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I may have gone down a rabbit hole and not for the first time, but I have come to the conclusion that Elizabeth Kershaw Musk gave a false name when registering Alice so that she had her father's surname, Musk.
There are a number of Elizabeth Musk’s in the area at that time but I have been unable to find any tangible link to Alice.
Alice's BC says mother Elizabeth Kershaw Musk naming her as Alice Kershaw Musk, father's name omitted.

As I said earlier, I cannot find Alice Kershaw Musk in the census and she only appears with that name on her BC and MC.

(Alice's BC says mother Elizabeth Musk, no middle name Jane.)

In the 1881 census it shows an Elizabeth J Kershaw

Looking at the Lancashire BMD indexes for the year: 1861
Name:   KERSHAW   Elizabeth Jane
Mother:     MARSDEN
Year:    1861   
District:   Darwen   Blackburn   

Elizabeth’s parents were Ann Marsden and Thomas Kershaw.

Elizabeth Jane Kershaw married a George Barnes in 1887 but died a couple of years later in 1889.

That is all the information I have in trying to discover who her mother was. Was she a Kershaw or a Musk?

Regards

Finally, the marriage certificate has arrived and may well have solved the problem regarding Alice Kershaw Musk.

Elizabeth Jane Kershaw who I believe was Alice’s mother married George Barnes in 1887 and the witnesses were her brother Timothy and sister Jane. Her father is given as Thomas Kershaw, quarryman, deceased. All the information is correct.

However, by 1891 George Barnes is back home and is recorded as a widower. A search of the Lancashire BMD shows an Elizabeth Jane Barnes died in 1889.

I suspect that Alice remained with the Kershaw family after the death of her mother.

I don't think I can go any further on this so I would like to thank all who participated and provided help and suggestions.

Very much appreciated

Hello Haywood,
The thought had crossed my mind that perhaps her mother Elizabeth was a Kershaw but it was the father who was a Musk. The only problem with this is that she gave her surname on the birth certificate as Musk. There is a very small chance that she may have lied when registering the birth in order to give the child her father’s name without naming the individual. However, with so many what if’s, I have discounted this theory.
Maybe one day a DNA link will solve the mystery. 
Regards

Yes it is odd but it cerainly look like it was an error and they are the same person.
I don't think this Elizabeth who possibly could be Alice's mother is the person I am looking for because Alice's birth certificate does give mother's maiden name as Musk and not Kershaw.
Thanks

Hi All,
Having completely failed to locate Alice in either the 1881 or 1891 census and clutching at straws, I wonder if anyone has access to Lancashire Archive Library who would be in a position to look up the Bastardly Orders that the hold to see if an order was made against her biological father for her support.
Thanks

From the Ntional Archives:-
Bastardy Orders
This record is held by Lancashire Archives
See contact details

Reference:    PSBk/3
Title:            Bastardy Orders
Description:    
original bundles
Held by:            Lancashire Archives, not available at The National Archives