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I have posted before about an old mantel clock awarded to Mr and Mrs Kirkham by New Brighton Lifeboat Crew to celebrate their Golden Wedding (married 17th October 1880 at St John's Wesleyan Chapel, Toxteth Park Liverpool).

From this date I have found that Benjamin James Kirkham born in 1859 married Mary Emma Adams born 1861. My maiden name is Adams so I assume that Mary was related to my grandfather, I think she may have been his Aunt as my Grandfather wasn't born until 1891. Has anyone any information to confirm that Mary Emma was the sister of Thomas Adams (my Great Grandfather), and any details about were they lived etc.

1881 England Census

Name: Benjamin Kirkham
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1860
Relation: Son in Law
Spouse's Name: Mary Kirkham
Gender: Male
Where born: Lpool, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Toxteth Park
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: 13 Magdala St
Condition as to marriage: Married

Occupation: Clerk
Registration district: Toxteth Park
Sub-registration district: Toxteth Park
ED, institution, or vessel: 82
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3651
Folio: 40
Page Number: 20
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Adams 41 born Broseley, Shropshire
Annie Adams 41 born Madeley, Shropshire
Daniel Adams 21
Mary Kirkham 19
Benjamin Kirkham 21
Henry Thompson 20

You say that you think Mary may have been your GGf's aunt....then ask for confirmation that she was his sister

When and where was your GGf born?

Have you looked for/found him on censuses with his parents?

Judith says that she thinks Mary was her grandfather's aunt and her great grandfather's sister (which would be right).

Kath. x

1861 England Census

Name: Thomas Adams
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Anne Adams
Gender: Male
Where born: Bradley, Shropshire, England
Civil parish: Madeley
Ecclesiastical parish: St Michael
County/Island: Shropshire
Country: England

Registration district: Madeley
Sub-registration district: Madeley
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 198
Piece: 1858
Folio: 82
Page Number: 34
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Adams 21
Anne Adams 21
Daniel Adams 1
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1871 England Census

Name: Thomas Adams
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Annie Adams
Gender: Male
Where born: Broseley, Shropshire, England
Civil parish: West Derby
Ecclesiastical parish: St Catherine
Town: Liverpool
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: West Derby
ED, institution, or vessel: 21
Household schedule number: 81
Piece: 3842
Folio: 115
Page Number: 15
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Adams 31
Annie Adams 31
Daniel Adams 11
Mary Adams 9

as the 1881 & 1891 say mary was born in Madely this is her probable birth reg

Births Mar 1862 (>99%)
ADAMS Mary Emma Madeley 6a 622

You are correct, Kath..........I missed the omission of the 'great' earlier in the text.

..........but we still need info about the line.

No sign of a Thomas in the household other than the head.............

Judith..

Please tell us the name of your grandfather......and his place of birth

Additional info from another thread posted by Judith

...................... I have a clock awarded to Mr and Mrs Kirkham in 1930 for their Golden Wedding Anniversary this clock belonged to my paternal grandmother, Gertrude Upton.

So.......some facts

Marriages Sep 1912 (>99%)
Adams Benjamin Upton W. Derby 8b 1141
UPTON Gertrude Adams W.Derby 8b 1141


Things are so much simpler when info is to hand

1911 census

Person: ADAMS, Benjamin Address: 86 Jubilee Drive Liverpool

JONES, William Head Married33 years M 67 1844 Cabinet Maker Salop Brige North VIEW
JONES, Elizabeth Wife Married F 64 1847 Denbighshire Erbistock VIEW
ADAMS, Benjamin Nephew Single M 19 1892 Shop Assistant Lancs Liverpool VIEW
BARNETT, Frank Boarder Married M 35 1876 Gas Makers Assistant Salop Sherriff Hales VIEW
LATHAM, Matthew Boarder Married M 67 1844 Insurance Agent Audlem Cheshire

Not with parents even as a small child

1901 England Census about Benjamin Adams
Name: Benjamin Adams
Age: 9
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1892
Relation: Nephew
Gender: Male
Where born: Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Middlesbrough
Ecclesiastical parish: All Saints
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England

Registration district: Middlesbrough
Sub-registration district: Middlesbrough
ED, institution, or vessel: 64
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 214
Piece: 4581
Folio: 197
Page Number: 36
Household Members:
Name Age
William Jones 59
Elizabeth Jones 54
Benjamin Adams 9

1911 census

Person: KIRKHAM, Benjamin Samuel Address: 75 Rowson Street New Brighton Ches

KIRKHAM, Benjamin Samuel Head Married M 51 1860 Liverpool Manager Company Of Meat Umporters Liverpool Lancashire VIEW
KIRKHAM, Mary Emma Wife Married F 49 1862 Madeley Salop VIEW
ADAMS, William Fred Half Brother Single M 27 1884 Bookeeper Of Meat Importer Liverpool Lanc VIEW
SEDDON, Kate Housemaid Single F 33 1878 General Servant Domestic New Brighton Cheshire

Please note that W F ADAMS is HALF brother (in Law)

Is this your grandfather's birth:-


Name: ADAMS, Benjamin
Registration district: West Derby
County: Lancashire
Year of registration: 1891
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume no: 8B
Page no: 539

Do you have this certificate to confirm that his father is Thomas?

Kath. x

Births Jun 1883 (>99%)
ADAMS William Frederick W.Derby 8b 599

1891 England Census about William F Adams
Name: William F Adams
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation: Brother-in-law
Gender: Male
Where born: Liverpool
Civil parish: West Derby
Ecclesiastical parish: West Derby St Mary the Virgin
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England



Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: West Derby (Municipal)
ED, institution, or vessel: 17
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2990
Folio: 128
Page Number: 44
Household Members:
Name Age
Benjamin J Kirkham 31
Mary E Kirkham 28
Ada Adams 24.......sister in law, born CHATHAM. Kent
William F Adams 8

Hi, thank you for all your help, some names are ringing bells. My Paternal Grandmother Gertrude Adams (nee Upton) died when I was 16 some 40 years ago but I remember her talking about Aunt Ada and I remember meeting an elderly Uncle Fred who came down from Ilford in Essex for a short stay when I was about 6. My grandfather Benjamin Adams was born in approx 1891. I worked back from his death certificate to assess his age, he died in 1947. I cannot trace anything past his death, not even sure about where he was born. He worked on the cruise ships as a Ships Dispenser and was torpedoed twice. I even have one or two photos of him but I know nothing of his history.

It is only through having the clock and finding it belonged to Benjamin James Kirkham and Mary Emma (nee Adams) that I assumed Mary Emma must have been related to my Grandfather Benjamin.

You said that your great-grandfather was Thomas Adams....on what evidence is that statement based?

If you wish to have an accurate family tree, you need to obtain Benjamin's marriage cert, which will name his father......if he knew him, of course.

So................not a Cof E marriage

Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1912
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
UPTON Gertrude ADAMS Benjamin West Derby, Register Office or Registrar Attended Liverpool REG_WD/283/137

A copy of the Will might help................

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

Name: Benjamin James Kirkham
Probate Date: 12 Feb 1934
Death Date: 9 Jan 1934
Death Place: Cheshire, England
Registry: Liverpool, England

Probate to his widow Mary Emma

Effects £364 4s 6d

Actually, this one may be more illuminating

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

Name: Mary Emma Kirkham
Probate Date: 26 Jun 1935
Death Date: 17 Apr 1935
Death Place: Cheshire, England
Registry: Liverpool, England

Probate to Benjamin Charles Adams, Marine Officer, Kate Seddon, spinster, and William Henry Makin, Draper Solicitor.

Effects: £1119 19s 1d

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006

Name: Benjamin C Adams
Birth Date: abt 1891
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1947
Age at Death: 56
Registration district: Wallasey
Inferred County: Cheshire
Volume: 10a
Page: 488

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

Name: Benjamin Adams
Probate Date: 5 Sep 1947
Death Date: 3 Aug 1947
Death Place: Cheshire, England
Registry: Liverpool, England

Full name recorded as Benjamin Charles Adams

(Letters of) Administration to widow, GERTRUDE

Effects: £492 17s 3d

Address: 10, Kingswood Road, Wallasey