Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

My great grandmother, Ellen Shackleton, lived at Lane Bottom for many years. She was widowed in 1877 and brought up 6 children. When she died she was buried with her husband James at Haggate Baptist churchyard. However, she had remarried in 1900 to John Pickles of Castle Street, Nelson.
On her marriage certificate to James Shackleton in 1859 the place for her "Father's name and Surname" has been left blank. I have been told by a second cousin who lives in Alberta, Canada that her father was Mr Rushton (first name not known).
On her marriage to John Pickles the certificate shows her "Father's name and Surname" as Mark Sharp. The witnesses to her marriage to John Pickles were Thomas Barrett and Ann Jackson.
Can anyone help me discover who was Mark Sharp as I am wondering if he was her father.

Hi, welcome to the forum.

It sounds like she may have been illegitimate doesn't it.

Have you traced Ellens mother? What was her name?

If she was illegitimate then it's possible that Ellens mum might have applied for relief from the Poor Law Union which means there may be an entry in the records for the Parish of birth. If applying for relief, often the father would have been named as the Poor Law Union would try to get the money out of him.

Otherwise, you could try the census records closest to the birth year for the area where Ellen was born, there may be a Mark Sharp nearby?

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Mel

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Thanks Mel for your response. I will try following your suggestions. By the way I'm told Ellen Shackleton's mother was Ann Duerden. Ellen was born in Beverly, Barrowford, Colne. Does that suggest any other lines of enquiry?
Cheers, petewins

Same sources would still apply. I see you are in NZ so Poor Law records will probably prove difficult! I think the Poor Law records for Barrowford area will be at the Lancashire Record Office in Preston.

Ellens mother being a Duerden changes some of the thoughts in my head. Do you have Ellens birth or the 1841 census records for her family? I'm guessing she might have been around for that one due to being married in 1859.

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Mel

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Mel, I am interested in your reply above concerning the 'poor union'. I too am looking for an odd person (odd meaning not a family name) who pops up as a 'father' on a marriage cert but does not share his surname with the in this case daughter.

Simply:
1860 John Greenwood born
1860 (after the birth) Sarah Greenwood (Johns mother) weds R. Shackleton
On marriage cert Sarah names James Whittaker as her father
John Greenwood assumes the name John Shackleton (he is married as John Greenwood so assuming he was never adopted ...that is if they adopted in those days)
John Greenwood seems to be buried as John Shackleton (?)

Do you think Sarah could have been mixed up and named the father of her child on her marriage cert? having babies can affect the brain slightly!

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The hawk flys round and round, the sky is so blue. I think I can hear the old bell ringing like I rang it to call them home ... Oh I was young then, and I walked in my body like a Queen

Was Sarah a spinster or widow when she married R Shackleton? Could it be that she was married to a Greenwood before Shackleton and that she was actually born as Whittaker? (Making son a legitimate child of Greenwood but that he took on his stepfathers name of Shackleton in later years?)

It's worth having a look at http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/education/ ... alogue.asp
Just type in the surname of mother or child or suspected father or try them all! I don't think all of the records have yet been catalogues but if there is an entry in the catalogue, the Lancashire Record Office should have it and you may be able to request a copy for a small fee. If you request a copy, be sure to quote any reference numbers you find as well as their description.

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Mel

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Recorded as spinster on marriage cert. I'm pretty sure she was a Greenwood and her son illegitimate. will try the site ...thanks

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The hawk flys round and round, the sky is so blue. I think I can hear the old bell ringing like I rang it to call them home ... Oh I was young then, and I walked in my body like a Queen

It's always possible she herself was illegitimate. I have 2 instances on my tree where illegitimate children have their father's name on their marriage records. Also I've seen a father's name entered on baptism records, albeit not often.

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at