meadowcroft

[Jeffb]

Thanks you for the reply.
I apologise as I think I phrased my question badly - I already had this information. What I was trying to establish was any earlier (than Ralph) family links and possibly a maiden name for Ann?

[rosie99]

Thats ok 

I only assumed you had not got the information as you had 'about' dates.

Do you have Ralph on census, if so when/where

Rosie

[Jeffb]

Here's what I'm fairly confident about:-
Eliza Meadowcroft was baptised at St Peter, Oldham 22 June, 1820. Eliza's parents are given as Ralph and Ann Meadowcroft.
She married Archibald Brannan (various spellings including Brinen) on 29 Dec 1843
The marriage shows up at both St Leonard's, Middleton and at St Michael's, Ashton-Under-Lyne - I suspect the Ashton-Under-Lyne record is for banns.
I do not have a date or place of birth for Ralph - I just assumed circa 1800, nor do I have a date of birth for his wife Ann. I do not have a marriage date or place except for a possible marriage between Ralph Meadowcroft and Ann Barlow on 12 April, 1803 at Bury - 18 years without producing offspring may be too long?
1841 census:-
Eliza possibly showing as a family servant aged 15 at High Street, Oldham Below Town - the age doesn't quite match, but as good as I can find. No trace on Ralph or Ann.
There is a burial record for a Ralph Meadowcroft at Oldham 7 Sept 1828 age 53 - it this is correct that explains his absence from 1841 census.
I have not been able to find Ann Meadowcroft on any census - if Ralph died 1828 maybe she re-married?

[rosie99]

Hi

I assume as you don't know where Eliza married (Middleton or Ashton under Lyne) you don't have the certificate.  It could be worthwhile to get fathers details and witnesses.

Rosie

[Jeffb]

I have a photograph of the registry entry for the marriage i.e. 1843 Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of Middleton in the county of Lancashire.   29th December, 1843.
Archibald Brannan, age full, Bachelor, Occ Spinner, Residence Middleton**, Father: Archibald Brannan (Tailor).
Eliza Meadowcroft, age full, Spinster, Occ not shown, Residence Middleton, Father: Ralph Meadowcroft (Collier).
Archibald signed his own name, Eliza made her mark.
The witnesses were James Platt, who signed and John Waterhouse who made his mark.
The name James Platt doesn't mean anything to me, but in 1841 Archibald was living in Mossley with the Waterhouse family including a John Waterhouse who was the same age as Archibald.

Archibald's Father, another Archibald, was a tailor in Mossley and had died in 1821 presumably leaving Archibald to be brought up by his Mother, Mally, and also leaving the business for her to supervise, but to be run by his brothers. I have not found a death record for Mally, but I presume she had died by 1841.
It is interesting to note that the first child of Archibald and Eliza was baptised about 8 months after the marriage, so maybe they married in a hurry? The family base had been Mossley from 1803 when Archibald (the Father) came over from Ireland so it's a bit surprising that Archbald's marriage record shows him resident in Middleton - perhaps just a convenience? The fact that Archibald was from Mossley may explain why the marriage also shows up at Ashton Under Lyne where, presumably, banns would have been read (or in Mossley?).

[nibbs]

hi i found a Archibald brannen in 1881 age 64 in the infirmary in ashton under lyne patient his occ is down as tripe dresser could this be your archbald

                 
            wendy

[Jeffb]

Wendy,

Thanks for your interest. I don't really have a problem with Archibald (now) although I lost months trying to resolve issues around four separate families - three are now definitely linked, but the fourth is not as yet and may never be linked.
Basically, Archibald Brannan/Brannen/Brinen etc (~1779-1821) came over from Ireland about 1800 and married Mally Lees at St Michael's, Ashton Under Lyne in 1803. They had at least 3 sons + a daughter who died very young:-
1) Hugh (1804-1875). Hugh married Betty Hinchliffe and they had 8 children including a Son in 1828 whom they named Archibald - he died in 1873.
2) William (1807-1849). William married Nancy Rylance (Roylance?) and they had 9 children, but didn't use the name Archibald as a forename.
3) Archibald (1813-1884) who married Eliza Meadowcroft - they had 7 children, but again didn't use Archibald as a forename for their sons. This Archibald was still living with his family in 1881.

Now to the unlinked family! This family is headed by Edward Brannan (1793-1853) from Ireland who married Nanny Whitehead. They had a son named Archibald born in 1816. He died in 1892. This is the Archibald who shows up as being in Ashton & District Infirmary (Tripedresser) in 1881. So as yet not connected to my family.

I have long suspected that Edward's family may be related to the family of Archibald (~1779-1821) owing to the Ireland connection and the fact that they all resided in Mossley, but I can't prove this connection and with Irish records being what they are............

My research into all these families is pretty well established apart from knowing the background to Eliza Meadowcroft's parents Ralph and Ann - hence my picking up on the Meadowcroft topic.

I am aware that the Father of Archibald (~1779-1821) was named Hugh and was definitely from Ireland - this is mentioned in Archibald's will made in 1821 days before he died - he left money to pay travelling expenses should his Father wish to return to Ireland. It was Archibald's will which enabled me to connect families 1, 2 and 3 as he left money to them indicating that they were his sons.

[nibbs]

hi Jeff could this be them Ralf son of James born 10 April 1774 baptism 4 may st Mary virgin bury

Ann barlow born 1783 middleton baptism 27 July father john mother Elizabeth

there is also this burial 20 DEC 1802 st Mary virgin bury Ann meadowcroft daughter of Ralf died 19 DEC maybe they lost a few children before Eliza was born

     Wendy

[Jeffb]

Wendy, thanks for the suggestions - I will look into these.
If we assume the marriage between Ralph Meadowcroft and Ann Barlow is 12/4/1803 at Bury/Walmersley there are some posible offspring:-

Children of Ann Meadowcroft (no Father given):-
Peter Meadowcroft   born 8/1/1805 c. 17/2/1805 at Bury
Maria Meadowcroft   born 25/8/1811 c. 13/10/1811 at Bury

If these are siblings of Eliza Meadowcroft the family presumably re-located to Oldham between 1811 and 1820 when Eliza was born and baptised in Oldham?

There are two deaths recorded in Bury where the Father was Ralph Meadowcroft:-
Ann in 1802 and Sarah in 1801. Both these deaths are before the assumed marriage of Ralph and Ann so maybe a different Ralph? Maybe he had been married before and lost his wife? Maybe they had children before they were married? Lots of questions!