2 Generations of William Blake

[Ellawin]

Hi, I'm hoping someone will be able to help me find a couple of the William Blakes in my family? (There are many!!)

I have the marriage certificate of my great-great grandfather, William Blake, to Ellen Conway, on 28th May 1893 in St Anthony's Chapel, Liverpool. On it, he is listed as being 21, and his father is listed as 'William Blake (deceased), Sailmaker'.

I have then found the younger William on the 1901 and 1911 censuses, living with Ellen (Mary Ellen) and their children.

However, I can't find either Williams prior to this, on any census. Which also means I cannot find a birth certificate or details of his mother, so cannot trace the senior William!!

I know it's a fairly common name, and there was a lot of movement around the Liverpool docks (where he lived once married), so it might be a list cause! But I would be grateful of any help!!

Thanks
Cate

[CaroleW]

If he was 21 in 1893 - he would have been born 1871/72 yet the 1901 entry shows his birthyear as 1877 and 1911 entry shows 1878.  That would have made him 15 or 16 when he married??

Which birthyear have you used to try and find him on the 1881 census

[Ellawin]

Yeah we realised that when we've been looking! We think he must have lied on marriage cert, but I've been looking at all years, and those in-between! Which is what makes it a little more complicated!!