Update on the Richardson family.

I am sorry about cutting you off on the phone this morning Jimmy. Mornings are not a good time - on a late start which Joseph had this morning I am straining at the bit waiting for the taxi to come and then dashing up the road to catch the bus. Other mornings are an early start - up at 6 to get Joseph ready. And of course, like this morning when I want the taxi to come early - he has to come late.

From the information you gave, I have found the death registration of your grandmother in 1945 she was 74 this gives us a birth year about 1871.

I think the two marriages we are looking for are :

1891 Arthur Richardson + Mary Jane Haworth
Darwen St. Cuthbert Blackburn CE19/1/269

1892 George Henry Richardson + Mary Ann Holden
Darwen St Peter(formerly Holy Trinity) Blackburn CE27/5/27

George was Arthur's older brother.

1901 census details for George.
RG13, 3921, 95, 16
Blackburn Darwen 13
27 Tythe Barn St.

Geo. H. Richardson 31 Tea Travellor own account born London
M.A. 30 cotton weaver born Portsmouth
Nora 5 born Darwen
Annie 3 born Darwen

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Census details for MARY JANE.
1901
RG13,3922,6,3
Blackburn Darwen 17
115 Goborne Ter.?

Arthur Richardson 28 Tea Merchant Grocer Employer born Lancaster
MARY J 29 born Darwen
John W. 9
Rhoda 7
Jane 6
Margaret 4
Ellen 1

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1891
RG12,3414,20,33
Blackburn Darwen 13
14 Heys Lane

John Kirkam 46 cotton spinner born Darwen
Rachel 46
MARY JANE 20 cotton weaver
Benjamin 19
Ralph 9?
James 4

It would appear in 1891 that she was known as MARY JANE KIRKHAM. She is described as daughter and not step daughter.

marriage
1871 John Kirkham + Rachel Haworth Blackburn Registrar, Blackburn RM/49/94

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1881
RG11,4206,18,30
Blackburn Darwen 13
14 Heys Lane

John Kirkham 36 cotton weaver born Darwen
Rachel ?? cotton weaver
MARY J HAWORTH 10
Benjamin Kirkham 9

again Mary is described as daughter.
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1871
RG10,4190,95,46
Blackburn Darwen 25
Lower Darwen
Cup?

Ralph Haworth 53 general labourer born L.Darwen
Ellen 44 born Pick Bank
Mary 27 cotton weaver Low. Darwen
Rachel 25 cotton weaver Low. Darwen
Rhoda 23 cotton naper Yates Bank
Alice 18 cotton winder Yates Bank
Robert 15 cotton weaver Lower Darwen
Henry 13 cotton weaver
Jane 8
James J. 6
MARY JANE grand daughter 6 m.

(places at the end are birth places, where none is given assume it is as the above, I am too lazy to keep typing them out).

We can see from this that Ralph Haworth's family moved about. And that Mary Jane had an aunt Rhoda and an aunt Jane names she used for her own daughters.

We need to look at the marriage certificate to see if there is anything in Mary Jane's father's space. Although this is often not of any use. The box may be empty, or have the mother's name or a made up name. Also we need to try to find a christening although this too will probably not be of much help. It is possible that John Kirkham was Mary Jane's father.

When following up the Haworth family, spelling is important. This name was variously spelt - Howarth, Howard, Howorth etc. The Haworths seem to be a very old Lower Darwen family. They are numerous. Again this makes it difficult to unravel the different strands.