Generation 3 Ancestor Family 4 Sibling Family A
1868 To 1909
Son Of Author’s 3 x Great Grandparents
Descendant Of Crankshaw Ancestor Family #1
Overview
Elizabeth Almond was born in 1837 in Standish the daughter of a Grocer. William Crankshaw was born in 1841 in Blackrod the son of a Calico Printer. Mary Almond (Elizabeth’s sister) was born in 1848 in Standish the daughter of a Grocer. William and Mary were married in 1868 in Standish and had 3 children before Mary died aged 24 in 1872. William and Elizabeth were married in 1873 in Standish and had 2 children. William was a Publican in Standish. Elizabeth died aged 65 in 1903 and William died aged 67 in 1909.
Family
Parents
William: James Crankshaw (1809-1873) and Alice Winward (1805-1850). Calico Printer from Blackrod. Ancestor Family
Mary: William Almond (1807-1863) and Mary Birkitt (1808-1876). Grocer from Standish. Inlaw Family
Elizabeth: William Almond (1807-1863) and Mary Birkitt (1808-1876). Grocer from Standish. Inlaw Family
Heads
William Crankshaw (1841-1909)
Mary Almond (1848-1872)
Elizabeth Almond (1837-1903)
Children
James Almond Crankshaw (1868-1915) married Jane Freeman (1870-1939). Labourer from South Elmsall Yorkshire. 2 children. Sibling Family
Thomas Crankshaw (1871-1926) married Sarah Taylor (1872-1952). Butcher from Leicester. 8 children. Sibling Family
William Almond Crankshaw (1872-1873). Died
Richard Crankshaw (1874-1958) married Elizabeth Pemberton (1881-1945). Engineer from Leyland. No children. Sibling Family
Mary Alice Crankshaw (1875-1883). Died
Timeline
21st May 1837 Elizabeth baptised at St Wilfrid Standish, parents are William and Mary Almond, William is a Grocer.
2nd November 1841 William born in Blackrod to James and Alice Crankshaw, James is a Calico Printer. The birth certificate cannot be found, the date of birth is from the baptism record.
9th March 1848 Mary born in Standish to William and Mary Almond, William is a Shop Keeper.
21st August 1850 William’s mother Alice dies of Child Birth Exhaustion aged 45 at Blackrod. William is aged 8, his sister Esther took over the housekeeping role.
1861 To 1868 William becomes a Clerk at a Paper Mill in Haigh.
10th June 1868 William and Mary married at St Wilfrid Standish. William is aged 26 a Clerk at a Paper Mill living in Haigh, Mary is aged 20 and lives in Standish the daughter of William Almond a Grocer. Mary is pregnant. Mary has a brother James Birkett Almond who founds a Brewery becoming wealthy and owning the house that became The Beeches at Standish. See Chorley Inns And Taverns for more information.
24th December 1868 Son James born at Standish. William is a Book Keeper.
31st January 1869 Son James baptised at St Wilfrid Standish.
1870 Mary’s brother James establishes Almonds Brewery.
20th January 1871 Son Thomas born at Standish. William is a Book Keeper.
26th March 1871 Son Thomas baptised at St Wilfrid Standish.
2nd April 1871 Census. Family living at 80 High Street Standish. William is aged 29 a Book Keeper, Mary is aged 23, son James is aged 2 and son Thomas is a week old.
13th June 1872 Son William born at High Street Standish. Father William is a Book Keeper.
21st June 1872 Mary dies aged 24 at Standish of Dropsy (abnormal build up of fluid in bodily cavities, now known as Edema). Death Certificate indication a duration of 3 years. Informant was Mary’s sister Elizabeth who was present at the death.
22nd June 1872 Mary buried at St Wilfrid Standish.
28th July 1872 Son William baptised at St Wilfrid Standish.
12th January 1873 Son William dies aged 6 months at Standish of Phthisis (Tuberculosis) of 3 Months duration. Father William is informant and was present at the death.
14th January 1873 Son William buried at St Wilfrid Standish.
1873 William moves to Edge Hill Ormskirk, still a Book Keeper. No information about whether his 2 children moved with him.
17th August 1873 William’s father James dies in Blackrod aged 63. William is informant and was present at the death.
13th October 1873 William and Elizabeth married at St Mary Edge Hill Ormskirk. William is aged 31 a Book Keeper living at 153 Wavertree Road Edge Hill Ormskirk and Elizabeth is aged 37 living at Standish. Elizabeth is possibly pregnant.
1873 To 1874 Family moves to Top Lock New Springs Wigan, William remains a Book Keeper.
18th June 1874 Son Richard born at Top Lock New Springs Wigan, William is a Book Keeper at a Colliery.
23rd June 1874 Son Richard baptised at St John The Baptist New Springs Wigan.
12th September 1875 Daughter Mary born at Top Lock New Springs Wigan, William is a Book Keeper.
24th October 1875 Daughter Mary baptised at St John The Baptist New Springs Wigan.
1st July 1877 William starts a lease in Withington Lane New Springs Wigan on three houses and a shop for a term of 21 years at a rental of £49 payable quarterly (according to report in Wigan Observer on 4th May 1878 when the land went up for sale). According to the Wigan Examiner of 29th October 1881 William is a Grocer and Provision Dealer in Aspull, presumably at this leased shop.
1875 To 1879 Family move back to Standish and William becomes a Publican at Black Horse Inn Standish (an Almonds Brewery pub at the time so presumably he got this through his brother in law James Birkett Almond).
15th February 1879 Wigan Observer reports a meeting of the Lancashire Association of Bell Ringers at “William Crankshaw’s Black Horse Inn Standish“. According to the report a Thomas Crankshaw of Halliwell (Bolton) was also present, this could be William’s brother Thomas or someone unrelated.
24th December 1879 The workmen in the employ of the Standish Local Board held their usual Xmas treat at the home of William Crankshaw, the Black Horse Inn, reported in the Wigan Observer on 27th December.
26th March 1881 The Wigan Observer reports that at a meeting of the Standish Ratepayers William Crankshaw was appointed to the office of Assessor and also chosen as a member of the Local Education Committee. Presumably this was our William Crankshaw.
3rd April 1881 Census. Family living at Black Horse Church Street Standish. William is aged 39 a Publican, Elizabeth is aged 43, son James is aged 12, son Thomas is aged 10, son Richard is aged 6 and daughter Mary is aged 5. They have a General Servant Emma Horson aged 21.
29th October 1881 The Wigan Examiner reports that a petition (of voluntary insolvency?) was filed on behalf of William Crankshaw licensed victualler of Standish and grocer and provision dealer New Springs Wigan, whose liabilities are estimated at £1124 10s 9d (£123,305 in today’s money).
11th November 1881 William is adjudged bankrupt, notice appears in the London Gazette on the 15th November.
18th November 1881 The Wigan Observer reports that a Barrister has applied for an order to anull and rescind the Bankuptcy on William. Another lawyer appeared for a creditor Mr. T. B. Almond (presumably one of the Almond brewer family related to William’s wife Elizabeth), leading to lots of legal wrangling.
30th November 1881 The Wigan Observer reports that Public Examination of William is to take place on 21st December.
16th December 1881 The Wigan Observer reports that Mr. J. B. Almond (Elizabeth’s brother) has also presented a “petition” (presumably as a creditor).
24th December 1881 The Wigan Examiner reports that William’s lawyer applied for a an adjournment of the Public Examination. The lawyer indicates that the trustees have not been able to get a judgement on William’s account since he did not keep a proper cash book. The application was granted and Public Examination rescheduled for 26th January 1882. It also states that William continued to carry on business as a Provision Dealer at New Springs Wigan and as an Inkeeper at Standish.
28th January 1882 The Wigan Examiner reports that William’s Public Examination has been held, and that William has provided the accounts requested, and a further Examination was now to be held before the Registrar.
17th February 1882 Wigan Observer reports that a petition to “disclaim” the lease of the New Springs Wigan properties which was agreed. It states that William had left the properties in 1881 and that they were now unoccupied. It also states that William is “deceased”. No record of William’s death at this time can be found, and he appears (or is referenced) in subsequent documentation so this is probably a mistake by the reporter. The report was repeat in the Wigan Examiner the following day without the word “deceased”.
1881 To 1882 William leaves the Black Horse Inn Standish having been the landlord for 3 years at the most. The family moves to 15 Clayton Street Wallgate Wigan but William’s presence at that address cannot be confirmed. William disappears from the UK records, except for the case in Bolton in 1885 (see below). Elizabeth becomes a Grocer.
7th October 1883 Daughter Mary dies aged 8 at 15 Clayton Street Wallgate Wigan of Scarlatine Maligna (Scarlet Fever), she had been in a Coma for 4 days. Occupation of William is given as Book Keeper, maybe he went back to this after leaving the pub. Elizabeth was the informant and was present at the death.
10th October 1883 Daughter Mary buried at St Wilfrid Standish.
18th June 1885 The Bolton Daily Chronicle reports that a tea merchant from Bolton is sueing to recover a sum of £8 10s 10d from William for tea supplied during 1880. It sounds like William was there in person as he pleaded that he was still a bankrupt and had not been discharged, producing the proceedings of the bankruptcy prompting the case to be withdrawn and William got his costs paid. The report also gives his address as Clayton Street Wallgate Wigan so perhaps he was living there until at least 1885.
10th July 1885 William’s brother James dies aged 38 in Bury due to being Runover By A Tram Car Engine the same day.
15th July 1887 A William Crankshaw aged 45 (matching our William) arrives in New York from Liverpool. It is impossible to state for certain that this is our William. See Crankshaws In Philadelphia for further discussion.
29th September 1888 US Naturalization is granted to a British Citizen William Crankshaw aged 47 (matching our William), in the City of Philadelphia, which matches the possible home of his brother Thomas. See Crankshaws In Philadelphia for further discussion.
5th April 1891 Census. Family is living at 15 Clayton Street Wallgate Wigan. Elizabeth is aged 54 a Grocer, son James is aged 22 a Grocers Assistant, son Thomas is aged 20 a Butchers Assistant and son Richard is aged 16 an Apprentice To Iron Trade. William cannot be found but Elizabeth is recorded as “Married” not “Widow” so the assumption must be that William is still alive.
7th October 1893 Son Thomas marries Sarah Taylor at St George Central Wigan. Thomas is aged 22 a Butcher living in Arundel Street Scholes Wigan and Sarah is aged 21 also living in Arundel Street Scholes Wigan. No street numbers are given so maybe they lived at different properties.
15th April 1895 Son James marries Jane Freeman at St Thomas Wallgate Wigan. James is aged 26 a Butcher living at 15 Clayton Street Wallgate Wigan and Jane is aged 24 living at Wrightington.
1895 To 1901 Elizabeth and son Richard move back to Standish.
8 September 1896 A US Naturalization Petition is registered for a William Crankshaw. A John E Ryder sponsored the petition they both lived at 11726 ??? 21st Road Philadelphia. See Crankshaws In Philadelphia for further discussion.
31st March 1901 Census. Family living at 15 Market Street Standish. Elizabeth is aged 64 with no occupation supplied and son Richard is aged 26 an Iron Turner. There is no trace of William but Elizabeth is described as “Married” not “Widow” so they must have thought that William was still alive.
10th April 1901 A US arrival document indicates that the ship Waesland left Liverpool on this date heading for Philadelphia including a Thomas Crankshaw aged 61, occupation Engineer (which could mean operator of an Engine), last place of residence in Wigan, final destination Philadelphia, “returning home” to 119 James Town Street Manayunk “to brother William”, having lived in US for 28 years. The age and circumstantial evidence points to this being William’s brother Thomas, having present at the house of sister Mary and husband Richard Lamb in Wigan for the 1901 census. The comment about brother William is a good indication that William was also in Philadelphia, presumably living with Thomas. However no other corroborating documentation can be found. See Crankshaws In Philadelphia for further discussion.
26th March 1903 Elizabeth dies aged 65 at 15 Market Street Standish of Mitral Stenosis (narrowing of a heart valve), duration of 1 Year. She is listed as a wife of William not a Widow so Richard must have thought his father was alive. Richard was present at the death.
30th March 1903 Elizabeth buried at St Wilfrid Standish.
21st April 1904 A William Crankshaw arrives in Liverpool from Philadelphia, occupation given as Labourer but there is no other information. If this is our William then this could relate to Elizabeth’s death a year before. See Crankshaws In Philadelphia for further discussion.
20th March 1905 A William Crankshaw dies aged 64 in Haslingden Workhouse Rawtenstall of “Pneumonia accelerated by concussion of the brain”. His occupation is given as a “Firehealer” of no fixed residence. A lot of other genealogists believe this to be our William but there was a William Crankshaw born in 1842 in Haslingden who this is more likely to be, in the 1881 census he was single and a stoker in a cotton mill. However he cannot be found in the 1891 or 1901 census.
6th February 1909 A William Crankshaw dies aged 67 of Strangulation By Hanging (Suicide) in what looks like “Plula” Pennsylvania (but this does not exist). William’s birthplace is England, occupation Woolsorter. The address of the undertaker is Ridge Avenue, which exists in Philadelphia. This William is buried in Mount Peace Cemetery in Philadelphia, the information in Find A Grave indicates he is from Lancashire, born 1841, but there is no photo. See Crankshaws In Philadelphia for further discussion. The next day this article appeared in the Philadelphia Enquirer, indicating he had immigrated from England and was a wool worker.
2nd April 1911 Census. Son Richard is aged 36 an Iron Turner at a Motor Works living at 245 Bradley Lane Standish with his brother James and family.
1911 To 1921 Son Richard moves to Leyland with his job.
19th June 1921 Census. Son Richard is aged 47 a Metal Turner for Leyland Motors living at 4 Baldwin Terrace Leyland.
16th August 1923 Son Richard marries Elizabeth Pemberton at St George Central Wigan. Richard is aged 49 a Mechanical Engineer living at 4 Baldwin Terrace Leyland and Elizabeth is aged 42 living at 45 School Lane Scholes Wigan. The marriage certificate indicates that William is dead.
