William Winter

[HappyGoLucky33]

A big mystery was partially solved yesterday when I came across a record from the Barnsley petty sessions in which my ancestor Elizabeth Kitchen successfully managed to get an order against the man who had fathered her illegitimate daughter Charlotte. The document is dated February 1868 and Charlotte was born in 1867 in Barnsley. It feels rather strange knowing the name of Charlotte’s father after roughly fifteen years of wondering!

His name was William Winter and the excitement has worn off slightly after realising that’s all I have to go on! There are a few Winter families in the area and the first place I looked was the 1871 census but I can’t see anyone who would fit the bill living in Barnsley at the time. Elizabeth was a very young mother, only 17, which means she was born in 1850. I have her in 1871 living with her new husband Charles Bonson.

But no sign of this mysterious William Winter!

[CaroleW]

Is there nothing else on the document apart from his name?  No occupation etc?

[HappyGoLucky33]

Just a name unfortunately and the amount William was ordered to pay.

[CaroleW]

Suspect DNA is your best way forward

[HappyGoLucky33]

Yes you’re probably right CaroleW. There is a William Winter in Leeds Borough Gaol at the time of the 1871 census…

William Winter, Prisoner, 32 (born c.1839) born in Barnsley, Yorkshire


However, I have nothing at the moment linking him to the William in the petty session records (which isn’t much to go on in the first place) 

[Pinetree]

I thought a newspaper report on the petty sessions case might provide more details but unfortunately couldn’t find anything in those available on FindMyPast, sorry.

Pinetree

[HappyGoLucky33]

Thank you for looking Pinetree. I don’t suppose anyone knows if any further information may have been recorded elsewhere? Such as within poor law records etc. I’m not too familiar with these types of records.

[CaroleW]

If we assume he was a few years older than her & single - it narrows down 1871 entries to 3 possibles but none in Barnsley

William Winter
b Norwich 1847 in the Cavalry Barracks Leeds
b Cottingwith 1846 - living with mother & siblings
b 1848 Guisborough - living with mum

There is also another William who married Sept 1869 to Martha Wigglesworth

[HappyGoLucky33]

If we assume he was a few years older than her & single - it narrows down 1871 entries to 3 possibles but none in Barnsley

William Winter
b Norwich 1847 in the Cavalry Barracks Leeds
b Cottingwith 1846 - living with mother & siblings
b 1848 Guisborough - living with mum

I will look into all of these, thank you.

I noticed that the letters W S S are written next to William’s entry. I wonder what that could mean?