Profile: Charles Taylor (1856-1939)

🧭 Ancestor Profile: Charles Taylor (1856–1939)

Born in the heart of industrial Lancashire, Charles Taylor’s life journey spanned the Victorian era, two world wars, and the evolution of Britain’s maritime strength. His story is one of service, movement, and resilience—woven through census records, certificates, and naval assignments.

🧒 Early Life in Blackburn

Charles Taylor was born on 13 August 1856 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England^[1]. He was baptized just two weeks later on 27 August at the local Church of England parish^[2]. His parents, John Taylor (circa 1820–1861)^{[14][15][16][17]} and Jane Whittle (1823–1861)^{[3][18][19][20]}, both passed away when Charles was still a child, leaving him to navigate early life in a rapidly changing industrial town.

By 1861, Charles was living at 49 Forrest Street in Blackburn and attending school^[3]. A decade later, he had moved to Accrington, still a scholar, residing at 29 Canary Street^[4].

⚓ A Life at Sea

Charles’s maritime career began in earnest with his marriage to Eliza Aylward on 28 August 1877 in Portsea, Hampshire^[5]—a naval hub that likely influenced his path. In his marriage record he was recorded aboard H.M.S. Excellent, working as a seaman^[5].

Over the next decades, Charles rose through the ranks:

• 1881: Leading Seaman aboard H.M.S. Boadicea^[6]
• 1891: Seaman and Coast Guard in Tynemouth, Northumberland^[7]
• 1901: Chief Boatman, Coast Guard in Cromer, Norfolk^[8]
• 1911: Chief Officer, Coast Guard in Barton Under Humber, Lincolnshire^[9]
• 1921: Retired Coast Guard Officer in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire^[10]

His postings reflect the strategic coastal locations vital to Britain’s naval defense, and his steady advancement suggests a respected career.

🏡 Family and Residences

Charles and Eliza had at least two children:

• Elizabeth J. Taylor (born circa 1879)^[7][24]
• Frederick Charles Taylor (born circa 1886)^[9]

The family moved frequently, following Charles’s assignments:

• Tynemouth (1891)^[7]
• Cromer (1901)^[8]
• North Somercotes (1907)^[12]
• Barton Under Humber (1911)^[9]
• Cleethorpes (1921–1939)^[10][11]

Eliza passed away on 3 August 1907 in Louth, Lincolnshire and was buried in North Somercotes Cemetery^[12][13].

🕊 Final Years

Charles spent his final years in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, residing at Twining Place. He died on 3 January 1939 of bronchio pneumonia^[11], closing a chapter that had begun in the smoky mills of Blackburn and ended on the quiet coast of Lincolnshire.

📚 Source Citations

1. Birth certificate, 13 Aug 1856 – GRO, Blackburn
2. Baptism record – Blackburn Church of England
3. 1861 England census – Blackburn
4. 1871 England census – Accrington
5. Marriage certificate – Portsea, Hampshire
6. 1881 England census – Royal Navy
7. 1891 England census – Tynemouth
8. 1901 England census – Cromer
9. 1911 England census – Barton Under Humber
10. 1921 England census – Cleethorpes
11. Death certificate – 3 Jan 1939, Cleethorpes
12. Death certificate – Eliza Taylor, 3 Aug 1907
13. North Somercotes Cemetery record
14. Baptism record – John Taylor
15. 1851 England census – Blackburn
16. Death certificate – John Taylor, 1861
17. Deceased Online – John Taylor
18. Baptism record – Jane Whittle
19. Birth certificate – Jane Whittle
20. 1841 England census – Blackburn
21. Birth certificate – Eliza Aylward
22. 1861 England census – Portsea Island
23. 1871 England census – Portsea Island
24. 1881 England census – Portsea Island

X00390 Charles Taylor after 1861 - Solved!

Continuing my search for Charles Taylor and his death information (X00390), I was hoping that I would encounter the same luck that I had in tracking down his wife, Eliza Aylward.

First, I did manage to find Charles Taylor in the 1921 census

It's definitely the right one, because the birth information and location (Blackburn) matches, plus his profession is listed as a retired Coast Guard officer. At the time of the 1921 census, he's living in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England.

The only other census-like record for England after 1921 is the 1939 register, so I had a look for him there. I was not able to find a Charles Taylor that matched, suggesting that he probably died before 1939

So, it would seem that he likely died somewhere between 1921 and 1939, which is a pretty wide range; his name is fairly common and he moved around a lot, so this seemed like an impossible task.

But then I thought, if he was retired in 1921, perhaps he stopped moving around and settled in Cleethorpes. So I looked for death records for a Charles Taylor between 1921 and 1939 in Cleethorpes. And sure enough I was able to find a record for a death in 1939:

Not only does the name and age match, but the profession listed is retired Chief Officer, Coast Guard. As well, the informant is F.C. Taylor, a name that matches one of his known sons.

So, I am happy to conclude that I have found the correct death record and death information for Charles Taylor.

The Taylor-Rothwell Family of Blackburn, Lancashire

The Taylor-Rothwell Family of Blackburn, Lancashire

The story of James Taylor and Alice Ann Rothwell is one of industrious lives, early love, and enduring legacy in the heart of Blackburn, Lancashire. Their journey, though marked by hardship, laid the foundation for generations to come.

James Taylor & Alice Ann Rothwell
James Taylor was born on 30 September 1845 in Blackburn, Lancashire, to John Taylor and Jane Whittle【James Taylor: 1,7】. Baptized at St. Mary the Virgin Church on 23 November 1845【James Taylor: 1】, James grew up in a working-class household and began his career as a cotton weaver before becoming a blacksmith’s striker and eventually a cabinet maker【James Taylor: 3,5,27】.

Alice Ann Rothwell was born on 11 November 1844 in Blackburn to Henry Rothwell and Alice Hacking【Alice Ann Rothwell: 1,4】. Baptized at Saint Mary’s Church on 23 February 1845【Alice Ann Rothwell: 3】, she worked as a throstle spinner and later as a cotton weaver’s wife【Alice Ann Rothwell: 5,10】.

The couple married on 28 June 1864 at Blackburn【Alice Ann Rothwell: 7】【James Taylor: 8】. Their union, though brief due to Alice’s untimely death at age 27 from uterine hemorrhage【Alice Ann Rothwell: 9】, produced three children who carried forward their legacy.

Children of James and Alice
1. Jane Taylor (1864–1941)
Born on 12 October 1864 in Blackburn【Alice Ann Rothwell: 10】【James Taylor: 12】, Jane was just seven when her mother passed away. She later married Christopher Place on 6 May 1883【James Taylor: 33】. Jane lived through the industrial boom of Blackburn and raised her own family amidst the changing tides of Victorian England.

2. Mary Alice Taylor (1867–1938)
Mary Alice was born on 7 January 1867【Alice Ann Rothwell: 11】【James Taylor: 13】. Baptized in Blackburn【James Taylor: 14】, she married Thomas Lee on 8 August 1891 at St. Michael and All Angels Church【Alice Ann Rothwell: 15】【James Taylor: 16】. Her life spanned the transition from Victorian to modern Britain, and she remained in Blackburn until her death in 1938【James Taylor: 20】.

3. William Charles Taylor (1870–1946)
The youngest, William Charles, was born on 15 September 1870【Alice Ann Rothwell: 21】【James Taylor: 22】. Baptized at St. Mary the Virgin Church【James Taylor: 23】, he lived a long and varied life. From working as a cotton spinner and coal miner to becoming a chip fryer and timber yard laborer, William embodied the resilience of the working class. He married Elizabeth Ann Briggs on 24 December 1898【James Taylor: 25】 and died in Blackburn in 1946【James Taylor: 30】.

Legacy and Later Years
Alice Ann Rothwell passed away on 8 March 1872【Alice Ann Rothwell: 9】【James Taylor: 32】. James remarried Hannah Holden in 1876【James Taylor: 9】 and continued working until his death from heart disease on 17 April 1893【James Taylor: 10】.

Their children remained rooted in Blackburn, contributing to its industrial and social fabric. The Taylor-Rothwell lineage is a testament to perseverance, family bonds, and the enduring spirit of Lancashire’s working class.

Source Citations

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates from the General Register Office, Southport【Alice Ann Rothwell: 1,7,9,10,11,21】【James Taylor: 1,7,8,9,10,12,13,22,25,30】
• Census records from 1851 to 1921【Alice Ann Rothwell: 4,5,6】【James Taylor: 2,3,4,5,11】【William Charles Taylor: 3,4,7,8,9,10】
• Baptism records from St. Mary the Virgin and other Blackburn churches【Alice Ann Rothwell: 3】【James Taylor: 1,23】【William Charles Taylor: 6】
• Marriage records from Church of England parishes【Alice Ann Rothwell: 15】【James Taylor: 16,33】【William Charles Taylor: 2】

X00390 Charles Taylor after 1861 - Part 2

As I continue to try to find out more about Charles Taylor after 1861, I have been checking the hints on Ancestry and there is one death record for a Charles Taylor in 1934 that shows up. A number of other researchers have put his year of death as 1934, likely because of this record. So I decided to go and get it.

The name and age match, but that's about it. The profession is different from any other profession that I've seen in other records and the name of the informant as his son doesn't match any of his sons in other records. The location of the death is Blackburn, but Charles doesn't seem to have much of a connection to Blackburn other than having spent his younger years living there. So, this does not appear to be the right death record.

Unfortunately finding a death record is going to be a challenge. Charles Taylor is a commmon name, and he moved around a lot, so there's not much to go on there. I don't have a year of death either, other than that he appears in the 1911 census, so the death would have been after 1911. The only hope is that a death record would have some clear identifying information on it, such as a profession or an informant name. In this case, however, this would mean buying a large number of death certificates in the hopes of finding a key identifying piece of information in one of them.

Instead, I turned my attention to his wife, Eliza Aylward Taylor. She appears in the 1901 census, but Charles is listed as a widower in the 1911 census, so she must have died between 1901 and 1911. And like Charles Taylor, finding any definite death information for someone with a common name like Eliza Taylor, who moved around a lot with no definite death year is a challenge. But I managed to get lucky.

Find a Grave has a memorial for an Eliza Taylor who died on 3 August 1907 and is buried in Lincolnshire, England. The year of birth is 1859, which matches. But the gravestone says on it "Eliza, the beloved wife of Charles Taylor, R.N. Chief Officer, Royal Coast Guard". So I have at least managed to find her death information.

X00390 Charles Taylor after 1861 - Part 1

I'm trying to sort out the children of John Taylor and Jane Whittle and what happened to the family after 1861 when both John and Jane died. I have been able to piece together most of the family, except for a couple of them: John Taylor (to be discussed later) and Chalres Taylor (X00390)

Charles Taylor was born 13 August 1856 in Blackburn, Lancashire. I have found him in the 1861 census living with the rest of the family and attending school. But beyond that it gets a little sketchy. Both of his parents died in 1861 when he was five years old. As well, Charles Taylor is a very common name, particularly in Blackburn.

I checkd on Ancestry for suggestions. An 1871 census record for Accrington, Lancashire has a Charles Taylor of the right age listed as an orphan, which does fit:

A number of other later census records mention a member of the Navy living in various different locations, but the name, year and location of birth all match. Could it be that Charles Taylor was orphaned at age five and ended up joining the Navy at a young age? It certainly would fit and would explain why he moved around from place to place.

The key clue that I found was in a marriage record between a Charles Taylor and an Eliza Aylward in Portsea, Hampshire in 1877. At first, Portsea did seem out of place, but it does make sense if he was in the Navy and moved around a lot. So, I ordered a copy of it:

The name and age match, and the profession is listed as a seaman, which would coincide with the later records of a Charles Taylor in the Navy born in Blackburn. And, his father is listed as a John Taylor an iron foundry worker, which also matches.

And so, it looks as if I have found the right Charles Taylor and with that I can continue to piece together his life after 1861.

X00384 William Charles Taylor after 1881 - Solved!

William Charles Taylor is my second great grand uncle and is the third child and first son of James Taylor and Alice Ann Rothwell. He was born 15 September 1870 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. I had found him in census records with the family up until the 1881 census, but then it was difficult to find him in records after that.

Ancestry had some in some census records with a wife named Eliza, but there were a number of marriages between a William Taylor and an Elizabeth. I did take a chance and requested the Marriage record that seemed to be the most likely candidate:

The name and age matches with the William Charles Taylor in my tree, but the biggest confirmation was the fact that his father is named James Taylor and his profession was a blacksmith's striker, which completely matches, so this is definitely the right person. And with that I"m able to confirm a whole lot of other records and put together the details for William Charles Taylor

There is, however another interesting mystery. I found William Charles Taylor in the 1891 census living with a William and Elizabeth Brown:

The relationship with the head of the household is nephew, so it would seem that either William Brown or his wife Elizabeth are relatives. I have not yet been able to figure out the connection.

Profile: Alice Hacking (ca 1807-1889)

Alice Hacking (circa 1807–1889)
Name: Alice Hacking
Gender: Female
Birth: Circa 1807, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England
Death: 4 November 1889, Blackburn, Lancashire, England
Burial: 7 November 1889, Blackburn Cemetery, Lancashire

Life and Residences
Alice Hacking lived a full life across various addresses in Blackburn, Lancashire. Her movements reflect the changing landscape of industrial England and the realities of working-class life in the 19th century:

• 1841: High Street, Blackburn
• 1844: Back Lane, Blackburn
• 1846: 38 Salford, Blackburn
• 1851: Ewood Bridge, Blackburn
• 1861: 6 Swarbrick Street, Blackburn
• 1871: 33 Peter Street, Blackburn
• 1881: 146 Cleaver Street, Blackburn
• 1889: 69 Alker Street, Blackburn (final residence)

Marriage and Family
Alice married Henry Rothwell on 22 July 1833 in Blackburn. Together, they had nine children:

• Nancy Rothwell (b. 1828)
• Richard Rothwell (c. 1834–1844)
• James Hacking Ratcliffe Rothwell (b. 1835)
• Mary Rothwell (c. 1836–1903)
• Henry Rothwell (c. 1838–1840)
• Martha Alice Rothwell (1840–1899)
• Ellen Rothwell (1842–1844)
• Alice Ann Rothwell (1844–1872)
• Elizabeth Rothwell (b. 1846)

Her children’s lives spanned various paths, with some marrying and others passing away young—a poignant reminder of the era’s harsh realities.

Conflicting Birth Records
There are conflicting records regarding Alice’s birth year. While most sources suggest circa 1807, one record indicates circa 1810. This discrepancy is common in early 19th-century documentation and adds complexity to genealogical research.

Final Days
Alice passed away on 4 November 1889 in Blackburn. Her death certificate cites a strangulated hernia and exhaustion after a 12-day illness. She was laid to rest three days later in Blackburn Cemetery.

---

Sources

• Census: Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 4, page 1 [D01529]
• 1851 Census: Haslingden, Lancashire, folio 244, page 14 [D01628]
• 1861 Census: Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 100, page 27 [D01602]
• 1871 Census: Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 75, page 25 [D02674]
• 1881 Census: Blackburn, Lancashire, folio 24, page 41 [D01347]
• Death Certificate: England and Wales, 4 Nov 1889, Blackburn [D02683]
• Burial Record: Blackburn Cemetery, 7 Nov 1889 [D02680]