Find Ancestors

I am struggling to find info about my great-great grandfather Williams Haddon Arthur. Very frustrating as he proving is a brick wall to the next generation. Census returns of 1871 and 1881 having him living in Atherstone, Warwickshire but both suggest he was born in Scotland c.1842 (I don't know where in Scotland). Not having access to Scottish records is a hindrance - I accept I may eventually have to pay up to get them.

On 2nd June,1875 he married my great-great grandmother Henrietta nee Stebbing in Mancetter, Atherstone. I can't read his father's name on the marriage certificate - I think it's Henander (?) Arthur, who is listed as a joiner.

At this time, William is listed as a widower. Detective work suggests that he was probably previously married to Janet Elizabeth Turley in Kings Norton in 1871, and she died a year later, though I have not seen relevant certificates.

I have seen William variously described as a builder or stonemason but have also recently found a cutting from the London Gazette which suggests he was declared bankrupt in 1879 (google his full name in quotation marks and you will find it). I assume this would have been quite a shame on the family? Would it have meant a prison sentence?

The mystery deepens with his daughter's birth eight years later in 1887 where he is listed as "deceased" on her birth certificate. Sh was born in Birmingham on 20th October 1887 which would seem to narrow the date of his death down comfortably to 1887 - but can I find it? No! To the best of my knowledge, she was their only child.

Wonder if he might have returned to Scotland to die, not really died but just scarpered - or maybe not even have been present at daughter Mabel's conception! ;-)

I just have a feeling that if there is going to be a black sheep in the family, this may be him! Any pointers, suggestions or thoughts are warmly welcomed.

Could the father be Alexander?

Name: William Arthur
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 13 Feb 1842
Christening Place: , PORT GLASGOW, RENFREW, SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 31 Jan 1842
Father's Name: Alexander Arthur
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Margaret Myles

Looks interesting:

1851 census transcription details for: Grange Lodge, North Mimms
RG number: HO107
Piece: 1712
Folio: 81
Page: 28
Reg. District: Hatfield
Sub District: Hatfied Union
Parish: North Mimms
Enum. District: 3B
Ecclesiastical District:
City/Municipal Borough:
Address: Grange Lodge, North Mimms
County: Hertfordshire
HADDON, William Head Married M 38 1813 Builder
Atherstone, Warwickshire
HADDON, Isabella Wife Married F 38 1813 Builders Wife
Scotland
ARTHUR, William Nephew Unmarried M 9 1842 Scholar
Scotland



Maureen

Is that not his death in 1883 in Prestwich


Name:William Haddon Arthur

Estimated Birth Year:abt 1842

Date of Registration:Jan-Feb-Mar 1883

Age at Death:41

Registration District:Prestwich

Inferred County:Lancashire

Volume:8d

Page:262

Name:

William Haddon Arthur



Birth Year:abt 1842



Parish:Atherstone



Burial Date:19 Mar 1883



Burial Age:41

I think his father's name looks pretty clear on his second marriage certificate:

Warwickshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1910

Name: William Haddin Arthur - Builder
Age: Full Age
Spouse Name: Henreitta Stibbing
Spouse Age: Full Age
Marriage or Bann Date: 2 Jun 1875
Event Type: Marriage
Parish: Mancetter
Father Name: Alexander Arthur - Joiner
Spouse Father Name: Samuel Stebbing

Still listed as a builder in 1876:

UK, Midlands and Various UK Trade Directories, 1770-1941

Name: William Haddon Arthur
Region: Warwickshire
Residence Year: 1876
Publication Title: 1876 Kelly's Directory of Warwickshire
Street Address: Long street & Mevevale, Atherstone

There's an item in the Tamworth Herald 5 August 1876 where William Haddon Arthur was being sued by the Leicestershire Banking Company.

The article's too long to type out in full so I'll summarise it - Two brothers William and Thomas Haddon had incurred debts of £216 with the bank, William Haddon had died in 1875 and William Haddon Arthur was executor of his estate. It was in that capacity that he was being pursued, Thomas Haddon seems to have done a runner.

Given the two brother's names they must be related to W H Arthur?

There was also a report in April of that year that he was being sued for £50 for the death of a horse belonging to a William Tempest of the Castle Hotel, Tamworth. Apparently WH Arthur's driver had driven negligently and crashed into Mr Tempest's horse and trap, causing his horse to be killed.

This looks like the family suggested by BevW's post:
1841 Scotland Census about Alexr Arthur
Name: Alexr Arthur
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1811
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland
Civil Parish: Port Glasgow
County: Renfrewshire
Address: Chapel Lane
Occupation: Joiner J
Parish Number: 574
Household Members:
Name Age
Alexr Arthur 30
Margaret Arthur 30
Andrew Arthur 4
John Arthur 2
John Myles 20
Andrew Forrester 20
Source Citation: Parish: Port Glasgow; ED: 4A; Page: 12; Line: 1140; Year: 1841.

...............
Might be interesting to get this marriage cert:
Marriages Mar 1839
ARTHUR Isabella Atherstone 16 240
HADDON William Atherstone 16 240

since that was the couple William was with in 1851.

Maureen

1841

Name: Alexr Arthur
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1811
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland

Civil Parish: Port Glasgow
County: Renfrewshire
Address: Chapel Lane
Occupation: Joiner J
Parish Number: 574
Household Members:
Name Age
Alexr Arthur 30
Margaret Arthur 30
Andrew Arthur 4
John Arthur 2
John Myles 20
Andrew Forrester 20


Place of residence fits in with the place of birth Beverley posted and Alexander is a Joiner Journeyman.

Oops. Sorry Maureen, 'phone went and I didn't refresh the page.

Name: Alexander Arthur

Spouse's Name: Margaret Myles

Event Date: 27 Dec 1833
Event Place: Port Glasgow,Renfrew,Scotland

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M11960-3
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
GS Film number: 1041325
Reference ID:



The Freecen version of that 1841 to show if born in county.

Piece: SCT1841/574 Place: Port Glasgow -Renfrewshire Enumeration District: 4
Civil Parish: Port Glasgow Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 13 Page: 12

Address: Chapel Lane

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
ARTHUR Alexr. M 30 Joiner Journeyman Outside Census County (1841)
ARTHUR Margaret F 30 Outside Census County (1841)
ARTHUR Andrew M 4 Renfrewshire
ARTHUR John M 2 Renfrewshire
MYLES John M 20 Joiner Journeyman Outside Census County (1841)
FORRESTER Andrew M 20 Joiner Journeyman Outside Census County (1841)

Just tentative:

Isabella Arthur, "Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
Name: Isabella Arthur
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 20 Dec 1812
Christening Place: KINROSS,KINROSS,SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 07 Dec 1812
Father's Name: Alexr. Arthur
Mother's Name: Isabella Scott

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C11462-6
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
GS Film number: 1040354
Reference ID:........
.......
Alexander Arthur, "Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950"
Name: Alexander Arthur
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 14 Feb 1808
Christening Place: KINROSS,KINROSS,SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 06 Feb 1808
Father's Name: Alexander Arthur

Mother's Name: Isabella Scott
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C11462-6
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
GS Film number: 1040354
Reference ID:

..........
Maureen~~~~~~~to Mrs Rootie :-D

1851 - No Alexander

Name: Margaret Arthur
Age: 41
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1810
Relationship: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Letham, fife
Parish Number: 574
Civil Parish: Paisley Middle Church
Town: Port Glasgow
County: Renfrewshire
Address: Barr's Bras Foot
ED: 5
Page: 8 (click to see others on page)
Household Schedule Number: 33
Line: 8
Roll: CSSCT1851_127
Household Members:
Name Age
Margaret Arthur 41
Andrew Arthur 14
John Arthur 11
Ann Arthur 6
John Myles 32


1861

Name: Margaret Arthur
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1811
Relationship: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Monimail, fifeshire
Registration number: 574
Registration District: Port Glasgow
Civil Parish: Port Glasgow
Town: Port Glasgow
County: Renfrewshire
Address: Newark Place
ED: 2
Household Schedule Number: 20
Line: 3
Roll: CSSCT1861_81
Household Members:
Name Age
Margaret Arthur 50
Andrew Arthur 24
John Arthur 21
William Arthur 19
Ann Arthur 16



From the above, you know that Margaret died after statutory registration began in Scotland in 1855. You can search for her death on Scotlandspeople using both her maiden surname and married name. Scottish death registrations give the names of both parents including the mother's maiden surname if the informant knew the details.

Name: Alexander Arthur

Christening Date: 01 Mar 1835
Christening Place: , PORT GLASGOW, RENFREW, SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 14 Feb 1835

Father's Name: Alexander Arthur

Mother's Name: Margaret Myles

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C11960-2
System Origin: Scotland-VR
GS Film number: 1041325
Reference ID: - 2:18JK23J



The births of the other siblings are on Familysearch



Maureen, hope you are well. :-)

Given Margaret's birth place, I wonder if this is her Dad or even her Granddad. You'll know when you get Margaret's death certificate hopefully.

1841

Piece: SCT1841/448 Place: Monimail -Fife Enumeration District: 1
Civil Parish: Monimail Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 0 Page: 12


Address: Village Of Letham

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MYLES Andrew M 80 Cabinet Maker Fife
ARMET Elizabeth F 15 Agricultural Labourer Fife
PEATTIE Janet F 3 Fife


This one looks interesting too.

1841

Piece: SCT1841/448 Place: Monimail -Fife Enumeration District: 1
Civil Parish: Monimail Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 0 Page: 9
Address: Village Of Letham New Row

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
MYLES Andrew M 65 Flax Hand Loom Weaver Fife
MYLES Ann F 55 Fife
MYLES Ann F 20 Flax Hand Loom Weaver Fife

:-) :-)
Doing well,thanks. Enjoying all the beautiful autumn colours.

:-)

This is the 1871 for the William Haddon shown above in 1851 and also mentioned in the court case:

HADDON, William Head M 58 1813 Warwickshire - a master builder
HADDON, Isabella Wife F 58 1813 Scotland
COOKE, Harriet Servant F 15 1856 Warwickshire

Piece: 3166 Folio: 79 Page: 1
Registration District: Atherstone
Civil Parish: Merevale

Address: Cottage, Merevale County: Warwickshire

and next door is the other brother, Thomas (who legged it when money was owed)

HADDON, Thomas Head M 64 1807 Warwickshire - builder
HADDON, Isabella Daughter F 22 1849 Warwickshire

William Haddon's probate:

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
Name: William Haddon
Probate Date: 9 Mar 1875
Death Date: 30 Jan 1875
Death Place: Warwickshire, England
Registry: Birmingham, England

Late of Merevale. Will proved by nephew William Haddon Arthur, one of the executors. Effects < £1500

Still mild here in Scotland, Maureen and really quite a lot of foliage on trees for the time of year.


:-) :-)