SHAW

The most recent Shaw with whom we are concerned is Margaret Shaw (1836–1868), born at (in parish, south-west ) and wife of Daniel Ledson (1835–1895).

Margaret Shaw was the illegitimate daughter of Ellen Shaw (born 1814) of Downholland.

Ellen Shaw was a daughter of George Shaw (1768–1857), labourer of Downholland and of his wife Margaret Lea (1771–1855).

George Shaw was probably a son of William Shaw (born 1740) of the adjacent parish of Altcar and of his wife Alice Cross.

William Shaw was probably a son of Richard Shaw (1703–1744) of Downholland.

Richard Shaw was a son of George Shaw of , Downholland (died 1724).

Downholland

The Shaw family are found from earliest times in the parish registers of Halsall, in which parish the township of Downholland lay.1 The name is a simple locative one meaning ‘at the shaw/small wood’.

Downholland township was formed of the three small villages of Downholland, Haskayne and Barton, each set on slightly higher ground than the predominantly marshy ground, barely above sea level. The ground had long been made fertile by drainage ditches, but

There is a natural dearth of plantations and hedgerow trees in a district swept continually by sea-breezes, and what trees there are are stunted and bent by the prevalent westerly winds, whilst the many picturesque thatched cottages in the villages also seem to turn their backs to the west. The principal crops … grown on the sandy soil, are potatoes, cabbages, wheat, and oats.2

Origins: Edward Shaw

[In 1664 and 1666 at Downholland Edward Shaw and Margerie Shaw, widow each had one hearth: in 1666 Edward’s was shared with John Shaw.]3

There were at least two George Shaws living at Downholland in the early 1700s, each of whom had a wife named Elizabeth and a daughter Alice at the time of his death.

One of them was probably a son of Edward Shaw, blacksmith of Downholland, who made his will on 24 December 1670. He left his smithy to his son George, but certain blacksmith’s equipment ‛at the west end of the smithy’ to his son Thomas. There was provision for his wife Ann and for his daughters Mary Shaw and Margaret, wife of Henry Goore of Lydiate, husbandman. Edward disposed of a lease from Gerrard and asked to be interred in ‛our usual burial place’ in Halsall church. Edward died at Haskayne and was buried at Halsall on 27 December 1671: his will was proved on 29 April 1672.

George Shaw (died 1721/2) and Elizabeth

George Shaw, a blacksmith of Haskayne, Downholland (probably Edward’s son) first married Elin Birch of Birkdale at Halsall on 26 August 1674. Ellen was the only surviving child of James Birch and when James died in 1685, the couple took over his Birkdale farm. George also paid the large annual sum of 13s 4d for the lease of part of the Downholland moss, just across the Birkdale brook.4

George and Ellen had children Edward (baptised on 11 July 1675, buried 27 December 1735), Ann (29 June 1679), Alice (25 December 1681) and Elizabeth 17 July 1687). George’s wife Ellen died in the same year as her father and was buried on 5 January 1685/6: George subsequently married Elizabeth.

George’s son Edward married Alice Harker (buried 12 January 1709/10) on 2 December 1697 and Ellin Fazakerley on 30 May 1710.

1 George Shaw, ‛blacksmith’ made his will on 22 October 1721 , leaving his estate at Birkdale and Halsall to his eldest son Edward and his smithy and stable to his daughter Elizabeth. There was further provision for his wife Elizabeth and his other daughters Ann, wife of Henry Harker (married 9 April 1705 at Halsall) and Alice, wife of Richard Pye. The executors were to be his daughter Elizabeth, Gilbert Rimmer of Birkdale and Henry Holland of Downholland and the witnesses were William Willcock, Thomas Ashcroft and Robert Molineux.

George Shaw ‛blacksmith’ was buried at Halsall on 26 January 1721/2. An inventory in the sum of £61 was taken on 2 February by William Blundell and William Mandersley [?Mawdesley] and the will was proved on 6 April 1722. Many details of the Birkdale estate of this first George Shaw are contained in Harrop’s Families and Cottages of Old Birkdale and Ainsdale, but unfortunately she has confused the issue by assigning the death date of the second George to the first.5

George Shaw (died 1724) and Elizabeth

Of the two Georges the more likely to have been the forebear of Margaret Ledson had sons John (baptised at Halsall on 31 July 1698), Richard (4 April 1703) and a daughter Alice (15 November 1678 or Christmas Day 1681). Alice ‛daughter of George Shaw, Downholland’ was buried on 30 July 1686.

This second George made his will on 16 May 1724, leaving £2 per annum to his wife Elizabeth; his house to his eldest son John; his cow Tadge to his daughter Alice; and £3 to his other son Richard, in whom our interest lies. John was to be the executor and the witnesses were James Weatherby and William and Thomas Blundell. George marked his signature: he died at Haskayne, Downholland and was buried at Halsall on 3 June. The burial register describes this George as a ‛blacksmith’, like his namesake and contemporary, but this may be the clerk’s confusion, as the bishop’s transcript calls him ‛husbandman’ and the inventory of ‘George Shaw, husbandman’ (taken on 8 June by William Blundell and Richard Watkinson, in the sum of £40) shows no sign of a blacksmith’s trade. The will was eventually proved on 1 May 1725.

George’s son John Shaw of Downholland married Anne Jump, also of Downholland by banns on 8 April 1727: their son George was baptised on 4 January 1727/8, but buried on 14 February. It may well have been John who died at Downholland and was buried at Halsall on 12 March 1728/9.

It is not possible to distinguish between the widows of the two Georges. Elizabeth Shaw of Downholland was buried on 19 August 1727; and another on 21 January 1735/6.

Edward and Elin Shaw

We have seen that the first George Shaw’s son Edward made a second marriage in 1710 to Elin Fazakerley. Edward and Elin went on to have eight children, of whom the eldest sons were George (baptised on 28 November 1712) and James (28 February 1719).

Edward Shaw was buried at Halsall on 27 December 1735.

Richard and Alice Shaw

The second George Shaw’s son Richard was probably the husbandman of that name who married Alice by 1724. Their eldest children were George (25 April 1724); Jane (1 May 1726): she perhaps married Peter Denton on 8 December 1752; and John (13 April 1729–16 October 1730).

Further children of ‘Richard Shaw, Downholland’ were baptised at Halsall: Margaret (18 October 1730); Henry (5 November 1732); John (20 April 1735); Ann (16 April 1738); William (4 June 1740); and James (25 October 1741).

Richard died at Downholland in 1744/5 and was buried on 15 February. His widow Alice and three of her children then died within three months of one another in 1746. James was buried on 7 June; Henry on 21 June; Ann on 21 August; and their mother Alice on 2 September.

2 This probably left as orphans at Downholland George (22); Jane (20); Margaret (16); John (11); and William (6).

The Shaw family were to feature regularly in lists of poor Downholland householders who received twice-yearly payments from the township charities throughout the period for which records survive (1744—1861 and beyond). These provided relief chiefly to ‘needy and impotent persons in Downholland...so that they should not be enforced to stray and wander abroad, but live amongst their friends. Payments went chiefly to those not already receiving relief and once ‘appointed to the charity’ recipients generall received it for life. Some payments went to the wives of the poorest householders and supplementary amounts from Edward Eccleston’s charity were usually termed ‘sacrament money’.6

It seems very likely that George Shaw’s suggested grandfather Richard Shaw, who died in 1744/5 was Richard Shaw who received a 1s payment in 1744 (the first year for which records survive) and not afterwards and that it was his widow as ‘Alice Shaw’ who received payments at Easter and Christmas 1745 and not afterwards.7

On 1 August 1753 there was a lease of land at Downholland to George Shaw, yeoman of Downholland.8

William Shaw and Alice Cross

We make the assumption that it was our William Shaw (youngest son of Richard) who married Alice Cross at Altcar on 16 July 1764. We should note however the burial of one Richard Shaw of Altcar at Halsall on 19 November 1761.

Ann Shaw, daughter of William was baptised at Altcar on 16 June 1765. George Shaw, son of William was born at Altcar and baptised there on 1 May 1768.

Neither William nor Alice Shaw received charity payments during the recorded period.

George Shaw and Margaret Lea

Ellen ‘spurious daughter of Margaret Lea, Barton’ was baptised at Halsall on 14 April 1793.

George Shaw, ‘husbandman’ and Margaret Lea, ‘spinster’ were married at Halsall after banns on 17 February 1794. Both were said to be of Halsall parish (although Margaret had been born at ); both of them marked and the witnesses were James Rigby and William Smith. George and Margaret were to have eleven children, of whom nine probably survived infancy.

George was to receive twice-yearly payments from the Downholland charities from Christmas 1824 until his death in 1857 and it seems very likely that it was his wife as ‘Margaret Shaw’ who received similar amounts and was entered in the same position in the lists from 1796 until 1824. Payments to Margaret and varied considerably from 3s--15s in ‘interest money’ and (from 1817) 2s—3s in ‘sacrament money’ and was usually collected (from 1806) by herself or by her daughter. 9

George Shaw was a labourer at Barton when his son Robert was born on 18 December 1794 and baptised on 25 January 1795; a daughter Alice followed on 3 January 1797 (baptised 29 January), when George was a husbandman at Barton; a second son William followed on 15 October 1798 (baptised 11 November) when George was a coal-lifter of Downholland.

When the third son George (born 21 September 1800) was baptised on 19 October, his father was described as a ‛boatman, Downholland’ and this was to remain the case for the next eight years; a son Richard was born in January 1803, but buried on 14 February aged one month; Ann was born on 30 March 1806 (baptised 27 April); Thomas was born on 2 March 1808 and baptised on 10 April, but was buried on 13 November, aged 9 months (his father a Halsall boatman).

Margaret was born on 2 September 1809 (baptised 24 September, her father described from now on in the baptismal register as ‛of Halsall, labourer’); John was born on 28 October and baptised on 24 November’; Ellen was born (as we shall see) in 1814; and finally came Mary (14 March 1817, baptised 23 3 March).

Birth of Ellen Shaw

George and Margaret’s daughter Ellen Shaw10 was born on 25 November 1814 (when George was a Halsall labourer) and baptised at Halsall on 5 March 1815. Another daughter Mary was born in 1818.

We have seen that George Shaw received the twice-yearly charity payments in his own name from Christmas 1824: these were usually collected by ‘his wife’ (named as Margaret in 1839) and from 1850 by his granddaughter, his daughter or by a neighbour.

Ellen’s ten brothers and sisters

While Margaret Ledson (nee Shaw) seems to have been an only child, her mother Ellen had ten brothers and sisters, of whom eight probably survived infancy.

Robert Shaw (born 1794) and Elizabeth

Robert was born on 18 December 1794 and baptised on 25 January 1795. Robert married Betty Spencer on 2 May 1814, a few months before Ellen was born.11 Robert and Betty’s son George was baptised on 12 June 1814 (but died at 11 months in April 1815: a second son Edward (a Haskayne flatman in 1841) was baptised on 14 April 1816. In 1851 (but not afterwards) Robert (56) was a canal boatman at Plex Lane, Halsall, with his Halsall-born wife Elizabeth and a 6-year-old grandson Robert Lea.12 Halsall parish rate books show Robert Shaw as an occupier at Haskayne.13

It was probably Robert who died at Standish aged 76 and was buried at Halsall on 30 December 1870.

Alice Shaw (born 1797); William Shaw (born 1798)

A daughter Alice followed on 3 January 1797 (baptised 29 January)

William followed on 15 October 1798 (baptised 11 November)

George Shaw (born 1800)

George (born 21 September 1800) was baptised on 19 October. George married Martha: she was probably Martha Blundell who married George Shaw, carter at St Peter, Liverpool on 3 April 1820, when both were of that parish. Their daughter Margaret was born 20 August and baptised at Halsall 17 September 1820, when George was a Halsall labourer. He was a Downholland labourer when son John, was baptised at Halsall on 22 June 1823. George was a Downholland boatman and navigator when his daughters Ann and Ellen were baptised on 20 August 1826 at Halsall and 31 March 1829.

From Easter 1828 ‘George Shaw, junior’ received twice-yearly charity payments, collected by his wife, his daughter (from 1831), his son (from 1834, his sister (1839) or his granddaughter (from 1851). Sons Thomas and Robert were born to George and Martha in 1835 and 1839 and baptised at Halsall on 19 July and 7 April, when their father was a Downholland labourer: they were probably the 2-year-old (of Liverpool) and 6-month-old (of Downholland) children buried at Halsall on 16 May 1837 and 19 December 1839. In 1851 George (48) was an agricultural labourer living ‘near Downholland Hall’, with Martha and John and two granddaughters. In 1861 he was an agricultural labourer (60), at Altcar Road, Downholland with his wife Martha and son John.14 It was probably Martha who died at Downholland aged 71 and was buried at Halsall on 11 August 1876. In 1871 George Shaw was a lodger and widower at Haskayne.

Richard Shaw

Richard was born in January 1803, but buried on 14 February aged one month.

Ann Shaw (born 1808) and Thomas Green

4 Ann was born on 30 March 1806 (baptised 27 April). Ann Shaw married Thomas Green, labourer after banns at Halsall on 2 January 1832.15

Their first child was probably James (c. 1834), buried at Halsall on 8 March 1840. Thomas Green was a Halsall boatman when a son George was baptised at Halsall on 24 May 1835, but buried there on 11 March 1836. Anne was baptised on 4 February 1838 (her father a Downholland labourer) and a second James on 1 April 1840 (Thomas a labourer of Haskayne, Downholland).

In 1841 Thomas (c. 30) was living at Downholland with Ann (c. 35) and [their children] Mary (8, born c. 1833), Ann (3), James (1).

Another son Thomas was born at Haskayne and baptised at Halsall on 9 May 1842 (his father a boatman). By 1851 Thomas (a boatman) and his family had moved to (next door to the Stocks Tavern), with five surviving children: Mary (18), Ann (13), James (10), Thomas (8) and Robert (6, born c. 1845), all born at Halsall.

By 1861 all the children had left home and Thomas (still a boatman, 52, born at Downholland) and Ann (55) were in Parbold Village. 1871. In 1881 Thomas and Ann were in a Parbold Cottage: Thomas (73) was now a miller’s labourer. Ann was 75 and living with them was their unmarried coalminer son James.

Thomas Shaw (1808—1808); Margaret Shaw (born 1809)

Thomas was born on 2 March 1808 and baptised on 10 April, but was buried on 13 November, aged 9 months. Margaret was born on 2 September 1809 (baptised 24 September)

John Shaw (born 1811) and Sarah Pye

Ellen’s youngest brother John was born on 28 October and baptised on 24 November 1811. John married Sarah, who was probably Sarah Pye, widow, who married John Shaw, husbandman at chapel on 6 January 1834: both were of Halsall parish and a witness was George Shaw. Children Margaret, Ellen and Alice were baptised at Halsall on 7 September 1834, 6 September 1835 and 29 February 1840, when John was a Haskayne labourer. This first Margaret was buried at Halsall on 28 September. John was still a Haskayne labourer when William was baptised on 22 August 1841. Margaret and Robert were baptised at Lydiate on 15 June 1845 and 15 April 1849, when John was a labourer of Haskayne and of Downholland respectively. Margaret died at Downholland in 1846 and was buried at Halsall on 19 July. John (39) was a farm labourer at Haskayne in 1851, with his wife Sarah and children Alice (12) and William (9). In 1861 John (49) was an agricultural labourer at Liverpool Road, Downholland, with his wife Sarah. In 1871 John and Sarah (62 and 66) had a cottage at Downholland on the Lydiate boundary.16

Sarah Shaw of Downholland was buried at Halsall on 7 May 1880, aged 73. In 1881 John Shaw was a widower (69) and agricultural labourer on the boundary, living with his Melling-born granddaughter Sarah Alice Shaw (19). 1891

[Ellen was born (as we have seen) in 1814].

Mary Shaw (born 1817)

Ellen’s youngest sister Mary was born on 14 March 1817 and baptised on 23 March. An illegitmate child Thomas, born to Mary at Barton, Downholland was baptised at Halsall on 13 August 1843. Mary (‘of Downholland, daughter of ‘George Shaw, labourer’) was married at Halsall on 8 September 1845 to Edward Bradshaw, a Downholland labourer: one Catherine Shaw was a witness.

After Thomas their first children were James and Margaret (both born at Haskayne and baptised at Halsall on I February 1846 and 28 May 1848, their father a labourer). The family then moved to Aughton where a second son William was born: he was baptised there on 26 May 1850, his father still a labourer. In 1851 Edward was an agricultural labourer (37, born Altcar) living at Fir Lane, Aughton with Mary (34, born Halsall), Thomas (7), James (5), Margaret (2) and William (10 months). By 1852 the family were in , where Margaret died, aged 4: she was buried there on 12 March. A second Margaret was born 5 at Ormskirk and baptised there on 27 December 1852 and by the September quarter 1856 when Alice was born they had all moved to Scarisbrick. In 1861 Edward was a husbandman (48) at Aspinal Lane, Scarisbrick with Mary (42) and the two youngest children Margaret and Alice.

1861, 1871, 1881, 1891

It was perhaps Mary who died in Ormskirk district in December quarter 1887, aged 70.

Birth of Ellen Shaw’s daughter Margaret, future wife of Daniel Ledson

‘Margaret, daughter of Ellen Shaw, single woman’ was born in 1836 at Barton, Downholland and baptised at Halsall on 4 December. At the 1841 census Margaret was living with her mother and grandparents at Barton, with Jane Threlfall (a farmer) and John Stopforth (an agricultural labourer) as their next-door neighbours. George Shaw was then a 75-year-old agricultural labourer.17

The family unit was identical in 1851, living next door to John Stopforth and his family, although the 83- year-old George Shaw was now a ‛pauper formerly labourer’ and Ellen and Margaret were both ‘employed at farmhouses’: the neighbours were Paul Shacklady (farmer) and Stopforth.18

George Shaw’s wife Margaret died at Downholland in December 1855, aged 85, and was buried at Halsall on 12 December. Margaret’s death did not disturb the regular charity payments to ‘George Shaw, senior’, which were duly collected at Christmas 1855 (7s), Easter 1856 (6s), Christmas 1857 (8s) and Easter 1858 (7s).

Marriage of Margaret Shaw and Daniel Ledson

On 21 September 1856 Margaret Shaw, now of Summer Street, Liverpool and calling herself the daughter of ‘Edward Shaw, labourer’ married Daniel Ledson of Melling (but by then ‘of Hopwood Street’). The wedding took place at St John’s, Liverpool, with William Tyrer and Elizabeth Pye as witnesses: these both marked.

Margaret and Daniel Ledson’s first child Ellen was born at Barton on 23 April 1857 (although her father’s residence was shown as Melling): she was baptised at Halsall on 17 May.

Five months later Margaret’s grandfather George Shaw died at Downholland aged 89: he was buried at Halsall on 4 October 1857. Charity payments in George’s name duly ceased, but from Easter 1858 payments of 2s 6d were made to [George’s daughter]and Margaret’s mother Ellen Shaw, whose name replaced George’s in the same position in the lists. At the census of 7 April 1861 Ellen Shaw, now an agricultural labourer of 46, was living alone at Barton, next door to John Hesketh (farmer) and John Stopforth.19

On 17 June 1861 at Melling, Ellen Shaw of Barton (by now 46) married William Smith, a bachelor and labourer aged c. 74, of Haskayne.20 Ellen marked her signature and the witnesses were Ellen’s son-in-law Daniel Ledson and Edwin Foster. Ellen continued to receive payments from the Downholland charities in the name of ‘Ellen Shaw’ until Christmas 1862, but the payments of 2s 6d from Easter 1863 to Easter 1865 (but not afterwards) were to ‘William Smith (Shaw’s)’.

By 1867 Ellen and William Smith were living in the centre of Liverpool at 9 Ryleys Gardens, beside Moorfields and on its south-west side. Here William died, aged ‘80’ and was buried at Halsall on 14 May 1867.21

After 12 years of marriage Margaret Ledson died of typhus at Fazakerley on 14 August 1868 aged 31, and was buried at Melling.

In 1871 Margaret’s mother Ellen Smith was working as a servant to James Wilson, a farmer at Elm Grove between Longmoor Lane and Higher Lane, in Fazakerley.22 9 Ryley’s Gardens was by now occupied by Henry Smith, a 50-year-old brewer born at Barton, together with his Welsh-born wife Margaret and several other persons from Ireland, Manchester and Scotland, all marked ‘emigrants going to America’.23 6 In 1880, but not before or after, ‘Ellen Smith’ appears in the Liverpool directory at ‘Aintree Lane, Aintree’. The 1881 census shows her, now a widow of 67, as a shop-keeper at ‘Aintree Lane, Kirkby’ (next door to Alfred Churchley, a gardener): Ellen had one of her grandaughters (Elizabeth Ledson, a laundress) living with her, together with a lodger (George Gill, a coachman).24

By 1891 Ellen Smith was blind, living with her grandson Edward Molyneux at 31 Warbreck Moor, Aintree.25 She died there (‘widow of William Smith, general labourer’) of ‘bronchitis and senectus’ on 24 January 1892, aged 78 and was buried at Halsall on 27 January. Her grandson Edward Molyneux registered the death that day.

©T.M. Steel (6 February 2014)

Copy documents in author’s collection Will of Geo. Shaw, 1725* M Cert Geo. Shaw & Mgt Lea, 1794* 1841 census Downholland, Geo. & Mgt Shaw & Ellen Shaw* 1851 census Downholland, Geo. & Mgt Shaw & Ellen Shaw & Mgt Shaw* M Cert Mgt Shaw & Dan. Ledson, 1856* 1861 census Downholland, Ellen Shaw* M Cert Ellen Shaw & Wm Smith, 1861* D Cert Ellen Smith, 1892* Will of Ellen Smith, 1892*

7 1 For christenings, marriages & burials [hereafter cmbs] at Halsall before 1754: T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish of Halsall, 1606–1754’, Lancs Parish Register Soc. [hereafter L.P.R.S.] (105), 1966 2 W. Farrer & J. Brownbill (eds), Victoria History of the County of Lancaster (, 1907) [hereafter V.C.H.], III, p. 197 3 The National Archives [hereafter T.N.A.], E 179/250/11, 9 4 S. Harrop (ed.), Families & Cottages of Old Birkdale & Ainsdale (Preston, 1992), p. 13 5 Harrop, Families & Cottages, pp. 13–17 6 Reports from the Commissioners (7 vols), Charities in & Wales (19), vol. xi (1828), 3 rd vol., pp. 119 —121; Lancs Archives [formerly Lancs Record Office, hereafter L.A.], PR 2956/3/2 & 1/3 (Overseers’ accounts, charity monies 1744—1801 & Interest money paid to the poor 1806 onwards) 7 There were similarly unrepeated payments of 2s 6d to ‘Shaw’s children’ 1744 & Easter 1745 8 L.A., DDSc/11/12 9 L.A., PR 2956/3/2 & 1/3 10 Not to be confused with her illegitimate sister Ellen Lea, b. 21 years before 11 Rich (‛husbandman, Halsall’) marked; Betty was a Halsall spinster; wits were Jas Witter & Tim Sumner 12 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/246/14 13 L.A., PR 306, e.g. Dec. 1851 14 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/280/13; RG 9/2758/f.53/p. 8 15 Both were of ‘Halsall’; both marked; wits Jn x Shaw & Thos Sumner 16 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/268/24; RG 9/2758/52/6; RG 10/3871/54/6 17 T.N.A., HO 107/512/2/3/7/6* 18 T.N.A., RG 9/2758/3B/37/1 19 T.N.A., RG 9/2758/39r/6* 20 Wm was perhaps s. of Richd & Mary Smith of Downholland, bapt. Ormskirk 10 Oct. 1788 21 Ryley’s Gardens do not appear in st dirs of the period. They had once been gardens, ‘occupied by Mr Riley, a gentleman whose house stood in them’: J. Stonehouse, The Streets of Liverpool (Liverpool, 1869), p. 29; the small st still survives 22 Ellen’s s.-in-law Dan. Ledson was shortly to become farm bailiff to Wilson 23 T.N.A., RG 10/3771/94/6 24 T.N.A., RG 11/3689/14/22 [Kirkby township] (next entry: Nicholson’s Lane) 25 T.N.A., RG 12/2975/p. 20. The numbering sequence ran: 1–3, 6–9, 11, 27 (Edwd Pope, cowkeeper), 29 (Eliza Halstead, a Yorks wid. & her young family), 31, 102 (away), 100 & 104 (empty), 98 (caretaker of public house), 106 (corn & provision merchant)