Hi Graham, I'm not sure where you are based but it might be worth taking a look at the Poor Law records for the time of the birth of John Halstead. It could be that he was illegitimate, and that the mother applied to the Union for financial help. Often, this will name the father as the Union will try to get the money out of him. It may also have resulted in a mention at the Petty or Quarter Sessions. I think all of these records can be found at the Lancashire Record Office and a large portion of them are included in a searchable online index at
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/education/ ... alogue.aspNot guaranteed to be there though unfortunately.