James Chambers and Martha Pilkington

[Ian Chambers]

Could anyone look up to see when James Chambers b 1829 and Martha Pilkington b 1828 married possibly in Whittlesey.  I know they had two Children Martha and James is there any record of any others.

I know from 1901 census Martha was born in Ireland is there any other record of where or any information on her family Mother Father bros and sis

Cheers ian

[Arranroots]

Here they are in 1861 with two extra children:

RG9/1045/25/17

CHAMBERS James H M 30 - ag lab -
Martha W M 31 - Ireland Rahoon, Co Galway
Mary A dau 8 - scholar
Martha dau 7 - do
John T son 3

All b Whittlesey except Martha snr

Address: Whittlesey, Cambs



I couldn't see a positive match in 1851, but this is an outside possibility (only if she mistook her place of birth though!)

BUT - see below - next post

HO107/2195/718/19

PILKINGTON Thomas H M 45 - coal miner
Mary W M 38 - Ireland
James son U 15 - coal miner
Barbery dau U 11
Mary dau 8
Thomas son 6
Martha dau 3
Elizabath dau 6 mo
Ann Visitor 13

Address: Windle Ashes, Lancashire

All except Mary (wife) born Windle. 

kind regards, Arranroots  ErrorSPAM REPORT THIS POST AS SPAM (Use 'Report to Moderator'). DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS IN THIS POST. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS PERSON.][/color]

[Arranroots]

Perhaps a more likely one for 1851??

HO107/1765/39/40

John CHAMBERS H M 43 - master thatcher
Ann W M 43
James son U 20 - ag lab
Ann dau U 16
John son 12 - ag lab
Mary dau 8 - scholar
William son 4
TILNESTON? Martha lodger U 22 - ag lab - Dublin

All except Martha born Whittlesey

Address: Hoosegate, Whittlesey

I would take a wild guess that Martha's name was misheard or misread by the enumerator?

[Arranroots]

Here they are in 1871

RG10/1612/60/20

CHAMBERS James H M 42 - labourer - Whittlesey
Martha W M 43 - Ireland
John son U 15 - Whittlesey
James son 6 - scholar - do

Address: ??gate, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire

A 

[Arranroots]

There is an Elizabeth PILKINGTON in Whittlesey in 1851, shoemaker's widow living in almshouses.  She is 71 years old & born Foncett, Hunts.

Too old to be Martha's mother?

[Ian Chambers]

Thank you for that

I already  knew that John and Ann were the parents of James (of James and Martha Pilkington) and have several other brothers and sisters for him.

I feel It is more likely to be Marthas family who may have some names that follow on down the generations.

My real problem is that I am trying to find a concrete link between James son of James and Martha and James Chambers who married Melinda Martha Windley

[Arranroots]

Ian you asked a question but gave very little info to support the investigation.

I provided the early censuses because others are likely to be looking and it helps to have a baseline to start from. 

You asked where Martha was born and the 1861 census tells you.

The 1851 censuses were an attempt to find Martha with her family - and what I did in fact find.

Have you looked for a marriage for James and Martha to establish her father's name?  The complete indexes are currently available to search at Ancestry.

[Ian Chambers]

I am sorry! The information you gave was of use and I am very grateful.  Everyhthing you gave me was what I asked.

Here is my problem in a bit more detail.
I know from the 1901 census that Melinda Chambers nee Windley was at Home in Manchester with her 3 children Martha Maud and Lily but no husband james (my Gt grandfather). I found a James right age sort of right career (railway pass guard) in Whittlesey with his parents in 1901. I have a photograph of James in  a Manchester and Lincoln railway uniform stating the word 'Guard' on his lapel although on his sons marriage cert he is a porter. The marriage cert  of James to Malinda Martha states that his father is a James Chambers. My father also vaguely remembers that the family may have come from Peterborough but not sure.  I know he was still married to Malinda in 1901 because he went on to have my Grandfather James in 1905.  My problem is that on all other censuses where he is with his wife he states he is from Lincolnshire which is where he spent most of his life apart from this brief spell when they moved to Manchester. I cannot find a James born in Lincolnshire on BMD that connects to this family

I was trying to find out if James Chmbers and Martha Pilkington had any relations with the names lily Rose and Maud to go with the martha.

Do you think that I should except all this evidence and say that my Gt Grandfather is the son James Chambers and Martha Pilkington or is it too circumstantial

[Arranroots]

Tricky one Ian!

One thing I would say is that the main variable is the person filling in the form.  James himself says he is from Lincolnshire, but when the form is filled in by his father the place of birth changes - maybe someone was mistaken?

I wonder if you have considered tracing James' career using Railway Employees records?  I know there have been a few threads asking about this very thing & it might be that you can form some opinion with the aid of this information?  I have just done sumething very similar with the help of a police historian in Scotland - a very worthwhile exercise!

Who were the witnesses on the marriage cert of James and Martha?  Were there any that can be connected to their families?

While I think it is a good idea to consider the naming patterns, names such as Lily and Rose were quite a late 19th century fashion and might have been a whim rather than a family tradition.

I think you are very likely on the right lines - as you know, the problem is proving it!

I would be inclined to look for Martha and James's marriage in the Ancestry indexes too.

I hope this is helpful.  Please ask if there is anything practical we can do.

kind regards, Arranroots