CHESHIRE-L Archives

Archiver > CHESHIRE > 2006-05 > 1148760056


From: "Jacqui Simkins" <>
Subject: For MITCHELL read MOTTERSHEAD
Date: Sat, 27 May 2006 21:00:56 +0100


What a lot of fibs some of our ancestors told! One of the brothers of my direct ancestor was Thomas MORRIS. He married at St Mary, Alderley in March 1861 to Ann MITCHELL - that is the name she used; she declared in the register that her father was Charles MITCHELL. That I accepted for some years.

In 1871 census, living with Thomas and Ann is "sister in law" Mary MITCHELL, so that seemed to confirm Ann's claims.... They are farmers at Clulow Cross.

In 1861, shortly after their marriage, Thomas is with his parents while Ann is with an Aunt and Uncle ROWSON farming at Clulow Cross; as is another "niece" Susannah MOTTERSHEAD. I had assumed the girls were cousins. Dangerous, isn't it, to make assumptions!!

In 1851, there is a household headed up by Charles MITCHELL, which includes Ann, Susannah (a distinct gap in ages before) Mary and Charles. All are shown as children of Charles, but he would have been rather young when Ann and Susannah were born!

But hold on a minute: in 1841 the household shows Charles and Susannah as MITCHELL, with younger persons Ann and Susannah listed as MOTTERSHEAD. Another search of the Cheshire BMDs and I noted that Charles MITCHELL had married Susannah MOTTERSHEAD in 1840 at St George, Sutton - well after the birth of the girls Ann and Susannah.

So Ann married as MITCHELL and gave Charles as her dad (instead of as her step-father) and her apparent full-sister Susannah married as MOTTERSHEAD (I have yet to find who Susannah claimed was her father!).

Oh what tangled webs they did weave!!

Should anyone know who was the true father of Ann and Susannah (apparently born Peover 1832-4), do *please* let me know!

Jacqui




This thread: