X00377 Richard Rothwell and the discover of Ellen Rothwell

I had posted previously about Richard Rothwell, born about 1855 and the challenge of finding out who his parents were (X00377). One of the noted next actions was to look for birth/baptism records for a Richard Rothwell, born about 1855 in Blackburn, Lancshire.

I could not find any Richard Rothwell baptisms in Blackburn in the years around 1855 and there are no Richard Rothwells in the GRO indexes registered in Blackburn from the years 1853 to 1857. There are some Richard Rothwells born in Haslingden in the time period, which could be possibilities, although none of them are born to a mother with a maiden name of Airey.

So, it would appear that either the name, birthdate and/or birth location are incorrect for Richard Rothwell, or the birth was not registered or not indexed properly. It also seems unlikely that Margaret Airey Rothwell was the mother, given that the date is likely before her marriage with James Rothwell; perhaps Richard was the son of James H.R. Rothwell with another woman (his marriage certificate liss his as a bachelor, so no indication of a previous marriage). Or perhaps the son of one of the other children of Henry and Alice Rothwell.

Current Possibilities:

• Richard Rothwell is the son of James H.R. Rothwell and a woman other than Margaret Airey
• Richard could be the child of an unmarried Rothwell daughter
• There could be an additional child of Henry and Alice Rothwell that I haven't yet discovered

Until I have more definite proof, I've marked Richard as unconnected in my tree until I have definite proof of who the parents might be.

Next steps:

• Continue to look for birth/baptism records for Richard Rothwell - Although there were no Blackburn birth records found, there were a few Richard Rothwells born in Haslingden
• Trace James H.R. Rothwell in later years (X00376)
• Look for Richard Rothwell in later census records, marriage or death records (note that he was alive in 1889)
• Trace other children of Henry and Alice Rothwell to see if that yields anything

On a side note, as I was trying to find a birth registration for Richard Rothwell, I did a search to find other births with the surname of Rothwell and a mother's maiden name of Airey. I did manage to find a birth registration for an Ellen Rothwell, daughter of James Rothwell and Margaret Airey, born 27 December 1857 in Blackburn.

Sadly, Ellen died six months later of congenital phthsis. This does, however give a little bit more information about James Rothwell and Margaret Airey (X00376).

On yet another side note, I did come across another birth record for a William Airey Rothwell, born 29 November 1856 in Haslingden, but the parents were John Rothwell and Elizabeth Airey. Not from the same family, but perhaps a distant connection.

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possibility * not registered * Not registered in blackburn * Indeexed incorrectly

Profile: Ellen Rothwell

Now that I have sorted out the information for Ellen Rothwell and have connected her to the family, I can write up a profile for her.

Ellen Rothwell was born on July 7, 1842, in the historic town of Blackburn, Lancashire, England. A child of Henry Rothwell and Alice Hacking, her brief life story reflects the poignant reality faced by many in the 19th century.

Birth and Baptism: Ellen entered the world on a summer's day in 1842. She was baptized on March 23, 1843, in her hometown of Blackburn. This ceremony, an important rite of passage, marked her initiation into the local church community.

Family Background: Ellen was the beloved daughter of Henry Rothwell (c. 1812-1875(?)) and Alice Hacking (c. 1807-1889(?)). Her father, Henry, lived to see the changing times of the late 19th century, while her mother, Alice, outlived him by more than a decade. Their lives were intertwined with the fabric of Blackburn’s industrial growth.

Tragic Early Death: Sadly, Ellen's life was cut short by consumption, a common term for tuberculosis. She passed away on May 31, 1844, just shy of her second birthday. This devastating illness took a heavy toll on many families during that period. She was laid to rest on June 2, 1844, in Blackburn.

Legacy: Though her time on this earth was brief, Ellen Rothwell's story is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring bonds of family. Her life, though short, remains a vital thread in the rich tapestry of the Rothwell family's history.

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Sources:
[D09228] (Blackburn, Lancashire, England), Lancashire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813-1911, "Baptism Record – Ellen Rothwell," PR 3037/1/18; digital images, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com

[D09229] England and Wales, birth certificate for Ellen Rothwell, born 7 July 1842; citing 21/10/228, 3 quarter 1842, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

[D09230] England and Wales, death certificate, died 31 May 1844; citing 21/19/218, 2 quarter 1844, Blackburn registration district, Blackburn sub-district; General Register Office, Southport.

[D09232] (Blackburn, Lancashire, England), Lancashire, England, Church of England Deaths and Burials, 1813-1986, "Burial Record - Ellen Rothwell," 534; digital images, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com

X00369: Investigating Ellen Rothwell - Solved!

A few weeks ago, I posted about Ellen Rothwell's birth and death. I have since received the birth and death information from the GRO.

Here's the birth record:

and here's the death record:

The birth record gives a maiden name for the mother of Hacking, so that matches. The death record mentions that she was a daughter of Henry Rothwell, and the informant is Alice Rothwell. Both have ties back to my Henry Rothwell and Alice Hacking. Based on when I'm seeing in these records, I'm convinced that these are the correct birth and death records for Ellen Rothwell and that she is died to my Rothwell family.

X00369: Investigating Ellen Rothwell

Last week, I mentioned ordering the potential birth and death records for Ellen Rothwell from the General Registry Office. When I had a look at the potential death registations, however, I found this for the 1851 record:

ROTHWELL, ELLEN
GRO Reference: 1851 M Quarter
BLACKBURN
Volume 21, Page 45
Age at Death: 85

With an age of death of 85, this can't be the Ellen Rothwell born in 1842. So I had a look at some other records that might fit and found two potential records:

ROTHWELL, ELLEN
GRO Reference: 1844 J Quarter
BLACKBURN
Volume 21, Page 19
Age at Death: 2

and

ROTHWELL, ELLEN
GRO Reference: 1846 D Quarter
BLACKBURN
Volume 21, Page 39
Age at Death: 5

The first one would suggest a birth year of 1842, which matches. The second one is close, with a birth year of 1841. I'm going to order the first certificate and see if it gives any clear indication that this is the correct person

X00369: Investigating the Rothwell Family: The Case of Ellen Rothwell

As I delve deeper into the history of the Rothwell family, my focus has recently shifted to their children. While exploring various family trees on Ancestry, I came across a child named Ellen Rothwell, who supposedly was born in 1842 and lived until 1851. Since she did not survive long enough to appear on any census records, confirming her connection to my Rothwell family has proven to be a challenging task.

In my quest for answers, I searched for a baptism record and discovered an Ellen Rothwell born on May 23, 1842, and baptized on July 2, 1842, in Blackburn, Lancashire. The parents listed on the record were Henry and Alice Rothwell, which seemed to be a good match. However, the father's profession was recorded as "labourer" rather than "carter," which he is usually listed as, leaving some room for doubt.

Undeterred, I turned to the General Register Office (GRO) indexes and found a birth record for an Ellen Rothwell that listed the mother's maiden name as "Hacking." This detail appeared promising and warranted further investigation. The next logical step was to order the birth certificate to verify the information and uncover any additional clues.

Similarly, I found a GRO index for a death record of an Ellen Rothwell in Blackburn in March 1851. This date aligns with the information I have, as it would have been before the census was taken. However, to confirm this, I will need to order the death certificate as well.

As I continue to piece together the story of the Rothwell family, each discovery brings me closer to unraveling the mysteries of my ancestors. Stay tuned for more updates and revelations in future blog posts.