William Common Born abt 1853 Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, Durham

[Grandies]

Yes Eileen I can merge your two accounts.

Thank you Sarah for merging my accounts and posts.
And thank you to all who have given me advice to help me uncover William’s origins.
I have ordered a birth certificate for William Atkinson, and will keep digging for information about the William Muirhead suggestion, with thanks also to jonw65 and kay99 for their help in my earlier enquiry.
Regarding this post, I have emailed GRO with a copy of the relevant page from the civil registration index to see whether they can shed any light on the matter.
Much appreciate the helpful spirit here.
Eileen

[Grandies]

So, we make a little progress!
The William Atkinson birth certificate pdf arrived today by email.
I will see how to attach a copy, but it does show that he was registered William Atkinson, with the father named as William Atkinson and mother Mary Ann Commons.
Though it is noted as Maiden name of mother, it seems that the birth would only be listed under both parents names , if they werent married as explained earlier by AntonyMMM

"My guess would be that this is an early example of a registration where unmarried parents are both named.

In the "old" printed indexes, that sort of entry is indexed twice, under each parent's surname."

At first glance I cannot find a marriage for William Atkinson and Mary Ann Commons.
That leaves the possibilty that they didnt marry, and Mary Ann did in fact later marry Robert Muirhead. This would explain the glassmaker connection suggested by Jonw65.

Yet, if so, he was known as William Muirhead until his marriage when he reverts to William Common, and shows his father as William Common "Boilersmith"

If anyone would like to join me exploring these options I would welcome any input.
Thanks again,
Eileen

[Tickettyboo]

father named as William Atkinson and mother Mary Ann Commons.
Though it is noted as Maiden name of mother, it seems that the birth would only be listed under both parents names , if they weren't married as explained earlier by AntonyMMM

Had they been married the mother's details would have said Mary Ann Atkinson, formerly Commons.

I read that as originally the registrar wrote her name as Mary Ann Atkinson, but as she was not married he realised that wasn't the case, crossed that out and put her surname as Commons.
Though the column says a maiden name should be included, she wasn't married so that didn't apply.

Boo

[AntonyMMM]

He wasn't registered as William ATKINSON - no child has a surname shown on their birth registration before 1969.

He was registered as William

Father - William ATKINSON
Mother - Mary Ann COMMONS

Because the parents aren't married, it was indexed under both surnames.

As pointed out, it appears the registrar began thinking the mother was married, then carried out a numbered correction to delete his error. There is no maiden name shown.

After the changes of the 1874 Act, this type of entry would require both the mother and father to sign as joint informants.

[jonwarrn]

Hi
Thanks for the update and the chance to see the certificate.
I would say that with mum being Mary Ann it does look promising for the Muirhead connection. But I suppose I would do!

It's a pity that no occupation is given for Mr. Atkinson.
Has the address on the cert yielded any clues to anything? Looks like 24  Rendlesham Street Monkwearmouth?
John

[Grandies]

Hi again, and yes,  Monkwearmouth where, the birth was registered  is what William Common gives as his birthplace on later census.
The Muirhead connection is looking more promising.  William Muirhead seems to disappear after the 1871 census, and William Common appears on the 1881, married and a glass worker.
I am interested to see that Robert Muirhead and Mary Ann also appear to be living apart - though still shown as married.
I am searching for more clues, and sifting through records.
I dont know whether there is anything more I can discover.
I am also looking fo a William Atkinson, Boilersmith (as given on William Commons marriage cert).