Offer:Look-up Liverpool (Mersey) Pilots 1734/1990

[sparksbrite]

Hi,

My 2nd great grandmother's father was recorded as a pilot on her marriage certificate in 1870. Her name was Margaret Evans, born about 1850 in Liverpool and her father was William Evans. Do you have any information about him?

Regards,

Tony.

[BY]

Hi, Tony,

There is a William Evans born 1833, licensed 1859, retired 1898. (Date of death not recorded)

The next William Evans before him has no recorded date of birth, but was licensed in 1835 and died in 1852 (when Margaret Evans would have been aged about two). 

The only other two William Evanses in the LPS records and alive in 1850 were born respectively in 1842 and 1843 (and therefore too young for fatherhood in 1850).

Hope this helps.

Best,

BY

[sparksbrite]

Thank you BY for kindly replying so promptly. I'm starting to think perhaps my ancestor lied about her father's occupation as I can't find a family in a census 1851 to 1871 that match.

Kind regards,

Tony.

[glenburn]

Hi Tony

I'd be inclined to have a closer look at the William EVANS licensed in 1835/died in 1852 before writing him off completely.

The 1851 Census has this household :-

131 Bedford Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool
William EVANS, 37, widower, pilot, AGY Holyhead
Elizabeth, sister, U, 39, housekeeper, AGY Holyhead
Catherine, daughter, 10, LAN Liverpool
William Owen, son, 6, LAN Liverpool
Richard H, son, 2, LAN Liverpool
Elizabeth EVANS, servant, U, 22, CAE Caernarvon

And the 1841 Census this one :-

Edmund Street, Liverpool
William EVANS, 25, pilot, No (not born in Lancashire)
Margaret, 25, No
Catherine, 7 months, Yes

Lancashire BMD has this marriage

1839
Liverpool St David (the 'Welsh' church)
William EVANS and Margaret JONES

The Liverpool St David Parish Registers have these baptisms :-

4 December 1840
Catherine, daughter of William & Margaret EVANS, pilot, Edmund Street

23 September 1852 (born 19 September 1844)
William Owen, son of William & Margaret EVANS, pilot, Ray Street

Somewhat perplexingly, there's also this baptism :-

17 January 1847
Liverpool St Paul
William Owen, son of William & Margaret EVANS, pilot, Ray Street

It looks as though pilot William EVANS' wife Margaret died not long before the 1851 Census - possibly whilst (or shortly after) giving birth to your 2 x great-grandmother named after her.

The Pilot Character Book in the Merseyside Maritime Museum Archives should list all the children of the above William EVANS, pilot, who died in 1852. If the list includes a Margaret as well as a Catherine, William Owen and Richard Henry, then this William EVANS will almost certainly be your 3 x great-grandfather.

[glenburn]

Hi again, Tony

As a matter of interest, did your 2 x great-grandmother Margaret EVANS marry carter Samuel JONES on 15 August 1870 in New Brighton St James?

And was Samuel (b1848 New Brighton) living with his widowed mother Elizabeth at the Bathing Master's House in Liscard in the 1851 Census?

And with step-father Robert ROBINSON in Magazine Lane, Liscard, in 1861?   

If so, then both your 2 x great-grandparents feature in my extended family tree, although it's unlikely you and I will prove to be blood-related.

[sparksbrite]

Hi glenburn,

Thank you for the detailed information. Yes Samuel is my 2x great-grandfather and I believe the address in the 1851 census may be, 'Bathing Machine House'. I have been able to trace Margaret from 1871 until her death in 1921 but tracing her prior to 1871 is proving very difficult.

[glenburn]

Hi Tony

Margaret EVANS would have been almost new-born in 1851, and with her mother dead & father widowed would no doubt have been placed into care somewhere when the Census was taken that year.

If BOTH her biological parents had died by 1852 (as seems to be the case) then in the 1861 Census she'd have been either in an orphanage or living with foster parents who'd have quite likely described her as their own daughter and listed her under their own surname.

Do you perhaps have the names of witnesses to the 1870 New Brighton St James marriage, just in case these give a clue as to her family? If one of them is a Catherine then you could be almost there.

PS. I believe the 1851 address DOES read Bathing Machine House, as you've suggested.
I'm patently overdue a visit to Specsavers.   :-)

[sparksbrite]

Hi glenburn,

I think I will take your advice and make arrangements to look at the Pilot Character Book in the Merseyside Maritime Museum Archives. 

[pete.e]

Hi Dave I am very new to all of this so please bear with me having spent all of my life at sea ( joined RN  at 14  in 1963  I've spent all my life at sea 12 years submarines and 25 years diving in the North sea before moving into diving management mainly at sea middle east) now finding a bit more time on my hands doing some family research.
My father passed away when I was 10 years old, mum when I was 16 and in the middle east so I know very little of family history but what I have found out amazes me!
So here we go my GG granfather was Thomas Evans Magazine Lifeboat coxn (2 silver medal) his son William1Silver medal born 1841 Liverpool pilot and so many other Liverpool pilot in my family tree I find I hard to Belive I know from your site you will place them and fast. One of the the reasons I am contacting you about is a George Evans Born In 1854 son of Henry Evans and Barbara Ledder on the 1871 census he is listed as apprentice Pilot  but then disappears from sight do you have any info on him