Preston conundrum

[Barbara B]

I've been looking for Thomas Moore, born Preston 1879 and haven't managed to locate him after 1891. However I think I've found his family in the last available census. His aunt, Ann Wareing, born Preston 1851 is living with Louisa Moore, born Farnworth 1876 and two children, James, born Belfast 1903 and 6 month old Margaret. The puzzle is this - the census form appears to have been completed by Thomas BUT he gives a postal address in Belfast and he is not recorded on the form! I've searched on the Irish 1911 census but can't find any trace of him. Any ideas anybody?
Cheers
Barbara

[Hilary]

What's Thomas' occupation on his marriage certificate?

[Barbara B]

Sorry Hilary, I don't have his marriage certificate - in fact I haven't found his marriage yet.
Barbara

[dickiesam]

Hi Barbara,
Looking for Thomas in 1901.... based on a search for his aunt Ann Wareing I turned up this:
MOORE, Thomas - Son - u/m - 21 - 1880 - Fitter, mechanical - Preston, Lancashire.
Mother: MOORE, Mary J - Head - Widow - 53 - 1848 - Pawnbroker - Preston, Lancashire.
RG13 - Piece: 3955 - Folio: - 73 - Page: 20

What was his occupation when he married Louisa? And where did they marry? There are a couple in Lancashire.. Louisa Challinor [Chorlton 1902] and Louisa Nicholson [West Derby 1903]. There are 3 possibles in Belfast.

Re that Belfast address: The actual address where Louisa and family were living was 162 Tulketh Brow, Maudland, Preston. I am surprised the enumerator didn't pick up on it. Thomas was working away from Preston, almost certainly in Belfast, on the night of the census so had completed the form when it dropped through the letterbox. Their first child James was born in Belfast. And where did they marry? There are 3 possibles in Belfast.

So it would appear he had a 'steady' job there and therefor a 'permanent' address close to work.

[dickiesam]

Because you haven't yet found his marriage I checked for births of the children so you could get a birth cert and mother's maiden name.

There are 6 possible births for James in 1903 in Belfast. But there is only one for Margaret born Preston in 1910 in a qtr where she would be 6 months old at the census. Births Dec 1910: MOORE, Margaret M - Preston - 8c - 492.

You can specify parents' names for a birth cert from the GRO despite there no longer being a Reference Checking facility by using this 'wrinkle':
When you go to the GRO site and get to the 'Certificate choice' page, after ticking the relevant Birth or Marriage Cert box there's a question at the bottom asking whether the GRO reference is known. Tick the 'No' box and just enter the year of the birth you are interested in, even if you do know the Index Reference [Qtr, Volume and Page numbers, etc].

The 'Delivery address details' page comes next, and after that a new page will open allowing you to enter the names of the parents. In this case you could only enter Thomas' full name and Louisa's forename. The GRO will do a search 1 year either side of the given year. If they don't find the cert with the exact details you specified they will only charge a search fee of about £4.50 and refund the balance.

Alternatively, you could try the Irish GRO for James, where you can specify parents' names on the application form [without any wrinkles] and a photocopy of the cert will only cost you 6 Euro!
http://www.groireland.ie/

[Barbara B]

Suddenly thought of Lancashire BMD's - the Preston births always (or nearly always) give the mother's maiden name even before 1911. There it was, Margaret Mary Moore, mother's maiden name Challoner. Wel spotted DS. That's saved me the price of a certificate, although I still can't find Thomas in England or in Ireland. At least I know he was still knocking around in 1911!
Barbara

[MaryA]

Could be pure chance that he may have been travelling between one place and another right at census date?

[Barbara B]

I think anything is possible in this 'line of work', Mary!
Barbara

[dickiesam]

I think anything is possible in this 'line of work', Mary!
Barbara

You could be right! Is Thomas a bigamist? Occupation very close to former trade of engineer fitter if he was going up in the world.
First see this from Irish 1911...
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/p ... ue/230842/

Then..
MOORE, Thomas appears to have married STEELE, Ethel Sophia.
Registration district: Brampton, Cumberland
Year/qtr of registration: 1906 / Jul-Aug-Sep
Volume no: 10B; Page no: 883.

[Barbara B]

If he's a bigamist he must have had a bike(or a boat) as well! Wasn't daughter Margaret born in1910 in Preston?
Joking apart I'm not sure it's him as the family in Preston were all Catholic as far as I know.