We conclude our research in the Census returns for Arthur Askey’s ancestry by looking at the comedian’s maternal descent . . .
We have discovered that Arthur’s mum, Betsy Bowden, had been born in Budworth, Northwich, Cheshire, in around 1877 and that she was living in Toxteth Park in 1891.
She was living with her parents William and Martha and siblings Edward and James. Dad William was working as a shipwright and had been born in Davenham, near Northwich, Cheshire, while mum Martha had been born in Widnes.
The 1881 return lists Betsy as already in Toxteth Park with her parents and siblings.
From the three census returns we have looked at we find that Betsy had been born variously at Northwich, Budworth and Hartford! But such inconsistencies are normal when looking at the Census returns - a person may not have known the detail of their actual place of birth or incorrect information could have been given to the Census enumerator.
Betsy’s parents, William and Martha, appear to have moved to Liverpool from Hartford where in 1871 they were in lodgings and William was working as a ship’s carpenter.
But earlier, in the 1861 Census, we discover William living with his parents, William and Catherine, in Shurlach, Davenham, Cheshire.
William (snr) a boat builder by trade, was born about 1805 in Lower Peover, while his wife Catherine had been born in Witton around the same date.
We can now complete Arthur Askey’s maternal descent and combine it with all the information we have found in the other Census returns to make a family tree stretching back to Arthur Askey's great grandparents:
So with just a few hours research sitting at the computer we have been able to trace Arthur Askey’s ancestors back 200 years. And it is possible to do this with most families, so good hunting!
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