Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I am trying to find out some information regarding Dorothy Guy? she was unofficially adopted at the age of about 2 or 3 by a family called Hamilton. She was born in 1891 in Lancashire. She married Reginald Gordon Beyer.

According to www.cheshirebmd.org.uk he married Jessie L Guy at Wrenbury St Margaret in 1914

I presume your Reginald is the one living in Newhall Cheshire in 1911.

To find out more about Jessie if she is Dorothy you will need to purchase the marriage certificate which will give her father's name.

She was born Jessie Livingstone Guy birth registered Ormskirk 1891

Christened at Christ Church Southport (Ormskirk Reg district covered Southport) daughter of Samuel and Jane Guy of Southport. Samuel was a farrier.

1901 census 9 Railway Street Southport
Mary Wood widow 69
Alice Wood daur 30 general servant
Jessie L Guy granddaughter 9
all born Southport

All found on Ancestry

Incidentally Reginald Jessie and their children are on a passenger on Ancestry for the early 1930s with home address Addington Lodge Farm Croydon Surrey

I think I might have found were the Dorothy and Hamilton appear!!!!

1911 census Mount Pleasant Farm Newhall Aston
William Wood 47 single farmer born Southport
Ada Mary Hamilton MISTRESS 56 born Manchester (It's a first for me someone being stated to be the mistress - it's in the status column)
Dorothy Guy niece 19 born Southport
William Knapman visitor 9 born Ainsdale
John Lookut servant 33 single born Cheshire

Samuel Guy married Jane Wood in 1885 at St Peter Liverpool it was a second marriage. William Wood is Jane's sister.

It may be purely coincidental that Jessie/Dorothy is not with her parents on census night.

1901 census 22 Liverpool Road Ainsdale Lancashire
Ada M Hamilton head unmarried living on own means born Whalley Range
William H Hamilton father 83 widower clerk in Holy orders born Manchester blind
William Wood boarder unmarried 35 accountant's clerk born Southport.

Education Officer wrote:I think I might have found were the Dorothy and Hamilton appear!!!!

1911 census Mount Pleasant Farm Newhall Aston
William Wood 47 single farmer born Southport
Ada Mary Hamilton MISTRESS 56 born Manchester (It's a first for me someone being stated to be the mistress - it's in the status column)
Dorothy Guy niece 19 born Southport
William Knapman visitor 9 born Ainsdale
John Lookut servant 33 single born Cheshire

Samuel Guy married Jane Wood in 1885 at St Peter Liverpool it was a second marriage. William Wood is Jane's sister.

It may be purely coincidental that Jessie/Dorothy is not with her parents on census night.

Well done finding that one Hilary,


William Woodd 47
Ada Mary Hamitter 56
Drothy Pay 19
William Knapman 9
John Lockert 33

RG14, Peice21831,

Education Officer wrote:(It's a first for me someone being stated to be the mistress - it's in the status column)

It's wonderful when somebody is so honest about a relationship, makes it so much easier, but guess it would have been a great scandal especially being the daughter of a "clerk in Holy orders"

MaryA wrote:

Education Officer wrote:(It's a first for me someone being stated to be the mistress - it's in the status column)

It's wonderful when somebody is so honest about a relationship, makes it so much easier, but guess it would have been a great scandal especially being the daughter of a "clerk in Holy orders"

Heavens, yes, but I've never seen that written. Good find, EO.

Re: "Mistress"

May not be as 'scandalous' as it looks. Remember those were the days when one could refer to a spinster as Mistress Hamilton. Seen enough of my wife's collection of DVD period dramas to know that.

The word is derived from Middle English maistresse, “female teacher, governess.” Once a title of courtesy, mistress fell into disuse around the late 14th century. The pronunciation, however, remained intact. By the 15th century, mistress had evolved into a derogatory term for “a kept woman of a married man.” However, it still persisted in it's 'polite' form up to the end of the 19th century. The same root provided Mrs. http://hotword.dictionary.com/mr-mrs/

And Mistress Hamilton lived to a good age....?
Death: HAMILTON, Ada M
Registration district: Southport, Lancashire
Year of registration: 1938; Mar qtr
Age at death: 83
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 993

listed as Dorothy Pay in 1911
William as Woodd and Ada Mary as Hamitter..
STREWTH
Dorothy & Ada's true names are clear, will send error.
I presume Ada is a dyed in the wool spinster hence the Mistress title which
as we all know later became Miss.
However, Wm Wood single was married to a Kate Holgate in 1885 Southport from
a tree in Anx.

On another site the names are transcribed correctly. Personally I take it to be she is his mistress. The status column reads Head, Mistress, Niece, Visitor and servant. If she was the equivalent of a housekeeper I think William would have said so.

I also think it's significant that William was a boarder in the Hamilton house in 1901.

We'll never know for sure - maybe the OP will come back and tell us more.

William and Catherine are living together in the 1891 census at 6 Bedford Road Birkdale he's a coal dealer.

In 1911 she is with her brother Thomas Holdgate in Appleby Bridge and says she's been married for 25 years.

Definitely fishy this as he says he's single!!

Just to add Catherine is 25 in 1891 bn Newborough, Lancs not sure where this is?
Can you please send the link for 1911 for Catherine and her bro...Cheers

Newborough now written as Newburgh is east of Burscough/Ormskirk about 3 or 4 miles.

For the 1911 census use Thomas Holdgate I think I found her by searching for a Catherine born Newborough.

Hi 1911
Thomas Holdgate 40 genl labr, single stone quarry bn Newbrough
Ellen Musker bn Skelmersdale, mother 79 married 61? yrs 9 children 6 living 3 deceased.
Catherine Wood bn Newbrough, married 25 yrs 1 living child
27 Appley Lane, Appley Bridge.
RG14 piece 23058

Children for Catherine are listed as 1 child born alive 1 child now dead. Maybe that's why the couple split up?

I wonder if the OP will come back and see what we've found?