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My Grandfather Robert Dobson was born in the Kirkdale area of Liverpool, he was the youngest of 8 children born to John William Dobson and Ellen nee Waters.

I'm particularly interested in tracking done any information about his father and his elder brothers and if possible descendents of these brothers. The brothers were William Dobson born circa 1879, Arthur Dobson born circa 1880, Herbert born circa 1885 and Samuel born circa 1893. Robert also had sisters named Ellen (of whom I’ve found living descendents), Ada who died as a child and Minnie, who may not have married.

It’s my belief that John William Dobson was actually born John Vorweg Dobson and anglicised his name around the 1871-1877 period because of the unpopularity of Germans follwing the Franco-Prussian war.

Of the two eldest boys I know very little. Herbert may have served in WW1 and may have been in either the Royal of Merchant navies.

The extract below is from the 1901 census; the dates in brackets are I believe the actual birth years of the children. I know for a fact that Robert was born 02/12/1896. The incorrect dates may be due to transcription errors.

Name Status Age Employment Place of Birth Year of Birth
JOHN WILLIAM Head 46 Railway Goods London 1855
ELLEN Wife 44 - Liverpool 1857
WILLIAM Son 22 General Labourer Liverpool 1879
ARTHUR Son 21 Butcher Shopman Liverpool 1880
ELLEN Daughter 20 Jam Factory Hand Liverpool 1881 (1883)
HERBERT Son 16 Errand Boy Liverpool 1885
MINNIE Daughter 10 - Liverpool 1891 (1881)
SAMUEL Son 7 - Liverpool 1894
ROBERT Son 4 - Liverpool 1897 (1896)

My father remembers visiting an Uncle Sam in the Clubmoor district of Liverpool in the 1930’s. Sam may have been a butcher like his elder brother Arthur. Anyone know of butchers called Dobson? Any Dobson's still out there?

Any info gratefully received.

Thanks in advance

Steve

This looks like the family??

1911 census - household transcription
Person: DOBSON, Robert
Address: 33 Scourfield St Edge Hill Liverpool

DOBSON, John William Head Married M 87 1824 Goods Clerk Middlesex London VIEW
DOBSON, Ellen Wife Married
33 years F 54 1857 Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
DOBSON, Minnie Daughter Single F 30 1881 Shop Assistant Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
DOBSON, Robert Son M 14 1897 Messenger Boy For Dairy Man Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
CROWLEY, John Son In Law Married M 28 1883 Dock Labourer Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
CROWLEY, Ellen Ester Daughter Married
2 years F 28 1883 Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
CROWLEY, Nelly Granddaughter F 1 1910 Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
CROWLEY, Lilian Grand- Daughter F 0 (4 MONTHS) 1911 Lancashire Liverpool VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
22567 Reference:
RG14PN22567 RG78PN1326 RD455 SD9 ED15 SN192

Registration District:
West Derby Sub District:
West Derby Western Enumeration District:
15 Parish:
West Derby

Address:
33 Scourfield St Edge Hill Liverpool County:
Lancashire



John is possibly 57 on the image.
Minnie is 20 on the image.

Birth - Whitechapel Q2 1855 - free BMD

John Vorwerg Dobson ref 1c 373

Thanks for the info.

I've already seen the 1911 census and it's transcription is iffy to say the least. Ellen Dobson married a man named CRONLEY not Crowley, I know because I've been in contact with a Gt Grandson of hers. John William was 57 not 87 and Minnies age was 10 in 1901 and 30 (or 20) by 1911.

It's the brothers who have left home between 1901 and 1911 that I'm interested in, to see if they have any livinf relatives who may know of a family story that confirms my belief that John William Dobson and John Vorweg Dobson are one and the same person

Cheers

Steve

I can's seem to find a Samuel or Arthur Dobson in the 1911 census.......

This is the only Herbert i can find born in Liverpool.

1911 census - household transcription
Person: DOBSON, Herbert Boyce
Address: Gill Moss House West Derby Liverpool


DAVIES, Robert James Head Married M 54 1857 Pensioner Carriage Inspector Essex Stratford VIEW
DAVIES, Emily Catherine Wife Married
35 years F 53 1858 Hertford VIEW
DAVIES, Annie May Daughter Single F 23 1888 Lancs Liverpool VIEW
DOBSON, Herbert Boyce Boarder Single M 27 1884 Farmer Poultry Lancs Liverpool VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
22353 Reference:
RG14PN22353 RG78PN1320 RD455 SD3 ED5 SN148

Registration District:
West Derby Sub District:
Fazakerley Enumeration District:
5 Parish:
West Derby Rural

Address:
Gill Moss House West Derby Liverpool County:
Lancashire

The original image of the 1911 gives the name Cronley and not Crowley.

A transcripion error as with the ages for John and Minnie.

Barry

Yes this is the man I think became John William Dobson at the time of the Franco-Prussian war. He appears as John V Dobson in the 1871 census, living with his widowed mother and two elder sisiters in Parron Street, West Derby. He then vanishes and appears to be replaced by a John William Dobson who appears in Kelly/Gores directories from about 1876 onwards. It's that mystery I'm trying to solve, because I'm convinced they're one and the same person. John Vorweg born Whitechapel 1855 and all John William's records such as marriage cert show he was born in Whitechapel in 1855.

PricklyHolly

You've jogged my memory. My Herbert was a Herbert Stephen Dobson.

Cheers

Steve

The brothers I'm interested in, I've just rechecked my scribbles and they are as follows:-

William John Dobson born c1879

Arthur George Dobson born c1880

Herbert Stephen Dobson born c1885

Samuel Benjimin Dobson born c1893

Thanks in advance

I was going to submit a correction for the 1911 census but couldn't find a Cronley/Dobson marriage.

So it would seem then that Ellen Ester had married before...

Marriages Sep 1908 (>99%)
BIRCH Ellen Esther W. Derby 8b 1033
CRONLEY John W. Derby 8b 1033

PricklyHolly

That's spot on and confirms a story I've been told.

Thanks

Steve

Here you go........

Marriages Dec 1903 (>99%)
Birch Henry W. Derby 8b 725
Dobson Ellen Esther W. Derby 8b 725

??
Deaths Dec 1905 (>99%)
BIRCH Henry 25 W.Derby 8b 208

Looks promising from lancsbmd
Births
1882 DOBSON Ellen E Kirkdale Liverpool KIRK/33/44
1885 DOBSON Herbert S Kirkdale Liverpool KIRK/48/27
1893 DOBSON Samuel B Kirkdale Liverpool KIRK/84/3

Marriages
1903 DOBSON Ellen E BIRCH Henry Kirkdale, St. Mary Liverpool 2013WD/24/158
1905 DOBSON William J WILLIAMS Clara Everton, St. Chad Liverpool 2091WD/1/183
1907 DOBSON Arthur G LUCAS Letitia West Derby, Register Office or Registrar Attended Liverpool REG_WD/234/36
1907 DOBSON Herbert BELL Margaret West Derby, Register Office or Registrar Attended Liverpool REG_WD/234/140
1913 DOBSON Minnie JONES Albert W West Derby, Register Office or Registrar Attended Liverpool REG_WD/287/115

Blimey! poor old Henry didn't last long? Thanks!!

Pam

Thanks, all new info to me. Where can you see LancsBMD, that's new to me as well.

Really useful stuff, thanks again

Steve

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/

website is
http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk

loads of info on your family.

You can then go to
http://www.freebmd.org.uk

To find the GRO index numbers or can order directly via lancs bmd.

You could try
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/
I think William John's baptism is on there

good luck, have to go now

Name: Samuel B Dobson
Birth Date: abt 1893
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1955
Age at Death: 62
Registration district: Liverpool North
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 10d
Page: 120

His marriage is on freebmd.........you can find the info, then look for possible offspring on the same site, or on lancsbmd

Thanks for all your help!

??

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
about William J Dobson
Name: William J Dobson
Birth Date: abt 1879
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1957
Age at Death: 78
Registration district: Liverpool North
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 10d
Page: 389