X00381 John Taylor End-of-Line - Solved!

John Taylor is my 4x Great Grandfather and I'm looking to find his birth information and get to the the generation before. But with a very common name like John Taylor it can be very difficult.

Through the various records I have found about him, he was born around 1821 in Heywood, Lancashire, England. He died in 1861, before the 1861 census, and I have not been able to find him in the 1841 census, so the only census record that I have found him in is the 1851 census. Here's what I have found:

• 1851 Census - Age 29, suggesting a birth year of about 1822. Birthplace: Heywood, Lancashire.
• Marriage Record (1842) - No age given, but father's name give as James Taylor, a brick setter.
• Death Record (1861) - Age 40, suggesting a birth year of about 1821. No location given.

So, the evidence suggests a birth year of about 1821 in Heywood, Lancashire, with a father of James Taylor, a brick setter.

But I did some more research and managed to find a burial record which gives both parent's names:

And so we now know that his parents are named James and Rachel. I next managed to find a baptism record of a John Taylor, son of a James and Rachel Taylor in Heywood, Lancashire dated 25 March 1820

So it looks like I have found his baptism record. It doesn't give a date of birth, but the year and location coincides with what I am looking for.

On to the next challenge - to find more out about James Taylor and Rachel (X00387)!

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Sources:
[D00866] England and Wales, marriage certificate for James Taylor and Alice Ann Rothwell, married jun 28 1864; citing 8e/452/216, J quarter 1864, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

[D01629] 1851 census of England, Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 93, page 28; digital images(accessed 21 Feb 2025); citing PRO HO 107/2259.

[D06569] Deceased Online, "Deceased Online," database, Deceased Online ( accessed 28 Aug 2025), 295.

[D06573] England and Wales, death certificate for John Taylor, died 20 March 1861; citing 08e/245/445, Q1 quarter 1861, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

X00385: John Whittle End-of-Line

Much like my analysis for Ellen Ainsworth, I had a further look at the birth information for John Whittle, my 5x great-grandfather and did an analysis of his birth and birth place, based on the records that I have:

Record	Description	Year	Age	Est. Birth Year	Place of Birth
D01531	1841 Census	1841	39	ca 1802	Lancashire
D01630	1851 Census	1851	50	ca 1801	Blackburn
D01609	1861 Census	1861	59	ca 1803	Blackburn
D01173	Marriage Record	1823	N/A	N/A	Blackburn
D09347	Death Record	1868	64	ca 1804	N/A
D09348	Burial Record	1868	64	ca 1804	N/A

Unfortunately, the marriage record gives no information about his age. The burial record, however, lists his father's name as James Whittle.

From the records that I have, however, it does seem clear that the birthplace is Blackburn, Lancashire and that the birth year is somewhere between 1801 and 1804. We also have a father's name to go on - James Whittle. Looking at the baptism records for Blackburn in those years, however, there does not appear to be any obvious candidates, so this will require some further investigation.

X00386 Ellen Ainsworth End-of-Line

I had previously found Ellen Ainsworth Whittle's death information, so, I had a look further for her birth information.

For the first step, I did an analysis on her year of birth and birth place, based on the records that I have:

Record	Description	Year	Age	Est. Birth Year	Place of Birth
D01531	1841 Census	1841	37	ca 1804	Lancashire
D01630	1851 Census	1851	48	ca 1803	Blackburn
D01609	1861 Census	1861	57	ca 1804	Blackburn
D09345	1871 Census	1871	66	ca 1805	Blackburn
D01173	Marriage Record	1823	N/A	N/A	Blackburn
D09346	Death Record	1874	71	ca 1805	N/A

Unfortunately, the marriage record gives no information about her age and none of the records whatsoever give any information about her parents.

From the records that I have, however, it does seem clear that the birthplace is Blackburn, Lancashire and that the birth year is somewhere between 1803-1805. Looking at the baptism records for Blackburn in those years, however, there appear to be a number of Ellen Ainsworths born around that time, so this will require some further investigation.

X00385 & X00386: John Whittle and Ellen Ainsworth Death information

Having done some research on the Taylor family and found more information about Jane Whittle, my 4x great-grandmother, I'm now looking into finding out more about her parents, John Whittle (X00385) and Ellen Ainsworth (X00386).

I had found the two of them in the 1841, 1851 and 1861 census records, but hadn't found anything beyond that. So I went back to the 1861 census records. Here is the family in the 1861 census, living at 49 Forrest Street, Blackburn, Lancashire [D01609].

So, next, I had a look to see if I could find the couple in the 1871 census. I did manage to find Ellen (Ainsworth) Whittle living with her son Thomas at 48 Ordnance Street, Blackburn [D09345].

In the 1871 census, Ellen Whittle is listed as being a widow, so John Whittle must have died between 1861 and 1871.

So, I had a look at the death records between 1861 and 1871 and found a death record for a John Whittle who died 1 July 1868 in Blackburn [D09347]

There are a number of clues that suggest this is the correct John Whittle. The age, location and profession all match. The informant name of Joseph Whittle is likely their son Joseph Whittle. But most importantly, the address of 49 Forrest Street matches the family's address in the 1861 census. So I'm confident that this is the correct death record for John Whittle.

I next looked into the information for Ellen Ainsworth Whittle. I first had a look for her in the 1881 census but could not find her either alone or living with any of the family members, so it is very likely that she died between 1871 and 1881. I managed to find this death record for an Ellen Whittle who died 3 November 1874 in Blackburn [D09346]:

Like the previous record, the age and location match, and she is listed as being the widow of a John Whittle. But the deciding piece of information is the informant, a Thomas Whittle who resided at 48 Ordnance Street in Blackburn, the same residence that the family was living at in the 1871 census. So, I'm confident that this is also the correct death record.

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Sources:
[D01609] 1861 census of England, Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 127, page 30; digital images(accessed 21 Feb 2025); citing PRO RG 9/3100.

[D09345] 1871 census of England, Blackburn, folio 79, page 32, 146; digital images, Ancestry.ca, Ancestry.ca (accessed 27 Aug 2025); citing PRO RG 10/4177.

[D09346] England and Wales, death certificate for Ellen Whittle, died 3 November 1874; citing 8e/263/532, Q4 quarter 1874, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

[D09347] England and Wales, death certificate for John Whittle, died 1 July 1868; citing 8e/212/173, Q3 quarter 1868, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

A Mysterious Cluster of Loss: Taylor Family Deaths in Blackburn, 1861

While researching the Taylor family of Blackburn, Lancashire, I stumbled upon a striking and somber detail: three members of the same household died within months of each other in 1861.

• John Taylor, my 4× great-grandfather, passed away on 20 March 1861
• Jane Whittle Taylor, his wife and my 4× great-grandmother, died on 25 June 1861
• Thomas Taylor, their child, died just days later on 1 July 1861

Whenever I encounter multiple deaths in a family within a short span, I can’t help but wonder - was there an underlying cause? An outbreak? A shared vulnerability? Something more than coincidence?

I obtained the death records for all three, and here’s what they revealed:

• John Taylor – Influenza
• Jane Whittle Taylor – Bronchial phthisis and pleuritis
• Thomas Taylor – Asthenia

At first glance, these appear to be unrelated conditions. Influenza is viral, while bronchial phthisis (often associated with tuberculosis) is bacterial. Asthenia, meanwhile, is a term for general physical weakness. But all three illnesses affect the respiratory system and can be interlinked in subtle ways. Prolonged influenza can weaken the lungs and immune system, potentially leading to bronchial phthisis. Asthenia may result from either condition—or make someone more susceptible to them.

Disease and Hardship in 1860s Lancashire
The 1860s were a turbulent time for public health in industrial England, especially in densely populated areas like Blackburn. The rapid growth of towns during the Industrial Revolution brought overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited access to medical care—perfect conditions for disease to spread.

Several illnesses were rampant during this period:

• Influenza outbreaks were common and often severe. Without vaccines or antiviral treatments, even seasonal flu could be deadly, especially for the elderly or those with underlying conditions.
• Tuberculosis (phthisis) was one of the leading causes of death. It spread easily in cramped living conditions and could linger for years, slowly weakening its victims.
• Typhus and typhoid fever also struck hard, particularly in 1862 when Preston—just a short distance from Blackburn—experienced a major typhus outbreak amid the Lancashire Cotton Famine.
• Asthenia, though a vague diagnosis by today’s standards, often reflected the debilitating effects of chronic illness, malnutrition, or systemic infection.

Medical understanding was still in its infancy. Germ theory hadn’t yet gained full acceptance, and treatments were rudimentary at best. Temporary fever hospitals were erected during outbreaks, but even medical staff were at high risk—one account from Preston describes a typhus outbreak where the medical officer and 16 nurses died from the disease.

In this context, the deaths of John, Jane, and Thomas Taylor in 1861 may well have been part of a broader wave of illness sweeping through Lancashire. Whether it was a household outbreak of influenza that triggered complications, or a convergence of separate but related conditions, the tragedy reflects the vulnerability of families during this era. We may never know for certain what happened. But moments like this remind me how fragile life was in the 19th century—and how much we can learn by looking beyond the names and dates to the stories hidden in the records.

X00382 James-Betty-Charlotte Taylor Connection - Solved!

James Taylor (1845-1893) is my third great grandfather. He died on 17 April 1893 in Blackburn, Lancashire England. A hint came up in Ancestry referring me to a burial record through deceased online.

In the record, there is a James Taylor buried in Blackburn Cemetery 20 April 1893, so that definitely fits the time period for a death of 17 April 1893.

But now we have an interesting research question - who are the other three people who are buried in the same location? There's a Charlotte Taylor who died 1904, a Betty Taylor who died 1901 and another James Taylor who died in 1899. None of these names or dates match the Taylors in my tree.

So, I decided to get the full burial records for each of them. The first thing that I found was that the James Taylor was not my thrid great grandfather:

This James Taylor was age one when he died and was the sone of James and Betty Taylor. James Taylor is certainly not an uncommon name, but it looks as if there were two James Taylors who died around the same time in Blackburn.

When I look at the burial records and ages for the individuals on this burial record, here is what we have:

• Charlotte Taylor - ca. 1881 - 1904, saughter of James and Betty Taylor
• Betty Taylor - ca. 1852 - 1901. rel. of James Taylor
• James Taylor - ca. 1855 - 1899, husband of Betty
• James Taylor - ca. 1892 - 1893, son of James and Betty Taylor

So, there we have the full details for the four of them. James and Betty are the parents and two of their children are Charlotte and James. None of these names or dates match with my tree. I did have a look to see if I could find more about this family. According to the marriage record, James Taylor's father is named John (same as my ancestor) but it looks like a different familyl completely. So at this point, I am concluding that there is no clear connection to my familiy and this one.

Profile: Mary Alice Taylor Lee

Ancestor Profile: Mary Alice Taylor Lee (1867–1938)
Born into the heart of industrial Lancashire, Mary Alice Taylor Lee lived a life woven into the fabric of Blackburn’s working-class history. Her story is one of resilience, family, and quiet strength—an enduring legacy that echoes through generations.

Early Life
Mary Alice Taylor was born on January 7, 1867, in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. She was baptized just weeks later on January 27 at a Church of England parish in Blackburn. Her parents were James Taylor (1845–1893) and Alice Ann Rothwell (1844–1872).

In the 1871 census, Mary is listed as a scholar living at 42 Milham Street. Her mother’s death in 1872 likely had a profound impact on her early life.

Working Years
Mary entered the workforce early, appearing in the 1881 census as a cotton weaver residing at 11 New Mill Street. She continued this occupation through the 1891 census, where she was listed as a lodger at 133 Cleaver Street, living with her sister and brother-in-law.

By 1901, she lived at 57 Moss Street, and in 1911, she was still working as a weaver. The 1921 census shows a shift—her occupation is listed as home duties, and she resided at 9 Progress Street.

Marriage & Family
Mary married Thomas Lee (circa 1866–circa 1946) on August 8, 1891, at St. Michael and All Angels Church in Blackburn. Together, they had four children:

• Eliza Alice Lee (b. circa 1893)
• James Lee (b. circa 1895)
• Clara Lee (b. circa 1902)
• Robert Lee (b. circa 1903)

Final Years & Legacy
Mary passed away on November 17, 1938, at 42 Derby Street, Blackburn. Her cause of death was listed as cerebral haemorrhage and bronchitis. She was buried on November 22 at Blackburn Cemetery.

Her life—documented through birth, marriage, death certificates, and census records—offers a vivid portrait of a woman who weathered the challenges of industrial England, raised a family, and contributed to the legacy of a town built on labor and love.

Source Citations

• Birth Certificate: England and Wales, GRO Southport
• Baptism Record: Church of England, Blackburn
• Marriage Record: St. Michael and All Angels, Blackburn
• Death Certificate: England and Wales, GRO Southport
• Burial Record: Deceased Online
• Census Records: 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921
• Father's Baptism & Census: 1851, 1861
• Mother's Birth Certificate: GRO Southport