Making the most of my Ancestry subscription and Lancashire BMD I am pretty confident that I have solved this one and tracked William Whitaker, aged 9 in in 1851 to his death in Burnley in 1905.
1851 CENSUS, Briercliffe with Extwistle, district 4a, page 13 Haggate Betty Whitaker, head, wid, 39, house work, born Briercliffe Eliza Whitaker, dr, unm, 17, power loom weaver cotton, b. Briercliffe Hannah Whitaker, dr, unm, 15, power loom weaver cotton, b. Briercliffe Mary Whitaker, dr, unm, 12, errand girl, b. Briercliffe Wm Whitaker, son, 9, errand boy, b. Briercliffe Sarah Whitaker, dr, 3, cotton weaver, b. Briercliffe John Whitaker, son, 11, scholar, b. Briercliffe
-------- 1861 CENSUS, Burnley, district 10, page 13
(William Whitaker turns up on Ancestry for 1861 census as a 'you may also be interested in': correct age, mother Betty, widow; siblings match for names and ages. Birthplaces of children not given as Briercliffe but local people might recognise them as more precise than Briercliffe - note John is aged 1 in Haggate in 1851.)
5 Hitchen Tenement Betty Whitaker, head, wid, 49, born Briercliffe Elizabeth Whitaker, dr, unm 27, cotton weaver, b. Southfield William Whitaker, son, unm, 19, cotton weaver, b. Stone Rach [Back?] Sarah Whitaker, dr, unm, 13, cotton weaver, b. Stone Rach John Whitaker, son, 11, scholar, b. Haggate Thomas Whitaker, son ,3, b. Burnley
(Hannah not there; Mary not there.)
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1871 CENSUS
I then found Betty etc in1871, but William has left home.
1871CENSUS, Burnley, district 20, page 30
(found by searching on John as didn't turn up for Betty)
Philips row Betty Whitaker, head, wid, 59, housekeeper, born Burnley Elizabeth Whitaker, dr, unm 37, cotton weaver, b. Burnley Sarah Whitaker, dr, unm, 23, cotton weaver, b. Burnley John Whitaker, son, 21, cotton weaver, b. Burnley Thomas Whitaker, son 13, cotton weaver, b. Burnley
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I then found a likely William, now married. This William is the best match for age and place of several William Whitakers in the 1871 census.
1871 census, Burnley, district 18, page 20
Old (illegible) Street - after Heap street and before Colne Rd, Duke of York Inn William Whitaker, head, mar, 29, insurance agent, b. Briercliffe Mary Whitaker, wife, mr, 30, house keeper, b. Burnley Margaret Ann Whitaker, dr, 6, scholar, b. Burnley Joseph Whitaker, son, 4, scholar, b. Burnley Henry, son, 1, b. Burnley
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I then used Lancashire BMD to find the marriage of William and Mary (1861 to 1865 checked, all Lancashire)
1863 William Whitaker m Mary Taylor, Burnley Register office or Registrar Attended reg. Preston , ref RM/18/197
To confirm this is the correct one, you would need to buy the marriage certificate, which would give William's father's name.
Only other Lancashire marriage of William Whitaker to Mary (Johnson) was in 1865 and was judged less likely, child Margaret was aged 6 in 1871.
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I then tracked William and Mary and their children through the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses, but didn't make notes as you might like to do this research yourself.
Mary is a widow in Burnley in 1911, having had 10 children of whom 7 were still living.
I then checked Lancs BMD for William's death. Most likely was:
1905 William Whitaker, aged 64, Burnley East.
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If you don't have access to Ancestry I could type up the later censuses for you, assuming you are persuaded that I have found you the correct William!
Best wishes Ruth
Last edited by Ruth on Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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