Redshaw, Smith, Smith Redshaw – cracked?

I hate to say “I told you so” but I do believe I have cracked the Smith-Redshaw connection.

I am having an ongoing discussion with S.B. about the Redshaw connection to our family and hers and we have some differences of opinion. I now believe I have a solution and welcome any comments you might have. I also believe the 1881 Census contains vital information that neither of us have found yet.

In my last email to S.B. I stated I am still not convinced that your William H S Redshaw born circa 1850-1855 is the same as my William Redshaw born October 1850. This is the chap we need to concentrate on as this is your only connection to William Redshaw b 1826 and Hannah Hutchinson b 1824 and without this link we can’t prove the connection to John Redshaw b 1796 and Hannah Dunwell b 1796.

I went on to say
… somewhere in the 1861/1871/1881 Census Returns is the answer and we will eventually prove there were (at least) THREE William Redshaws born about the same time.

1. William Redshaw b 1851 son of James Redshaw and Ann McDougall (married Matilda Mann)
2. William Redshaw b 1850 son of William Redshaw and Hannah Hutchinson
3. William H S Redshaw b 1854 of which the S more than likely stands for Smith and who you know all about. He married Francis E Harwood.

Number 1 is NOT related to numbers 2 and 3
Number 2 is the ONLY one connected to the ‘common’ Redshaw line of John Redshaw and Hannah Davison
Number 3 is NOT the same person as number 2 and his parentage remains a mystery. Find this guy and everything will fall into place!

The proof?

We know that James Smith Redshaw (b 1829) married Ann Gosling (b. 1830) in 1849. We also know from the 1881 and 1891 Census returns about the children they had. Key names here are Mercy and Selina. In 1901 Selina was with her mother who had lost both her husband and the Redshaw surname. It was thought that Mercy was actually Mary but very careful tracing proved it was, in fact Mercy.

Mercy me if I didn’t find her in the 1871 Census with her sister Helena – which I think is a mis-spelling of Selina! They are with their parents James (b 1828) and Hannah (b 1829) a corruption of Ann? James was a Boot Maker from Wortley and his wife was from Hunslet. So, everything fits … except the surname is Smith.

From the 1871 Census (RG10 Piece 4530 Folio 17 Page 28) James, 43, Boot Maker from Wortley, Yorkshire, was with his wife Hannah, 42, from Hunslet, Yorkshire, at Moor Side, Wortley, Yorkshire, England. With them were their children Ben, 21, Coal Miner, John, 19, Shoe Maker’s Apprentice, Henry, 16, Works in Coal Pit, Mercy, 13, Bertha, 11, Scholar half term, Helena (Selina), 8, Scholar half term, Arthur, 6, Scholar half term and Albert, 1.

I am convinced this family to be that of James Smith Redshaw – note the Henry born about 1855.

I found the family in the 1861 Census, again without the surname Redshaw: From the 1861 Census (RG9 Piece 3349 Folio 16 Page 25) James, 32, Cordwainer, was with his wife Ann, 31, at Wortley Moor, Wortley, Yorkshire, England. With them were their children Ben, 11, John, 9, William, 7, Mercy, 4, and Bethera (Bertha), 1.

This time note the William (b 1854). I am convinced that this William is the Henry from the 1871 Census.

This, of course, makes his full name to be William Henry Smith Redshaw.
QED

I invite you to examine the data on the web site and make your comments here before I merge these individuals.