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Definitely not my relations then.  By 1881 they had split up and Ellen was living under her maiden name in Leigh - Ellen Marsh and two sons, but thanks !

I have ancestors called Thomas and Ellen Houghton, who lived together as man and wife, but I doubt were ever married.  I can tell from name changes and family incidents that they split up sometime between 1876 and 1881.  I have found in an Edinburgh newspaper that a couple with the same name were involved in the inquest into the death of a baby and a subsequent trial.  I have been told by another Rootschat member that the verdict was not guilty.  I have been unable to find out where she got that information.  I have also tried to find any other newspaper reports on the trial.  I don't know how accessible court records are.  All I want is something that can confirm the couple are my ancestors, or otherwise.  My relations are: Thomas Houghton, born around 1821 in Lowton.  Ellen Marsh born in Leigh in 1842.  They lived in Eccles in 1871, and their second child's birth was registered in Barton upon Irwell in early 1875.  The baby born/died January 1876, the inquest 11 Feb and trial 24 March 1876.  Ellen lived in Leigh in 1881, Thomas as yet untraced.  I would appreciate any help. 

I transcribe parish records. We are told to transcribe exactly what we see.  There is the capacity to make notes.  There you can note unclear writing, spellings which are obviously wrong etc.  The only exception is when the clergyman's spelling of a name differs from that of the signatures of the people involved.  In those cases, we enter as the person spells their own name.  I think that's how it should be done.  It's up to the researcher to interpret the information.

In the 1871 census my ggf and ggm were living together as man and wife.  By 1881 she was living with two kids and using her maiden name.  The whole family continued to use her name until she died (around 1920) then they changed to his name.  I don't think they were ever married.  In trying to trace him, and wondering what event might have caused his disappearance and her obvious dislike of him, I came across a 1876 newspaper report in which a couple with their names were involved in the inquest into the death of a child.  A verdict of manslaughter was returned against them for allowing the child to starve.  The names, date and location would fit and would give a reason for their breakup.  Is there any way I can find out more specific details of the people involved in that court case, and what sentence either of them may have served?

This is my first post.  I'd like advice on a problem.  My ggf was registered William James Houghton, parents Thomas Houghton and Ellen Marsh.  He is Houghton in 1871, and Marsh in all subsequent censuses (I don't think his parents actually married).  He married in 1898. His son was registered in 1899 as Albert Marsh.  I have two possible marriages for William James.  I know Albert's mother was Mary, but there is a marriage between William James Marsh and Mary Baxter, and William James Houghton and Mary Turner in the same district in the same quarter.  William James remarried in 1906 with the name Houghton, but was in the 1911 census as Marsh.  The whole family changed their name to Houghton some time between 1920 and 1925.  To find my gym I would have to consider buying copies of both 1898 marriage certificates, knowing one would be wrong.  Does anyone know of an alternative?