{"id":49,"date":"2013-12-30T17:30:44","date_gmt":"2013-12-30T17:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/?page_id=49"},"modified":"2024-11-08T11:50:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T11:50:45","slug":"houghtons","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/?page_id=49","title":{"rendered":"Houghton"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Sam<\/a>
Samuel Henry HOUGHTON (1898 – 1977)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

















A larger, hand-tinted version of the above photo used to hang on the wall in my grandparents home and is now with my Aunt. I’d always been curious to know more about my grandfather’s experiences during the First World War but he would never speak about it. I was later able to obtain a copy of his army service records which showed that during the First World War he served as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery, seeing action in Alexandria (1915-1916) and France (1917-1919). At the end of the war, Sam received the British War Medal and Victory Medal and following discharge from the army he found employment at the Vine Chemical Works in Widnes. He married Elizabeth GIBSON in 1929. Sam died at his home in Widnes in 1977.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 1911 census, my grandfather Samuel Henry HOUGHTON was one of seven children of Samuel and Elizabeth HOUGHTON who had been married for 15 years. They had 8 children born alive and 8 were still living:

1911 Census (6 Foster Street, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samuel HOUGHTON, Head, 35, Chemical labourer, b. Widnes
Elizabeth HOUGHTON, Wife, 36, School, b. Liverpool
Charlotte Beatrice HOUGHTON, Dau, 15, At home, b. Widnes
Samuel Henry HOUGHTON, Son, 13, School, b. Widnes (<— my grandfather<\/span>)
Jessie HOUGHTON, Dau, 11, School, b. Widnes
James HOUGHTON, Son, 9, School, b. Widnes
Ivy HOUGHTON, Dau, 7, School, b. Widnes
Gladys HOUGHTON, Dau, 4, School, b. Widnes
Phyliss HOUGHTON, Dau, 2, School, b. Widnes
* John MADDOCK, Son, 18, single, Chemical labourer

<\/em>* For the story of John MADDOCK’s connection to the HOUGHTON family, see my page on the CUMMINGS<\/a>.

<\/em>In the earlier census, the family was at Midwood Street:

1901 census (103 Midwood Street, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samuel HOUGHTON, Head, 25, General Labourer, b. William St.
Elizabeth HOUGHTON, Wife, 25, b. Liverpool
Beatrice HOUGHTON, Dau, 5, b. Widnes
Jessie HOUGHTON, Dau, 1, b. Widnes
Samuel HOUGHTON, Son, 3, b. Widnes (<— my grandfather<\/span>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a fragment of Samuel HOUGHTON and Elizabeth CUMMINGS original marriage certificate that shows they were living at Midwood Street at the time of their marriage in Widnes in 1895.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"wedding<\/a>
Fragment of original marriage certificate in 1895<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I obtained a full copy of the certificate, which shows that Samuel was a labourer, 21 years old and living at 101 Midwood St. Widnes and that Elizabeth was 20 years old, living next door at 103 Midwood St. Samuel’s father was James HOUGHTON and Elizabeth’s was George CUMMINGS. The witnesses were William James MARTEN and Isabella CUMMINGS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also have an original<\/em> copy of my great-grandfather Samuel HOUGHTON’s birth certificate, which shows that he was born at 10 William St, Widnes in 1876. His parents were James HOUGHTON and Elizabeth WALKER. (cf. 1891 census below<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back through the earlier censuses for James and Elizabeth, I found not only them and their family but another HOUGHTON family; that of Wiliiam and his wife Ellen. In each case the two families were living just a few houses away from each other:

1891 Census (10 William Street, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

James HOUGHTON, Head, widower, 56, Chemical Labourer, b. Lancs, Newton
Samuel HOUGHTON, Son, 15, Alkali Labourer, b. Lancs, Widnes
Charlotte HOUGHTON, Dau, 12, b. Lancs, Widnes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two houses away at 14 William Street is the family of William Houghton, also born in Newton.

1891 Census (14 William Street, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

William HOUGHTON, Head, 54, General Labourer, b. Lancs, Newton
Ellen HOUGHTON, Wife, 57, b. Lancs, Aspull
Edward HOUGHTON, Son, 24, General Labourer, b. Lancs, Widnes
Selina HOUGHTON, Dau, 22, b. Scotland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ten years earlier, the 1881 census shows that the same two families were living just a few houses away from each other in William St, Widnes:

1881 Census (William Street, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

James HOUGHTON, Head, 46, Gen Labourer, b. Newton le Willows
Elizabeth HOUGHTON, Wife, 44, Runcorn, Cheshire
Thomas HOUGHTON, Son, 18, Gen Labourer, b. St Helens, Lancs
William J(?) HOUGHTON, Son, 8, Scholar, b. Liverpool, Lancs
Samuel HOUGHTON, Son, 4, Scholar, b. Appleton, Widnes, Lancs
Ellen HOUGHTON, Dau, 6, Scholar, b. Liverpool, Lancs
Charlotte HOUGHTON, Dau, 1, b. Appleton, Widnes, Lancs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

—<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William HOUGHTON, Head, 44, Gen Labourer, b. Newton le Willows, Lancs
Ellen HOUGHTON, Wife, 47, b. Aspul, Wigan, Lancs
James HOUGHTON, Son, 23, Gen Labourer, b. Widnes, Lancs
Edward HOUGHTON, Son, 18, Gen Labourer, b. Widnes, Lancs
Selina HOUGHTON, Dau, 12, Scholar, b. Scotland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, in the 1871 census, the two families in are living in adjacent houses in Liverpool; James at 4 Eaton St and William next door at number 6:

1871 Census (Eaton Street, Vauxhall, Liverpool)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

James HOUGHTON, Head, 38, Labourer, b. Lancs, Newton le willows
Elizabeth HOUGHTON, Wife, 36, b. Cheshire, Runcorn
Elizabeth HOUGHTON, Dau, 13, b. Lancs, Newton le Willows
Mary A. HOUGHTON, Dau, 10, b. Lancs, Widnes
Thomas HOUGHTON, Son, 8, b. Lancs, St Helens
Sarah A. HOUGHTON, Dau, 1, b. Liverpool<\/p>\n\n\n\n

—<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William HOUGHTON, Head, 34, Labourer, b. Lancs, Newton
Ellen HOUGHTON, Wife, 37, b. Lancs, Aspul, Wigan
James HOUGHTON, Son, 13, b. Lancs, Widnes
Edward HOUGHTON, Son, 8, b. Lancs, Widnes
Mary A. HOUGHTON, Dau, 4, b. Scotland
Selina HOUGHTON, Dau, 2, b. Scotland
Ellen A. HOUGHTON, Dau, 3 months, b. Liverpool<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I haven’t been able to find James or his family in the 1861 census, but William and Ellen are in Widnes:

1861 Census (School Street, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

William HOUGHTON, Head, 23, Lab copper works, b. Lancs, Newton
Ellen HOUGHTON, Wife, 27, b. Lancs, Aspull
James HOUGHTON, Son, 3, b. Lancs, Widnes
John H. HOUGHTON, Son, 2 months, b. Lancs, Widnes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that in 1871 (Liverpool), 1881 (Widnes) and 1891 (Widnes), James and William’s families have lived very close to each other, and both were born in Newton, strongly suggests to me that they are related and probably brothers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I noted that two of William and Ellen’s daughters were born in Scotland and found their birth details at the ScotlandsPeople<\/a> website. These records gave Ellen’s maiden name as LOWE and additionally recorded the date and place of William and Ellen’s marriage (1857, Widnes). I ordered their marriage certificate, in which William’s father was given as James HOUGHTON, labourer. I then looked for their daughter Mary A(lice) HOUGHTON, born in Scotland, in the 1881 census and found her as the niece of Thomas BUNN, wife Jane (born in Newton, c. 1840):

1881 Census (Mill Field public house, Mill Brow, Appleton, Widnes)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas BUNN, Head, 41, Licensed Victualler, b. Broadgrove(?), Worcester(?)
Jane BUNN, Wife, 41, b. Newton, Lancs
Thomas BUNN, Son, 6, b. Appleton, Widnes
Mary Alice HOUGHTON, Niece, 15, Servant, b. Glasgow<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This suggested that Jane could be Ellen’s sister-in-law (i.e. William’s sister) so I looked for the marriage of Thomas BUNN to Jane HOUGHTON and found it in the IGI (1870, All Saints, Runcorn). I ordered a copy of the certificate and Jane’s father was James HOUGHTON, labourer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summarising so far, my great-grandfather Samuel HOUGHTON was born c. 1876 in Widnes and his father was James HOUGHTON. James, who was b. c. 1835 in Newton, may have had a younger brother, William b. c. 1837 in Newton and William had a younger sister Jane b. c. 1841, also in Newton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know that Samuel’s father James HOUGHTON married Elizabeth WALKER in 1856 at Frodsham Parish Church, near Runcorn and James stated that his father was Thomas HOUGHTON (deceased); Elizabeth gives her father’s name as James WALKER (deceased).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 1851 census of Runcorn, I found the following family that I believe is that of my great-great-grandfather James:

1851 Census (Princess Street, Runcorn)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas WOODCOCK, Head, 36, Labourer at chemical works, b. Ashton
Alice WOODCOCK, Wife, 44, b. Warrington
Alice WOODCOCK, Dau, 5, b. Newton
James<\/strong> HOUGHTON, 16, step-son, Stone breaker at sopery, b. Newton (c. 1835)
William<\/strong> HOUGHTON, 14, step-son, Stone breaker at sopery, b. Newton (c. 1837)
Henry<\/strong> HOUGHTON, 12, step-son, Stone breaker at sopery, b. Newton (c. 1839)
Jane<\/strong> HOUGHTON, 10, step-dau, scholar, b. Newton<\/em> (c. 1841)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ordered copies of the birth certificates for Henry and Jane and for both, their parents were James HOUGHTON and Alice HARDMAN. If this is the correct family then the presumption is we have an Alice HOUGHTON who was widowed and subsequently married Thomas WOODCOCK, sometime after 1841 (birth of Jane) and before 1846 (birth of Alice). I searched for and found Thomas and Alice’s marriage in 1845; Alice HOUGHTON was indeed a widow (her father’s name was given as James ORRED, weaver). I also obtained a copy of young Alice WOODCOCK’s birth certificate; her mother is Alice WOODCOCK, formerly HARDMAN which ties in with the above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Searching through the parish registers, I found the following:

Winwick Parish Registers (St Oswald) – Marriages<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

James HOUGHTON married Alice HARDMAN, 8 January 1826

Newton-in-Makerfield Registers (St Peter) – Baptisms<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

30 Sep 1827, Thomas, son of James & Alice HOUGHTON of Newton
11 Oct 1829, John, son of James & Alice HOUGHTON of Newton
5 Aug 1832, Mary, daughter of James & Alice HOUGHTON of Newton
24 Aug 1834, James<\/strong>, son of James & Alice HOUGHTON of Newton
31 Jul 1836, William<\/strong>, son of James & Alice HOUGHTON of Newton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two entries below were found on a visit to Newton-le-Willows public library to view their microfilm records:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 Jul 1838 (born 7 Jun 1838), Henry<\/strong>, son of James & Alice HOUGHTON
9 Jul 1840, Jane<\/strong>, daughter of James & Alice HOUGHTON<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a copy of a baptism entry that we believe could be for our James:<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bapt_James_Houghton_1834\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n








Lynn sent me a copy of a death certificate which we believe is that of our James HOUGHTON; James died on the 21 January 1902 at number 7 Albert Square, Widnes. He was 68 years of age and was a chemical labourer.\u00a0 The informant was his son, S. HOUGHTON of 16 Bower Street, Widnes. In the 1901 census James’ son Samuel is living at 103 Midwood Street in Widnes. Bower Street and Midwood Street are located at either end of Albert Road, with Albert Square between them (see map below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Map<\/a>
1905 map of Widnes highlighting the streets discussed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 1901 census also has a 69 year old James Houghton living at number 3 Back Albert Road in Widnes. He was a widower born in Newton-le-Willows. Also in the household are his daughter-in-law Jane HOUGHTON and her two sons Arthur and Joseph J. HOUGHTON.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current research indicates that this Jane was married to James’ son Thomas though his whereabouts in 1901 have yet to be determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A larger, hand-tinted version of the above photo used to hang on the wall in my grandparents home and is now with my Aunt. I’d always been curious to know more about my grandfather’s experiences during the First World War but he would never speak about it. I was later able to obtain a copy … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Houghton”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":37,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"page-templates\/template-full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-49","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=49"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1000,"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49\/revisions\/1000"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/johnhoughton.me.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=49"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}