« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 04 April 12 21:52 BST (UK) »
Hi guys,
Thanks for your help.
I tried at first to find Thomas - he is my known line for definate. I know for a fact he was born illegitimately to Nancy in 1843. I have traced his marriage and subsequent children etc. The rest (backwards) is a bit (lot!!) of guesswork.
I started to try and find him on the censuses prior to his marriage. I couldn't find him in 1851 at all, but located him in 61 with Mary and Robert Watson, as you found Carole. I checked this family in 51 and found their "son" Thomas Watson with them. I have assumed at this stage that Thomas Watson is actually my Thomas Snowden. Post 61 he is married and easier to trace.
I do have access to the Cowling/ Kildwick Pr transcripts and have located a marriage of Mary SNOWDEN and Robert Watson in 1837 in Kildwick.
From that I second guessed they may of been sisters. THere is no trace of Nancy (or Ann or suchlike) post 1841 so I assumed at this stage she died and her sister and family raised her illegitmate son.
I have possible births for Nancy and Mary but I can't link them. I may have found Nancy in 1841 living near Keighley with a John Birtwistle and his family. John was an innkeeper and Nancy a female servant.
I KNOW I have made some assumptions and quite happy to have these confirmed or denied, but I am stuck !!!
As Annette states I think the answers are in Cowling
GARNETT, ALMACK, WHITAKER, ARCHER - Skipton, Yorks HIBBERT, SHUTTLEWORTH, HAYTHORNWHITE, HITCHEN, MARSDEN Lancashire EMERY Manchester WALTON Northants and Sunderland PARROTT Northants GREENWOOD, Lancs and Yorks SUNDERLAND, TODD, KEIGHLEY, SNOWDEN, TURNER Yorkshire WOODROFFE Leics and North East CROSSLEY, COATES, FORSTER, WRIGHT, LAVERICK, CUNNINGHAM Sunderland / North East BISSETT Scotland and Sunderland