Genealogy Forum UK

Hi,

I'm very confused regarding some information I've found on my x3 Great Grandfathers militia service records (1876)Henry Kendall born 1854 Wednesbury, Staffordshire and he states his profession mill worker (iron). The interesting part is that he states he resides with Thomas Kendall at 23 Dudley St and that Thomas is also his employer and a Mill owner. Henry's father was Thomas and on the 1871 census he is still living at home Western St, Wednesbury next to Dudley St.

The problem is I can't find any mention of Thomas owning an Iron mill on the internet or any trade directories which is really confusing.

Any ideas on where to search or is it possible Henry just gave incorrect information. This family is very confusing anyway because Thomas's family surname was actually Worrallo (Walsall) but from 1861 he changed his surname to Kendall for some reason and his children also changed between the two surnames.

Regards
Adrian

Try the 1861 census:

Piece: 2032; Folio: 106; Page: 40;

Where:

Park Street
Thomas Worrall Merchant, Iron Roller b Walsall
Son Henry abt 1854


Enjoy

Paul

I think this is the one isn't it...

1861: Park Street, Wednesbury, Staffs
Thena (Thomas on image) Worrall 37 Merchant Iron Roller Walsall, Staffs
Jelena (Selena on image) Worrall 29 Tipton
William Worrall 14 Son Furnace Boy Tipton
Thomas Worrall 10 Son Tipton
Mary Worrall 9 Dau Tipton
Henry Worrall 7 Son
Alfred Worrall 5 Son
John Worrall 3 Son
Samuel Worrall 1 Son
Agnes Steven 14 Nurse Maid
(others born Wednesbury, Staffs)

Hi everyone

Yep that's the family but boy oh boy are they a nightmare to trace because they kept switching between the surnames of Warrollo (spelt many ways) and Kendall.
I think the Kendall connection could be that Thomas's mother Eliza re-married Joseph Kendall at Wolverhampton (need to confirm if she was a widow etc) while Thomas was very young so maybe he used both surnames. Why they decided to start using the Kendall surname from the 1871 census baffles me and also why some of his children also swopped and changed makes no sense.

This family is very interesting but a real mystery.

Any idea what a Merchant Iron roller was ? Is it just a fancy name for an iron worker because it's only listed on the 1861 census return.

Regards
Adrian

http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... =947020326

here is the marriage adrian

27 Dec 1829 St Peters Wolverhampton
Joseph Kendall b x
Eliza Warrallow s x
B
George Brawn/John Biddulph

she is down as a spinster on transcripts

Hi Northern lass,

Many thanks for you help and the spinster issue raises concerns about if this Eliza is my ancestor.

What I will do is order a birth certificate for one of the two children born after 1837 to check what was Eliza's maiden name.

Fingers crossed but with this family

Many thanks
Adrian