Alice Davies. b1906 Parents William Watkin Davies b1873 & Elizabeth Ellen Hall-Lee b1880 (Nellie) Was an adopted child.
in the 1911 census we have Alice living with her parents as follows:
1911 Census; 26 Steele St, off Queens Road. 466/3/27
William Watkin Davies age 41. Married 4 child (no deceased Children recorded) Occ; Furniture Carter, Cabinet Maker born, Manchester.
Nellie Davies age 31. married. 9 years married. Born, Manchester.
Ethel Davies age 8. Daug, Born, Manchester
Willie Davies age 6. Son, Born, Manchester
Alice Davies age 4. Daugh, Born, Manchester
Harold Davies age 2. Son. Born, Manchester
Elizabeth Davies age 28. Sister, in Service born Manchester.
Mary Lee age 59. Mother in law, Widow, Washing, born Salford.
William Watkin Davies & Elizabeth Ellen Hall Lee; marriage event 1901 Vol: 8d page 297. Manchester. Held at Albert Methodist church.
The street names mentioned being Sutherland Street cant be found in the image library or on the present day map
William Watkin Davies grew up in the Harpurhey district of Manchester we can follow the family through the census returns as below. His father Watkin was born c1834 in Manchester he Married Ellen Greenwood. Ellen died in June 1871. ---need to check and verify by death index. From the census Watkin Davies never gives an exact year of birth.
In the 1901 census; 12 Sutherland street, Harpurhey, Manchester. RG13/3753 page
Watkin Davies, Head, Widow, age 60 Occ No Occupation. Born Manchester. Watkin's given age is 60 so possibly some confusion as he would be 70 years old.
William Watkin, Son, age 28. single General Carter. Born Manchester.
Emily Davies, Daug, age 15, single. Machine Stocking Knitter. Born Manchester.
Ellen Davies, Daugh, age 16. Born Manchester.
Emily & Ellen are not feature in the previous census? this doesn't add up, did Watkin father these two girl and they end up living with him? As his wife Ellen died in1871 and the first girl wasn't born until 1885 but they don't shown up in the 1891 census as single girls. need to check and verify.
In the 1891 census; 12 Sutherland street, Harpurhey, Manchester. RG12/3245 page13
Watkin Davies, Head, Widow, age 60 Occ Cabinet French Polisher. Born Manchester.
Sophia Davies, Daug, age 23. single, Occ Spice Pickle Packer. Born Manchester. Note Sophia may have married and may be a source of the adoption need to check and verify via marriage certs.
William Watkin, Son, age 20. single Carter. Born Manchester.
In the 1881 census: 17 Brass Street, St Michaels ward, Manchester. RG11/4007 page43
Watkin Davies, Head, Widow, age 45 Occ Cabinet French Polisher. Born Manchester.
Sophia Davies, Daug, age 13. Scholar. Born Manchester.
William Watkin, Son, age 11. Scholar. Born Manchester.
In the 1871 census: 12 Sand Street Street, St Michaels ward, Manchester. RG10/4054 page3
Watkin Davies, Head, married, age 37. Occ French Polisher. Born Manchester.
Ellen Davies, Wife, age 37. same occupation French Polisher. Born Manchester.
Sophia Davies, Daug, age 3. Born Manchester.
William Watkin, Son, age 1. Born Manchester.
Ellen dies 2 months after this census was taken in April.
Watkin Davies abt1835 shows up as the only Waking Davies in England and in the 1851 census, I cant find a Watkin Davies in the area, such are all in Wales.
Furance Street, Dukinfield, Cheshire 1841 census; Ho107/109/3
Edward Davies age 70 occupation Tailor. Not born of this county.
Jane Davies age 60 Not born of this county.
Watkin age 15 occupation looks like Upholster. Born in Cheshire.
Died 1948 Apr,May,June Manchester Ref: 10e page 13 age 68
On the 23rd Sept 1861 Joshua marries Lavina Weedall as show in the event below. Lavina must have died after the 1871 census as Joshua is stated as married but his wife isnt present at that given address. Joshua goes on to marry again.
On the 5th December 1881 Joshua marries Mary Whittaker its states Joshua was a Widower. his occupation matches that given in the 1871 census, also given the married in December 1881 the census return for April 1881 stated they were married, so they must have been living together of
It could be that they couldn't have children of their own as none show up through the census returns.
1901 Census; 3 Sutherland Street, Harperhey, Manchester. RG13 / 3753 page9
Joshua Lee. Head, Married age 58. General Caster???-monger, Own Account. Born Cheadle, Cheshire.
Mary Lee. Wife. Married. age 49. Born Manchester.
Elizabeth E Hall, Adopted Daug, Single. age 21. Born Withington.
1891 Census; 21 Steele Street, Harperhey, Manchester. RG12 / 3246 page34
Joshua Lee. Head, Married age 48. Labourer in Coal Yard. Born Cheadle, Cheshire.
Mary Lee. Wife. Married. age 39. Born Manchester.
Elizabeth E Hall, Adopted Daug, Single. age 11. Born Manchester.
1881 Census; 32 Grosvenor Street, Newton Heath, Manchester. RG11 / 4011 page47
Joshua Lee. Head, Married age 38. Labourer. Born Cheadle, Staffs.
Mary Lee. Wife. Married. age 29. Born Manchester.
1871 Census; 126 Martha Street, Salford. RG10 / 4025 page 24
George Lee. Head. Married. age 80 no occ Born Cheadle, Cheshire.
Jeminma Lee. Wife. Married. age70. Born Handford, Cheshire.
Harriot Lee. Daug. age 25 Cotton Weaver. Born Stockport. CHECK MARRIAGE to a HALL in Stockport c1877 there could be a family link to the adoption of Eliz Ellen Hall
Joshua Lee. Son, age 28. states married. occupation unclear Hoister & Drawer. Born Cheadle, Cheshire. occupation title may be a lift operator of some sort.
There are a few Elizabeth Hannah Hall births but this one below held on the 20th May 1879 is the best match for a number of reasons: The birth year matches the accrete census returns and marriage certificate. The Parents names; Alice may be a reference to her mother and her first child Alice and they have no given occupation so may be destitute living off savings in old age and they are only a stones through away being along Oldham road, which runs through Blakely and Newton Heath maybe they shared the same church and new the Lee's and maybe the Lee's were desperate for a child as I assume they couldn't have children of their own as none came along through the census. If so I assume that after Alice's death in 1883 William couldn't cope and put the child into care age 4 years old.
United Methodist Free Church, Market Street, Blackley.
However the only William and Alice Hall who feature in the 1881 census in the Blakely area is as follows and they don't have a child living with them?
1881 CENSUS 46 Peel Bank, Blackley, rg11/4031 PAGE11
William Hall. Head Married. age 71 Occ Cotton Dyer. Born Blackley, Lancs
Alice Hall. Wife. Married. Age 74 Born Blackley Lancs. (Died 6th June 1883, Moston age 76)
Given Alice & William's ages they cant be the parents of the above Eliz' Ellen. Could this be a child of their children? or maybe they themselves took this child in and had her Christened ? We need the birth certificate which it may be more clearer on given its more official and may given the true relationship. St Catherine's index reference number of birth for Elizabeth Ellen Hall Prestwich area Fol; 8d page; 431 (in Aprl,May,June)
There is a death registered for a Eliz' Ellen Hall in the district of Prestwich Fol;8d page; 300, age given is 1 year, I'm not sure if 1 means over the age of 1 or thereabouts other children are recorded as Zero so this may not be Williams & Alice's child Eliz Ellen, as she would have been 6 months at the time of this event.
Having traced William & Alice's children being 4 girls, they all marry and don't seem to have a child out of wedlock such details as below. If William and Alice did take Eliz' Ellen in and gave her their name why didn't one of their Daughters adopt the baby after Alice's death?
1871 Census : Peel Bank, Blackley, Lancs. RG10 /4066/ page 30
William Hall. Head. age 61 Cotton Dyer Born Blackley, Lancs
Alice Hall. Wife. age 64 Born Blackley, Lancs
1861 Census: Hunt Green, Blackley, Lancs. RG 9/2975 page 4
William Hall. Head. age 51 Cotton Dyer Born Blackley, Lancs
Elizabeth Hall. Wife. age 53 Born Blackley, Lancs Note although Elizabeth is named the children's birth entry states Alice so probably she is Eliz' Alice.
Sarah Hall Daug. Unattached age 30 Cotton Weaver Born Blackley, Lans. Married on the 19th May 1861 to William Collinge at St Peters, Blackley. Ellen her sister is a witness. None can read or write.
Ann Hall Daug. Unattached age 21 Cotton Weaver Born Blackley, Lans. May have married in 1865 to a Chadwick in Northumbria, father is started as a William.
Ellen Daug. Unattached age 18 Cotton Weaver Born Blackley, Lans. NOTE: Ellen marries a Butterworth and in the 1891 census, Ellen's father William is living with them age 81.
Two other events but not as promising.
1851 Census: Bonie Row, Blackley, Lancs.
William Hall. Head. age 41 ?? Dyer Born Blackley, Lancs
Alice Hall. Wife. age 44 Born Blackley, Lancs
Sarah Hall Daug. Unattached age 20 Cotton Weaver Born Blackley, Lans.
Alice Hall Daug Unattached age 16 Weaver Cotton Born Blackley, Lans. Baptized 2nd Nov 1834 confirmed. Married 20th Feb 1853 to James Thomlinson. Alice her mark X
Ann Hall Daug. Unattached age 13 Weaver Cotton Born Blackley, Lans. (Probably lied about her age as she should be age 11, so shw could work in the Mill.
Ellen Daug. Unattached age 8 Scholor Born Blackley, Lans.
Birth event for an Elizabeth Hall (no E in the middle name) in Manchester for Apr/may/june 1880 event 8d212. Also one in Salford same quarter. One of which may die within months a Child is record age 0 in the death in index.
There is an entry for a Eliz' E Hall in the 1881 census the given age of 2 fits.
1881 Census 10 Wellington Street, Chorley Lancashire BG 11 / 4218 page 28
James Hall 38 & Ellen Hall 32 but this Eliz' feature in the 1891 census.
There is also an entry for a Eliz' Ellen Hall in
1881 Census Waterloo, Crosby. age 1 RG11 /3695 page13
Parents; William and Sarah both age 25. but she features in the 1891 census along with her parents.
These two events in the 1881 census above are the only matching events but given both girls feature in the 1891 census such excludes them which only leaves William & Alice being the probable childs adopted parents but such cant be proven by the fact Ellen was born in 1879 and christened by a William & Alice Hall but such child dosent feature in the 1881 census?