My brick wall continues to be Matthew Boor, my greatGrandfather. He first 'appears' on 1 june 1873 when he married Mary Ann Alice Parkinson in Darlington. Matthew was an engine fitter, brass driller by occupation. Matthew does not appear in the 1871 census. Mary was living with her parents and siblings in Hackney London in 1871. On the census for 1881 & 1891 Matthew is shown as German, did he arrive between 1871 and 1873? We don't know the chain of events that took the Parkinson family to Darlington, Mary's father William Parkinson died there in 1873. The Boor family were in Darlington until 1878.
By 1879 the Boor family were in Salford Lancs, a son Alfred was born 22 August 1879 at 24 Kingston Street, (he died 6 weeks later at same address).
By 24 January 1881 the family were in Liverpool, Daisy Jane Boor born at 16 Gibralter Street.
By 16 December 1882 the family were at 131 Arlington Street, Kirkdale, West Derby. The family were still at this address on 1 October 1883 when my grandfather Archie Boor was born. In street directories we have found Matthew Boor engine fitter at 27 Louis Street Scotland Road in 1885, 27 Akenside Street Bootle in 1886 and 12 Dryden Street Bootle in 1889.
The family appear on the 1891 census at 30 Waterworks Street Bootle, Matthew appears as a steam engine maker.
In 1893 a son Albert Boor was born at Rhyl Street Bootle.
By 1895 the family were back in Salford, a son Ernest was born at West Worsley Street.
Matthew Boor died 21 June 1897 at Salford Union Infirmary, he was 50 years old and shown as an Engine fitter journeyman of 86 West Worsley Street Salford.
In the early years of the 1900's Matthew & Marys sons changed there names to Bower or Bowers. Perhaps this was to further anglisise their name. I don't know if Matthew's German name was originally Boor, it always appears as Boor on all the childrens birth certificates and census. If originally it was say Bauer then the Bower or Bower would sound similar.
My grandfather Archie enlisted into the Army as Arthur Bowers in 1901 and when he re-enlisted in 1913 he was Arthur James Parkinson (his mothers maiden name). In 1920 he married my grandmother Ethel Rose Westbrook as Arthur James Parkinson otherwise Boor (as shown on the marriage certificate).
From the addresses given for Liverpool and Salford are there any records, employment, M.I's and so on that might tell us more about Matthew.
Appreciate any help given.
Colin Parkinson
