According to the 1851 & 1861 censuses, his parents were William Riding, born Harrogate, Yorks, and Eliza b. Erdington, Warks. In 1851 they are in Harrogate and in 1861 in Salford, Lancs. Looks like they left Warks around 1844/5. They had one more child - Eliza, b. in Birmingham, all the rest show birthplace as Yorkshire. Hope this will help you to track them further. MAR in France. MAR in France.