1851 Census
High Street, Preston
Richard Parker – head – married – 41 – Grinder & Glazier – Preston, Lancs
Betty Parker – wife – married – 39 – Hutton, Lancashire
James Parker – son – 7 – Hutton, Lancashire
Thomas Parker – son – 6 – Hutton, Lancashire
William Parker – son – 3 – Hutton, Lancashire
John Parker – son – 1 – Hutton, Lancashire
The family were still living on the High Street 10 years later with an addition to the family, a daughter, Elizabeth.
1861 Census
98 High Street, Preston
Richard Parker – head – married – 51 – Machine Grinder – Preston, Lancs
Elizabeth Parker – wife – married – 48 – Hutton, Lancashire
James Parker – son – 17 – Mechanic – Preston
Thomas Parker – son – 16 – Cotton Piecer – Preston
William Parker – son – 13 – Scholar – Preston
John Parker – son – 11 – Cotton Piecer – Preston
Elizabeth Parker – daughter – 7 – Scholar – Preston
In 1864 Thomas married Martha Nickson at the Preston Register Office. Both Thomas & Martha were 19 years old.
There marriage certificate reads ...
Twenty First March 1864
Thomas Parker - 19 - Bachelor - Profession: Cotton Piecer - Residence: 98 High Street, Preston - Father: Richard Parker - Father's Profession: Grinder in Factory
Martha Nickson - 19 - Spinster - Profession: Drawer in for Weavers - Residence: 4 Armside Street, Preston - Father: James Nickson - Father's Profession: Sawyer
X The mark of Thomas Parker
Martha Nickson signed her name
Witnesses: X the mark of John Gray & X the mark of Sarah Ellen Parker
The Lancashire birth records have an Elizabeth Ann Parker (with the mother's maiden name of Nickson) being born in the 2nd quarter of the year 1864. This would imply that Martha was pregnant when she got married or even the reason for the marriage.
The 1860's in Lancashire was a terrible time due to the cotton famine. Many people died and lots even emigrated to places like America to escape the poverty & deprivation.
The young couple didn't escape the misery and a few months after the birth of Elizabeth, she was dead.
6 years later, in the census of 1871, the couple had no living children but thankfully, Martha was pregnant with Esther's mother, Mary Ellen.
1871 Census
Bond Street, Pennington, Leigh
Thomas Parker – Head – 26 – Drawer in a cotton mill – Preston
Martha Parker – Wife – 26 – Cotton Twister – Glasson Dock
Mary Ellen was born on 15th June 1871.
1881 Census
214 Lorne Street, Farnworth, Lancs
Thomas Parker – Head – 36 – Drawer in a cotton mill – Preston
Martha Parker – Wife – 36 – Drawer in a cotton mill – Glazondock
Mary Ellen Parker – Daur – 9 – Scholar – Leigh
William Parker – Son – 6 – Scholar – Leigh
Richard Parker – Son – 3 – Scholar – Leigh
Sadly Martha died in 1887 aged 42 leaving Thomas alone with a young family. Sometime in the next 3 years he met & possibly married Susannah and had another daughter, Agnes.
1891 Census
155 Egerton Street, Farnworth
Thomas Parker – Head – 40! – M – Drawer Cotton Mill – Preston
Susannah Parker – Wife – M – 37 – Chester, Cheshire
Mary E Parker – Daur – 19 – Twister (cotton mill) – Leigh
William Parker – Son – 16 – Little piecer (cotton mill) – Leigh
Richard Parker – Son – 13 – ditto – Leigh
Agnes Parker – Daur – 9 months – Farnworth, Lancs
