The Family of Margaret Dixon

Margaret Dixon was the daughter of John Dixon and Ellen Harrison, who were married at St Mary's Church in Lancaster on 25 September 1869. When the 1881 Census was taken on 3 April 1881 Ellen would have been heavily pregnant with Margaret, who was born two days later:

1881 CENSUS OF BULK, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Dixon	Head	Married	M	56	Farmer	Scotforth, Lancashire
Ellin Dixon	Wife	Married	F	40	Farmer's Wife	Garstang, Lancashire
William Harrison	Son	Unmarried	M	16	Farmer's Son	Forton, Lancashire
James Dixon	Son	-	M	13	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
Richard Dixon	Son	-	M	10	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
Ann Dixon	Daughter	-	F	8	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
John Dixon	Son	-	M	6	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
Thomas Dixon	Son	-	M	4	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
Mary Dixon	Daughter	-	F	2	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
John Preston	Servant	Widower	M	30	Farm Servant	Cockerham, Lancashire
Mary Walmsley	Servant	Unmarried	F	26	General Servant	Cockerham, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at Bulk Bottom, Bulk, Lancashire. (RG11-4263, folio 70, page 6)
2:	John Dixon's full occupation was listed as "Farmer of 73 Acres Employing 1 Man and 1 Woman".
3:	William Harrison was Ellen's son, born before she married John Dixon. He later used the surname Dixon. James was also born before they married but was almost certainly the natural son of John Dixon and always used the Dixon surname.
4:	Ellen's name was misspelled Ellin on the Census schedule.
5:	The two servants were "indoor" servants, rather than working in the fields.
6:	The above information is taken from digital images at www.ancestry.co.uk.

Margaret was born on 5 April 1881 in Bulk, and was baptized on 4 May 1881 at St Mary's Church in Lancaster. The baptism register describes her as the daughter of John and Ellen Dixon of Bulk, Farmer. She was baptized by C.E. Adams.

By 1891 the family had grown further and were still living at Bulk Bottom:

1891 CENSUS OF BULK, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Dixon	Head	Married	M	66	Farmer	Scotforth, Lancashire
Ellen Dixon	Wife	Married	F	49	-	Garstang, Lancashire
William Dixon	Son	Unmarried	M	26	Assistant to above	Bulk, Lancashire
James Dixon	Son	-	M	23	Blacksmith	Bulk, Lancashire
Richard Dixon	Son	-	M	21	Farmer's Assistant	Bulk, Lancashire
Ann Dixon	Daughter	-	F	18	Pupil Teacher	Bulk, Lancashire
John Dixon	Son	-	M	16	Joiner's Apprentice	Bulk, Lancashire
Thomas Dixon	Son	-	M	14	Shopman's Assistant	Bulk, Lancashire
Mary Dixon	Daughter	-	F	12	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
Margaret Dixon	Daughter	-	F	10	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
George Dixon	Son	-	M	8	Scholar	Bulk, Lancashire
Robert Dixon	Son	-	M	5	-	Bulk, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at Bulk Bottom Farm, Bulk, Lancashire. (RG12-3464, folio 14, page 22)
2:	The above information is taken from digital images at www.ancestry.co.uk.

John Dixon died at Bulk on 2 June 1894, aged 69 years. His Will was brief and straightforward, appointing William and James as his Executors and leaving everything to his wife Ellen. He also made Ellen the guardian of his infant children. At the time of his death, he would have had six children under the age of 21 years.

From the National Probate Index, 1894:

	Dixon, John, of Bulk, near Lancaster, farmer, died 2 June 1894. Probate Lancaster 5 July (1894) to William Dixon, farmer, and James Dixon, blacksmith. Effects £1197 13s

John's widow, Ellen, died 2 years later, on 2 May 1896, aged 69 years. She also appointed her sons, William and James, as her Executors and she appointed them to be the guardians of her infant children, including Margaret - who would have been 15 years old.

From the National Probate Index, 1896:

	Dixon, Ellen, of Bulk, near Lancaster, widow, died 2 May 1896. Probate Lancaster 15 May (1896) to William Dixon, farmer, and James Dixon, blacksmith. Effects £1072 18s 7d