Well.. while it’s quiet maybe I could pose a problem? My Gt. Grandfather was Michael Den(n)ison born abt 1841 according to Census records. He married Sarah Ellen Barton in 1871 in Southport, Lancashire. They had 9 children including my Grandmother Lucy. I’ve never been able to find baptism or death/burial record for Michael. He appears in the 1871/1881 and 1891 Census and always says he was born in Liverpool. But I’ve never found him anywhere before his marriage or after 1891. All the children stayed in the area and indeed the Bartons and Lucy Dennison’s husband were Southport/North Meols families which I can trace quite a long way back. My father and grandmother never mentioned him. As far as I know no family member knows anything. So the family stayed in the area, Sarah Ellen is buried there. Where did Michael come from and where did he die? I’ve tried Irish records on the grounds that maybe he didn’t know where he was born, but his Father Thomas appears as a witness at his wedding, so I think I’m clutching at straws there. I can’t find Thomas Dennison either. I’ve tried North Meols FHS.. found lots of ‘cousins’ there but no help re Michael Dennison. Any suggestions? Regards Jane Devon

Hi Jane, Just a quick question.... How do you know that Michael's father was present at his marriage in 1871? Could he have had a brother Thomas, a cousin Thomas? If it's because the marriage record doesn't state his father to be deceased, that's not really anything to go by, as I have a number of marriages in my tree where the fathers weren't said to be deceased, although I know beyond any doubt that they were. Best wishes, Jon

Hi Jane I see your man in 1871, 1881 & 1891 By 1901 his wife is a widow So you have a window of 1891 to 1901, I did not find a death under any variation of the name I could find So either he died elsewhere (abroad?) or his death was registered under another name (unlikely) or missed completely (possible but unlikely) Or he legged it after 1891 and went elsewhere or changed his name and his wife used widow to save face In 1851 there is a DENNISON family in Manchester Patrick head aged 46 a tailor, wife E DENNISON Family of five including an M DENNISON aged 10 All born Ireland Some changed their birthplace to avoid stigma Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 08/02/2016 15:51, Jane Lucas via wrote: > Well.. while it’s quiet maybe I could pose a problem? > > My Gt. Grandfather was Michael Den(n)ison born abt 1841 according to Census records. He married Sarah Ellen Barton in 1871 in Southport, Lancashire. They had 9 children including my Grandmother Lucy. I’ve never been able to find baptism or death/burial record for Michael. He appears in the 1871/1881 and 1891 Census and always says he was born in Liverpool. But I’ve never found him anywhere before his marriage or after 1891. All the children stayed in the area and indeed the Bartons and Lucy Dennison’s husband were Southport/North Meols families which I can trace quite a long way back. My father and grandmother never mentioned him. As far as I know no family member knows anything. > So the family stayed in the area, Sarah Ellen is buried there. Where did Michael come from and where did he die? I’ve tried Irish records on the grounds that maybe he didn’t know where he was born, but his Father Thomas appears as a witness at his wedding, so I think I’m clutching at straws there. I can’t find Thomas Dennison either. > I’ve tried North Meols FHS.. found lots of ‘cousins’ there but no help re Michael Dennison. > Any suggestions? > > Regards > Jane > Devon --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus