The mysterious William Douthwaite

[LizzieL]

Baptism: 12 Apr 1868 St John the Baptist, Toxteth, Lancashire, England
 William Noble Dowthwaite - [Child] of Joseph Dowthwaite & Elizabeth
     Abode 32 Northumberland Street
     Occupation Greengrocer

http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Search/indexp.html

We had William Noble Dowthwaite back in reply number 1.
Hadn't we ruled him out, or is he back as a contender?

There is an earlier baptism for a William to Joseph and Elizabeth

Baptism: 1 Dec 1861 St John the Baptist, Toxteth, Lancashire, England
William Henry Dowthwaite - [Child] of Joseph Dowthwaite & Elizabeth
    Abode: Northumberland St.
    Occupation: Provision Dealer

On the 1871 census, there is a 9 year old William with Joseph and Elizabeth, not a 3 year old one.
That doesn't make sense.
In 1861 Joseph and Elizabeth are living at 32 Northumberland Street, he is a provision dealer. They have a 1 year old daughter Hannah. Joseph is born in Seburgham, Elizabeth in Penrith (Cumberland).
Although Joseph later changes to a house owner or proprieter, the couple's places of birth are consistent in later censuses, so I'm sure I have the right Joseph and Elizabeth.
   

[LizzieL]

I can't find any BMD records at all for William Noble Dow(u)thwaite, but there is a death for Wiiliam H Dowthwaite reg West Derby in 1929, and a probate record for William Henry Dowthwaite of Huntley Road, Liverpool who died 30 May 1929. Probate to Joseph Hedley Dowthwaite and Hannah Elizabeth Dowthwaite spinster. Hannah Elizabeth is the older sister and Joseph Hedley his younger brother, bapt 29 Aug 1875.

So who was William Noble Dowthwaite - no birth record, no death record, does not appear on 1871 census, but the 1861 William H(enry) does, who we would expect to have died before William Noble's birth. Was this a second baptism of a 7 year old William Henry to give him another middle name (mother's maiden name).

[dobfarm]

Its been advised a few times, though its is not for us say really ! but in the case ? I can't see any other option, the fathers name is needed to breakdown the number of possible William's, the option of obtaining the  marriage certificate 1947  to improves the chances and even if there was only two William's in the list with different fathers names to confirm a sense of reality in to the equation. Otherwise its not a case of the needle in the haystack but which haystack on what farm to start looking in to confirm anything.

[LizzieL]

I agree, I think we've now eliminated all the possible Williams within the target birth year range.
The marriage certificate has to be the next step.

[dobfarm]

Another avenue.

If some member(s) on here has entry to British 20th century newspapers with a search engine to see if any William pops up around Barnsley/Wakefield/Pontefract area, assume he retired 1933 to 1938 and WW1 plus local news. (He'd be a bit old for WW2 stuff but one never knows what will turn up)

Seeing this is turning into a group challenge because it there !!!! unsolved, I'll try and find any gravestone at Felkirk (I hold little hope though ! as his wife sounds like she buzzed off to live with her son in Worcestershire after William died, going by the Will index but there again if William's family was from around Barnsley or buried with a first wife('s) in that area ?) . Grave stones in that time period 1940/60 sometimes gave the birth date ?

[dobfarm]

Can anyone check this guy out on the census years

Births Sep 1871
Pontefract
Douthwaite - William Thomas

[..claire..]

Baptism

William Thomas bapt. 13 Aug 1871 Featherstone, All Saints. Parents: John and Hannah Douthwaite

claire

[..claire..]

Hi

Found him in all census, marries an Elizabeth Robinson 1906, possible death for him as William T Douthwaite Dec. Qtr 1945 Wharfedale aged 74.

claire

[dobfarm]

Hi Claire,

Though the is no record of William Thomas Douthwaite birth 1872 ish in the GRO index for around Harrogate and Wetherby  (My actual granddad born 1868 was never recorded as his birth but was baptised)

He is on the 1901 and 1911 censuses birthplace Seaton Ross near Selby but lived in Wetherby in Whafedale  and he's the one for the 1945 death Wharfedale age 74

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William Thomas bapt. 13 Aug 1871 Featherstone, All Saints. Parents: John and Hannah Douthwaite


Births Sep 1871
Pontefract
Douthwaite - William Thomas

No death year or burial can be found  for William Thomas Douthwaite  baptised Featherstone as infant or adult except only one which seems to fit William Douthwaite age 82 - 1952 Felkirk of Hemsworth




Featherstone is 7 miles north of Shafton/Felkirk