Well, I have been considering how to begin with this family tree and I think that the best name to start of with is Morris. The earliest Morris I have found is Thomas who was born around 1787. At present I have two alternatives for his father, one is Patrick which I have second hand from a contact on the internet, and the other is William. I need to do more research on them both.
Thomas Morris (born c1787 and died 1859) married Mary Crank (can’t find anything about her at present except that she died & was buried on 27 May 1828) on 2 May 1814. They had:
Ann bapt 25 Dec 1814
Thomas bapt 6 Oct 1816
Mary bapt 20 Dec 1818
William bapt 9 Dec 1820
Richard bapt 14 Jan 1823
Peter born and bapt 19 Oct 1824
John bapt 23 May 1828
Thomas married again to Alice Barnes, a widow, on 17 Dec 1837.
All the above from Lowe House (St Mary’s Catholic Church) register.
He may have had another marriage, to Elizabeth Johnson on 12 Feb 1832, but I haven’t got this confirmed.
Peter Morris married Ellen Ditchfield on 24 May 1846 at Runcorn Parish Church. Why at Runcorn I don’t know, it could be that her parents disapproved of the marriage. Her father was a farmer and Peter started off as a glass labourer. He became a plate glass smoother and then a foreman at the glassworks (Ravenhead I think) as well as taking over the Swan Hotel in Corporation Street, St Helens. He ran it jointly with his son-in-law.
Peter and Ellen had:
William born 17 Aug 1846
Thomas born 29 July 1848 and died 21 March 1850
Peter born 3 Nov 1850 and died 20 March 1851
Mary Ellen born 1July 1852 and died 14 June 1853
Mary born 5 Aug 1854 –
Ursula Ellen born 20 Oct 1856
John Peter born 24 June 1861
Peter Barnabas born 11 June 1864 and died 1892 age 27 unmarried (described on his death certificate as a Medical Assistant)
William married Elizabeth (Cissie) Jordan in 189? They had Mary (known as cousin Mary from London) born 1895 and Francis Leo born 1899 and died 6 Feb 1935
Mary married Henry (known as Harry) Ashton who ran the Swan Hotel for his father in law and lived next door. Mary had William (born 1879) and Henry (Harry) plus several children who died in infancy. William died young and Harry had one daughter Doris who married ? McNelly (not sure of spelling and don’t know first name). Doris had two daughters Ursula and Jean. Jean was a teacher and then photographer who took photos of some family weddings. My mother and Doris were good friends. Ursula married a Critchley and they emigrated to Australia. She had 4 or 5 children. I was in touch over family history but I think Ursula must have died as I have heard nothing from her for a couple of years.
Ursula born 20 Oct 1856 married John Patrick Mearns, a solicitor, in 1887. There were no children. He died in 1897 aged 43 and Ursula died on 26 March 1928 age 71. She was very musical.
John Peter my grandfather and your great grandfather born 24 June 1861 and died 29 Sept 1933. Married Margaret Chisnall, born 10 Nov 1865 and died 10 March 1923.
Their children:
Helen Margaret (known as Nellie) born 2 Sept 1891. Married John Pennington and had a son John Richard Pennington born 1919 and died Jan 2008, priest.
Margaret Mary (known as Madge) born 17 July 1893 died around 1976/1977. Became a Carmelite nun at Eccleston, St Helens, after the death of her father.
Mary born 4 Feb 1895 died (in the 1960s I think – no-one can remember) became a Carmelite nun on her 21st birthday. There was strong opposition to this from her father who refused to visit her in the convent.
John Peter born 15 Nov 1896 known as Jack. Married Nellie. I need to get details of dates of birth, marriage and death from a cousin. They had 4 children: Peter born 6 December 1924, priest; John Dunstan born 18 May 1926 and died ? married Stella and they had David John and Gillian Susan; Margaret Elizabeth born 27 April 1928 married Harry Wilson – 4 daughters; (Helen) Jean born 25 April 1930 married Howard Neve – 2 children Paul and Helen.
Thomas Chisnall born 9 Dec 1891 died 1953 married Mary Berry – 3 children, Valerie born 1934 married John Tucker – 4 children Simon & Ben (twins), Gabrielle and Chris; Geoffrey born 1936 married Janet – 4 children, Hannah, Daniel and Laura and Tom (twins); and Jennifer born 1941 married Tim Holmes – 2 children Lucy and Dominic.
Ursula born 12 July 1901 died May 1953 married (Charles) Eric Horne (1898 – 1942) in 1930 – 3 children David 1932 – 2005 married Joyce Sweet – 2 children Peter and Helen; Michael born 8 February 1934 married Margaret Allen – 3 children Colin and Martin (twins) and Philip; and me, Marianne born 1943.
William Ditchfield born 20 July 1903 died in a tragic car accident 9 Oct 1931 aged 28. He was unmarried and working in the family Ironmongers. The family never talked about him and I don’t know how much your mother would know about the accident. Some of my cousins have discovered that there were several rumours circulating about him.
Joseph Oswald born 28 Feb 1906 married Agnes Topping. I have no dates for him and would be grateful if you could let me have date of marriage, deaths, etc.
Anne Gertrude born 4 Jan 1909 died (early 1970s I think) married Ronald (Ron) Tunstall in 1941 – 1 child Helen. I need to check dates with Helen.
I will send you details of the families of Ellen Ditchfield and Margaret Chisnall at a later date, probably in the New Year. As I said I can find very little about Mary Crank, though a descendant of her brother was friendly with my mother and my Aunt Anne. This descendant knew a lot about the Cranks but sadly died long before I was interested in family history. I shall keep delving but I think that the Cranks were Catholics and it is very difficult to get hold of information from Catholic Registers, especially around 1800.