Stuck - Mary Ann Hartley/Midgley at Rochdale

[kw101]

My ancestor Jesse Denton married Mary Ann Hartley in 1892 according to www.lan-opc.org.uk, both widowed, bride's father was William Midgley. Bride's abode Back Drake St, Rochdale.

I'm stuck finding an origin for Mary Ann. There seem to be no convincing census records of a Hartley or Midgley around Rochdale and I cannot find a definite marriage record between her and Mr Hartley (there were a number of marriages of a Mary Midgley in Rochdale between 1864 and 1870 but no spouse name given).

Jesse died in 1900 so Mary Ann if alive would probably still be in Rochdale for the 1901 census. The only likely candidate seems to be a Mary A Denton at 80 Royde St (herself & 2 boarders). She's listed as born in Heptonstall.

I've traced a Midgley family with the father named William through the 1841census (in Heptonstall at this time), 1851 census (when they moved to Todmorden) and 1861 census (still in Todmorden). In 1871 there's a Mary A Kershaw listed in the family as daughter and an Arthur Kershaw (age 2) as nephew. But both their birthplaces are given as Leeds and an 1863 marriage record suggests it was the son Thomas who married Mary Ann Kershaw. Thomas is not listed in the 1871 household so maybe he'd died and Mary Ann had reverted to her maiden name. Arthur may have been her nephew or a brother.

If it was Mary Ann Midgley that married a Kershaw between 1861 and 1871 I cannot find any marriage record.

There is a burial record for a Mary Ann Midgley in 1865 with the abode listed as Hanging Ditch - which was where the Midgley family were at this time. If this is so then she isn't the Mary Ann I'm looking for. The 1891 and 1901 census shows what's left of the family at Longfield Rd, Todmorden - Ben has married and his sister Hannah is still living with them. There's no Mary Ann at this time.

There are a number of Mary Hartleys listed in the Rochdale area in the 1881 and 1891 censuses but none are living in Back Drake St. Similarly there are a number of Mary Midgleys in the area but I haven't found anything I can pin down for definite.

Any suggestions for tracing Mary Ann would be much appreciated!

[MarkCDodd]

Civil Registration event: Marriage

Name: HARTLEY, Wilson
Registration district: Halifax
County: Yorkshire
Year of registration: 1882
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
Spouse's last name: Not available before 1912
Volume no: 9A
Page no: 604

MarriageFinder: Wilson Hartley married one of the following people:

HARRISON, Emma

MIDGLEY, Mary Ann

SMITH, Isaac

[MarkCDodd]

Looking at the parish register...

That marriage took place on the 9th May 1882 st St. John the Baptist in Halifax.

Wilson was 19 and a bachelor.

Mary Ann was 18 and a spinster.

Wilson was a butcher and his father Richard was also a butcher.

This is where is differs...

Mary Ann's father was John Midgley and he was a Game Keeper.

Looks like her address at the time of the marriage was Ridge Wadownth (?).

Both signed the register.

Witnesses were Joseph B Taylor and William ??????

[MarkCDodd]

Possible death for Wilson but the age differs slightly from the marriage record.

Civil Registration event: Death

Name: HARTLEY, Wilson
Registration district: Pontefract
County: Yorkshire
Year of registration: 1885
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Age at death: 25
Volume no: 9C
Page no: 64

[gardener]

Is there a connection here?

Mary Ann Denton (same one you had in 1901, born Heptonstall) is living in 1911 with Eliza Ann Brooks who was living on Bk Drake Street in 1891. I don't get any family connection though...

Deaths Dec 1916
Denton Mary A 78 Rochdale 8e 11

Could be this one
1911 census
W Brooks 34 Rochdale
Eliza Ann Brooks 33 Rochdale m 8 years
Nellie Brooks 18/12 Rochdale
Mary Ann Denton 73 Heptonstall, Yorks

Marriages Dec 1902
Brooks William Rochdale 8e 132
LEARY Eliza Ann Rochdale 8e 132
Phylon Mary Rochdale 8e 132
Stridgen James Rochdale 8e 132

1891 census
39 Bk Drake Street Same address as Mary Ann's marriage?
William Leary 43
Sarah A Leary 38
Isabella Leary 15
Eliza A Leary 13
John Robert ditto 11
Elizabeth E ditto 4

1881 census
William Leary 34
Sarah A. Leary 26
Isabella Leary 5
Eliza A. Leary 3
John R. Leary 7m

1871 census
John Wilson 29
Mary Ann Wilson 26
Elizabeth H Wilson 5
James Wilson 3
Mary Ann Wilson 1
William Leary 24
Alice Leary 22
William Leary 6 Months

not sure about that last lot...

[kw101]

Looking at the parish register...

That marriage took place on the 9th May 1882 st St. John the Baptist in Halifax.

Wilson was 19 and a bachelor.

Mary Ann was 18 and a spinster.

Wilson was a butcher and his father Richard was also a butcher.

This is where is differs...

Mary Ann's father was John Midgley and he was a Game Keeper.

Looks like her address at the time of the marriage was Ridge Wadownth (?).

Both signed the register.

Witnesses were Joseph B Taylor and William ??????

This Mary Ann would only be 28 in 1892 whereas Jesse Denton was 55 - not an unknown difference but I'd prefer a candidate with a similar age. Also though Halifax is not an impossible distance from Rochdale there would be plenty of jobs in Halifax so why move?
However this doesn't mean I'm discounting this Mary Ann, I will certainly see what else I can find out about her. Thanks!