The Family of Isabella Halsall

In the various Census records John Halsall gives his place of birth as Garstang and, judging by his stated age, he would have been born in about 1802/03. There is a baptism recorded in the registers for SS Mary & Michael Catholic Church in Bonds, Garstang of a John Halsall, son of John and Bella Halsall, who was born 1 December 1802 and baptized on 3 December 1802. The Sponsors were John Hesket and Mary Latus.

John Halsall married Ellen Smith on 13 November 1827 at St Mary's Parish Church in Lancaster. John was a bachelor and Ellen was a spinster. Both were described as "of Myerscough". They were married after Banns by R. Watson, Curate. The witnesses were Richard Halsall and Elizabeth Smith, who were married 4 years later in the same church.

Their first child, Thomas was born in Thurnham on 24 Aug 1828 and baptized the next day at St Thomas & St Elizabeth Catholic Church in Thurnham. John was described as a blacksmith of Ellel, and the sponsors were Richard Halsall and Elizabeth Smith.

Their son Richard was born almost exactly a year later, on 22 August 1829 and was baptized in the same church the following day. The sponsors were Richard Smith and Ellen Hothersall.

Their next child, John Jr. was born in Thurnham on 23 September 1831 and was baptized on the 25th at the above mentioned church. By then John Sr. was listed as a blacksmith of Thurnham, and the sponsors were Thomas Smith and Isabella Ball.

Sometime after the birth of John Jr. the family appear to have moved again. According to the 1851 Census the family were living in or near Samlesbury by about 1835 when their daughter Elizabeth was born. However, none of their younger children born in Samlesbury were baptized at the Catholic church there and I can find no record of their baptisms elsewhere. This includes the baptism record for their daughter Isabella.

By the night of the 1841 Census the family had moved again, this time to Preston:

1841 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BORN IN THE COUNTY?
John Halsall	M	35	Blacksmith	Yes
Ellen Halsall	F	35	-	Yes
Thomas Halsall	M	12	-	Yes
John Halsall	M	9	-	Yes
Elizabeth Halsall	F	5	-	Yes
Isabella Halsall	F	3	-	Yes
Jane Halsall	F	2	-	Yes

NOTES:
1:	Living at Ribbleton Street, Preston. (HO-107-499/18, folio 16, pages 25 & 26)
2:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

10 years later the family are still living in Ribbleton Street but Isabella is not at home on Census Night and I cannot find her listed anywhere else. This may have been an oversight or it may be that her name was so badly misspelled or mis-transcribed that finding her is impossible.

1851 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Halsall	Head	Married	M	48	Blacksmith	Garstang, Lancashire
Ellen Halsall	Wife	Married	F	47	-	Alston, Lancashire
John Halsall	Son	Unmarried	M	19	Blacksmith	Thurnham, Lancashire
Elizabeth Halsall	Daughter	Unmarried	F	15	Cotton Weaver	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Jane Halsall	Daughter	-	F	11	-	Samlesbury, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 10 Ribbleton Street, Preston. (HO-107-2267, folio 768, page 46)
2:	John Halsall Jr was listed as working with his father.
3:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

By the night of the 1861 Census their daughter Isabella had married John Swarbrick and given birth to her first child. John and Isabella were living with her parents at that time:

1861 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Halsall	Head	Married	M	58	Blacksmith	Garstang, Lancashire
Ellen Halsall	Wife	Married	F	57	Housekeeper	Alston, Lancashire
Jane Halsall	Daughter	Unmarried	F	21	Cotton Weaver	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Ellen Halsall	Granddau.	-	F	10	Scholar	Preston, Lancashire
John Swarbrick	Son-in-Law	Married	M	26	Plasterer	Preston, Lancashire
Isabella Swarbrick	Daughter	Married	F	23	Cotton Weaver	Samlesbury, Lancashire
James Ignatius Swarbrick	Son	-	F	4 mos	-	Preston, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 31 Meadow Street, Preston. (RG9-3137, folio 40, page 17)
2:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

The last appearance of Isabella's parents in the census Returns was in 1871:

1871 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Halsall	Head	Married	M	68	Blacksmith	Garstang, Lancashire
Ellen Halsall	Wife	Married	F	67	-	Alston, Lancashire
Mary J. Halsall	Daughter	Unmarried	F	31	Cotton Weaver	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Ellen Halsall	Granddau.	-	F	20	Cotton Weaver	Preston, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 31 Meadow Street, Preston. (RG10-4210, folio 91, page 52)
2:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

John and Ellen Halsall were buried in Preston Cemetery in Grave 477 in RC Section A.

Grave A 477 was purchased by John Swarbrick in June 1866 upon the death of his wife Isabella, whose parents and sister were also buried in this private family grave:

John Halsall, age 76, of 31 Meadow Street, Preston, was buried on 24 May 1879. It was the 3rd interment.

Ellen Halsall, age 77, of 31 Meadow Street, Preston, was buried on 29 December 1880, the 4th interment.

After the death of her parents, Isabella's sister continued to live in Meadow Street and was recorded there on the night of the 1881 Census:

1881 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
Mary Jane Halsall	Head	Unmarried	F	41	Confectioner	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Ellen Halsall	Niece	Unmarried	F	30	Assistant	Preston, Lancashire
Ann Gregson	Boarder	Unmarried	F	48	Assistant	Whitingham, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 31 Meadow Street, Preston. (RG11-4235, folio 92, page 5)
2:	Her niece and boarder were listed as Confectioner's Assistants.
3:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

Mary Jane Halsall died a couple of months after the above Census was taken. She was buried with her parents and sister Isabella in grave A 477 at Preston Cemetery. She was buried on 25 June 1881, aged only 41 years.
Hers was the 5th interment.

NOTES:
1:	The grave was purchased by John Swarbrick in June 1866 for the burial of his first wife, Isabella. It contains 9 burials.
2:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies of the Preston Cemetery burial registers held at the Lancashire Archives.