]

northmeols Thank-you for your reply, I am going to obtain a copy of marriage cert so should give me more background info.

Carole W Many thanks. The 1911 entry showing an Annie is possibly one of the witnesses on my grandparents wedding cert. My father can remember visiting an Aunt Annie. He also recalls his mum talking about Heaton Chapel, which I have now found is an area of Stockport.

Hilary The entry is the 1901 census matches info on wedding cert, so gives me a great starting point. I put St Philip's in google maps and found that it was located on Scarisbrick New Road, and had a look for 19, what a small world!

This is not an area of the UK I know, so names of places don't mean much to me. Thank heavens for Google!

[dickiesam]

Hi,
I see Hilary beat me to the family in 1901. Here they are in 1891..

JOHNSON, John R - Head - 34 - 1857 - Warehouseman - Liverpool.
JOHNSON, Alice - Wife - 32 - 1859 - Bakewell, Derbyshire.
JOHNSON, John R - Son - 10 - 1881 - Scholar - Manchester.
JOHNSON, Edgar M - Son - 9 - 1882 - Scholar - Manchester.
JOHNSON, Mary A J - Dtr - 7 - 1884 - Scholar - Manchester.
JOHNSON, Annie J - Dtr - 5 - 1886 - Manchester.

Address: 24 Crosscliffe Street, Moss Side, Lancashire.
RG12 / Piece:3201 / Folio:41 / Page:20.

Found the parents' marriage: Marriages Sep 1879: JOHNSON, JOHN REYNOLDS TO THOMPSON, ALICE - Bakewell - 7b - 877.
And possibly their first child: Births Sep 1880: JOHNSON, John Reynolds - Chorlton - 8c - 738.

Still looking for them in 1881 though...

Brian

[Jacky saunt]

Hi Brian many thanks for information. Jacky

[northmeols]

I know St Philllips well as I was born and raised in that area, Marshside Rd to be precise if you need more info on the area pm me and I will do my best to help

[Hilary]

I was on Scarisbrick New Road today and no 19 is still there. It is a Victorian semi detached house probably 4 or 5 bedrooms. It would be interesting to see if she was there because the family had moved to Southport or because she was working there. I wonder if she has an occupation given in the 1911 census.

Hilary
Ed Officer

[Hilary]

I was in Formby today at the temporary Southport Local History library so I had a look at the Directory of Southport for 1914/5 and at 19 Scarisbrick New Road was listed Mrs Frances M Brooks as the head/householder. The next directory wasn't until 1922 so I then looked at the electoral roll for 1918 (there are none for the war years) and the only person listed at 19 Scarisbrick New Road is Mrs Frances M Brooks.

Rather struck by the similarity of names Frances M Brooks and Frances M Johnson I had a look on www.lancashirebmd.org.uk for a Brooks to a Frances marriage and found that Robert T BROOKS married FRances M JOHNSON in 1881 at Holy Trinity Hulme Manchester. The couple are shown living in Kingston upon Hull in 1901 with Frances having a birth place of Liverpool.

The 1861 census Bay Hall Common Huddersfield has
John R JOHNSON 36 railway bookeeper bn Liverpool
Ann wife 36 bn Broughton Cheshire
FRANCES M daughter 11 bn Liverpool
Alice daughter 9 bn Liverpool
JOHN R son 4 bn Liverpool

I would suggest that Frances M Brooks is John R JOHNSON's sister and that his daughter was living with or perhaps looking after her aunt at 19 Scarisbrick New Road Southport. Incidentally Frances M BROOKS died in Southport in 1939 aged 90!

Hilary
Ed Officer

[MaryA]

What a smashing bit of research Hilary! seems to tie everything up nicely.

[Hilary]

Thanks Mary - I think I've got it right.

Hilary
Ed Officer

[Jacky saunt]

Hi Hilary, many thanks for your news. My dad and I are having a daily phone call so I can keep him up to date with his lost family. Both he and I really appreciate all the help and time spent by everyone. Thank you. This is a fantastic site. Jacky