Find Ancestors

In 1901, Winifred was living with Caroline Crossley in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Caroline was born 1861, Oswaldtwistle Lancashire, and Winifred in Pendleton, Lancashire. Winifred was a boarder. Caroline had a son Noah b 1888. In 1910, Winifred and Noah married in Oldham, Lancashire. Her father was named as Frank Conway, deceased.

In 1911, Noah and Winifred are still in Oldham, with Caroline Crossley.Winifred says she was born in Oldham.

For information, Caroline Crossley was born Parker, and married John Edmund Crossley b1861, who is another story.

On the 1939 Register, Winifred gives her birth date as 26 April 1885.

There are two Winifred Conways born in the June quarter of 1885, both in Wakefield, Yorkshire. One dies the same quarter. The other I have not found in Wakefield at all.

I can find no birth for her in Lancashire, nor any sighting in 1891. Can anyone help?

I might have posted all this some years ago, if so, apologies.It's been a long time.

Margaret/Meg

I don't have a subscription so cant see full details, but there is a Winifred Conway, with birth estimated at 1887, in Oldham on the 1891 census - this is the only one I can see in the area. She is listed as an Inmate in some institution - could be a hospital, workhouse, etc

Maybe somebody with access to Ancestry or FMP could provide more detail on this one?

The one mentioned above, although transcribed as 4 years old on FMP is actually 12 and is in Oldham workhouse. :-(

Good try though Vanessa.

Dea x

there is this baptism but which one , but differnt birth month to 1939 reg
Winifred
Last name Conway
Birth year 1885
Birth date 15 Mar 1885
Baptism year 1885
Baptism date 24 Mar 1885
Father's first name(s) Edward
Father's last name Conway
Father's occupation Labourer
Father's residence Milton Street
Mother's first name(s) Bridget
Mother's last name Conway
Mother's residence Milton Street
Place Wakefield, St Michael
County Yorkshire West Riding
Country England
Checked CHECKED
Archive reference WDP 94/1/1/3
Society reference S 21
Record set Wakefield district baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain

Her marriage certificate says her father was Frank as per OP

Jude

rules that one out

there is a francis conway also in workhouse 1891


Francis Conway
England and Wales Census, 1891
Name Francis Conway
Event Type Census
Event Date 1891
County Lancashire
Parish Oldham
Ecclesiastical Parish COLDHURST
Registration District Oldham
Gender Male
Age 10
Relationship to Head of Household Inmate
Birth Year (Estimated) 1881
Birthplace Lancashire, England
Page Number 19
Registration Number RG12
Piece/Folio 3307/ 114

also a thomas


Thomas Conway
England and Wales Census, 1891
Name Thomas Conway
Event Type Census
Event Date 1891
County Lancashire
Parish Oldham
Ecclesiastical Parish COLDHURST
Registration District Oldham
Gender Male
Age 39
Marital Status Single
Occupation Card Room Jobber
Relationship to Head of Household Inmate
Birth Year (Estimated) 1852
Birthplace Lancashire, England
Page Number 13
Registration Number RG12
Piece/Folio 3307/ 111

Noah + Winifred's first son was names Christopher 'Sinclai'r Crossley - born in 1918.

I have tried tracing the name Sinclair back but it does not appear to come from the Crossley side (unless you know where it originates?) so I feel it must come from the Conway side ?

I cannot see a conection yet but perhaps this is worth looking into?

Dea x

When Winifred married, her stated age was 25 years but if her date of birth on the 1939 register was correct, she would only have been 24 in January 1910. Just thinking that it is a little unusual for a bride who is older than her spouse to add a year on. Wonder if she was born earlier than you thought.

Winifred Conway
Gender: Female
Birth Year: abt 1885
Marriage Age: 25
Marriage Date: 19 Jan 1910
Marriage Place: Oldham, Lancashire, England
Church: Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Manchester Street
Father Name: Frank Conway
Spouse Name: Noah Crossley
Spouse Marriage Age: 22
Spouse Father Name: John Edmund Crossley

There is a Winifred born in Salford in 1878 - which is stretching it a bit....but there is a Pendleton in Salford? This is the one in the workhouse in 1891 I think

But if this was her, her father isn't Frank it's Patrick (and mother Winifred)

And another born in Burnley 1883 but that one died in 1884

I can't find a Frank that fits the bill at all. The only marriage for a Frank is in 1856

Jude

I was thinking the same as you Rootgatherer and I keep going back to this one:

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
36, Bank Street, Warrington, Lancashire, England

Learn more
Print transcription View image
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Frank Conway Head Married Male 40 1841 Laborer Ireland
Transcription
Mary Conway Wife Married Female 38 1843 - Ireland
Transcription
Maggie Conway Daughter Single Female 16 1865 Fustian Cutter Warrington, Lancashire, England
Transcription
Mary Conway Daughter Single Female 15 1866 Fustian Cutter Wales
Transcription
Winifred Conway Daughter Single Female 13 1868 Scholar Warrington, Lancashire, England
Transcription
Annie Conway Daughter Single Female 8 1873 Scholar Warrington, Lancashire, England
Transcription
Sarah Conway Daughter Single Female 5 1876 - Warrington, Lancashire, England
Transcription
Thomas Conway Son Single Male 4 1877 - Warrington, Lancashire, England
Transcription
Kate Conway Daughter Single Female 0 1881 - Warrington, Lancashire, England

Can't make it fit though.................

and I found this marriage which I think rules her out:

Marriage: 25 Nov 1888 St Paul, Warrington, Lancashire, England
John Mason - 23, Labourer, Bachelor, Bank St.
Winiefred Conway - 20, Spinster, Bank St.
Groom's Father: William Mason, Labourer
Bride's Father: Frank Conway, Labourer
Witness: Michael Preston, (X); Annie Conway
Married by Banns by: Robert Phillips
Register: Marriages 1885 - 1889, Page 214, Entry 428
Source: Original Parish Register

BUT, I did find this birth:

???
Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1878
Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Mother's Maiden Name Reference
CONWAY Winifred Salford Regent Road Salford RR/119/10

Can't find her on census though!


Dea x

Dea think this is her 1881

Name: Winifred Conway
Age: 3
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Father: Patrick Conway
Mother: Winifred Conway
Gender: Female
Where born: Manchester, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: Oldham
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 11 Skellorn St
Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Oldham
Sub registration district: Oldham Above Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4077
Folio: 13
Page Number: 19
Household Members:
Name Age
Patrick Conway 30
Winifred Conway 40
Mary Conway 4
Winifred Conway 3

and 1891 is the one posted in the workhouse where she IS 12 and not 4

Jude

Dec 1875 (>99%)

CONWAY Patrick Oldham 8d 1074
KELLY Winefred Oldham 8d. 1074


Possible death ?

Deaths Mar 1891 (>99%)

Conway Patrick 40 Oldham 8d 559


Not seeing a death or remarriage as yet for Winifred. Was wondering if her second marriage was to a Frank?

It's the one born in Salford in 1878 (above) I would like to find............ (OP says in 1901 she was born Pendleton, which is in Salford).

She is not the one born in Oldham to Patrick and Winefred and I can't find her.

Dea x

Has anyone considered the theory that Winifred may have been illegitimate and that her brth is registered under the name of her mother, but took on her father's name after, or Frank was her stepfather?

Or, that she was illegitimate and was brought up by her grandparents and named her grandfather as her father when she married?

I've come accross both scenarios in my own research and when helping others so maybe worth a look?

Just a thought.

Dea, you don't think that's her then with Patrick and Winifred giving her birthplace as Manchester? Please excuse my lack of knowledge of English geography but I thought that Salford was near Manchester...... but I've probably made that up! :-)

Yes, I think those suggestions are definitely worth considering Catherine.

A census search for Win*. Father Fran* with no surname isn't throwing anything up.

I keep looking at this one so just throwing it in the mix to confuse everyone even more:-

Name: Frank Conway
Age: 18
Estimated birth year: abt 1863
Relationship to Head: Soldier
Gender: Male
Where born: Warrington, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: Warrington
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: "Orford Military Barracks" Marsh House Lane

Occupation: Private 14th Bde Depot

Registration district: Warrington
ED, institution, or vessel: Oxford Military Barracks
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3798
Folio: 87
Page Number: 18

As this one is a soldier it may explain why he died?

All useful observations, thanks. But nothing that can provide any proof. Yes, she may have been illegitimate, she might have been born in Ireland (I have searched Irish records and not found anything useful), she might have been "adopted". She might have been called Mary Winifred (or similar) and chose to use her middle name. All sorts of things are possible. Well, she will have to remain a mystery methinks.

Dea, this is a friend's family. I will ask her about Sinclair. A good thought, as I have just solved why another friend's ancestor had a strange middle name. I have researched the Crossleys to the death, as they are my own family. No Sinclairs there, sorry, I should have said so.

Thanks all. Don't think there's much more we can do.