The Family of Elizabeth Banks: Census Returns

William Banks of Preston, the son of Joseph & Elizabeth Banks, and Ellen Ryding of Preston, the daughter of Roger & Margaret Ryding, were married at St Ignatius' Catholic Church in Preston on 2 June 1839. They were married by Father Francis West and the witnesses were Robert Caton & Mary Blundell, both of Preston.

Their first child, Elizabeth was born on 8 September 1840 and was baptized by Father West on 20 September 1840 at St Ignatius Church. The sponsors were William Latus & Mary Blundell.

Although Elizabeth was the first child born after their marriage, they actually had an older daughter, Margaret, who was born the year before they married. Her birth was registered in Preston in 1838 as Margaret Banks, mother's maiden name Riding (sic).

By the night of the 1841 Census the young family were living on Bedford Street in Preston:

NOTES:
1:	Living at Bedford Street, Preston. (HO-107-499/6, folios 6 & 7, pages 6 & 7)
2:	Elizabeth's birth was registered as "Betsey" and she seems to have been called that or Betty by her family.
3:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

Over the next several years William and Ellen had a large family - possibly as many as eleven children, although not all of them survived infancy. By 1861 their eldest daughter Margaret, who would have been about 23, had left home and they were living in Byron Street with 6 children and their son-in-law:

1861 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
William Banks	Head	Married	M	45	Brick maker	Preston, Lancashire
Ellen Banks	Wife	Married	F	43	-	Preston, Lancashire
Catherine Banks	Daughter	Unmarried	F	18	Weaver, Cotton	Preston, Lancashire
Mary Banks	Daughter	Unmarried	F	16	Weaver, Cotton	Preston, Lancashire
William Banks	Son	Unmarried	M	14	Brick Maker's Boy	Preston, Lancashire
Anne Banks	Daughter	-	F	11	Scholar	Preston, Lancashire
Joseph Banks	Son	-	M	9	Scholar	Preston, Lancashire
Thomas Swarbrick	Visitor	Married	M	22	Iron Moulder	Preston, Lancashire
Betsy Swarbrick	Visitor	Married	F	20	Cotton Weaver	Preston, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 38 Byron Street, Preston. (RG9-3133, folio 107, pages 17 & 18)
2:	Thomas and Elizabeth "Betsy" had only been married for a few months and were expecting their first child by the date of this Census, which may explain why they were staying with her parents.
3:	The above information is taken from microfilmed copies held at the Lancashire Archives.

1881 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
William Banks	Head	Married	M	64	Grocer	Preston, Lancashire
Ellen Banks	Wife	Married	F	63	-	Preston, Lancashire
Joseph Banks	Son	Married	M	29	Outdoor Labourer	Preston, Lancashire
William Banks	Grandson	-	M	10	Scholar	Preston, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 115 Brook Street, Preston. (RG11-4232, folio 107, page 24)
2:	Joseph was married but his wife Agnes and their two other children were living as lodgers at another address in Preston.
3:	The above information is taken from copies on microfiche held at the Lancashire Archives.

William Banks died in March of 1885 and was buried in Preston Cemetery. The following is a list of the eight burials in his private grave, including his wife and several children:

Private Grave, RC Section C 766 Grave C 766 was purchased by Ellen (Ryding) Banks upon the death of her husband. His was the first of 8 burials, and he was buried 22 ft deep:

	William Banks, of 115 Brook Street, age 68, buried 13 March 1885, No. 23391 Jane Carter of 44 Hammond Street, age 26, buried 25 March 1885, burial no. 23418 Catherine Jackson of 66 Ripon Street, age 48, buried 17 December 1891, burial no. 29958 (nee Banks, wife of John Jackson, married 1867) Ellen Banks of 224 Brook Street, age 74, buried 7 March 1893, burial no. 3118 (nee Ryding, widow of William Banks) Samuel Blackburn of 129 Hammond Street, age 25, buried 8 July 1896, burial no. 34201 Elizabeth Banks of 2 Atkinson Street, age 53, buried 21 August 1899, burial no. 36996 (nee Edwards, wife of William Banks Jr, married 1865) William Banks Jr of 2 Atkinson Street, age 54, buried 18 July 1901, burial no. 38910 Margaret Topping of 133 Hammond Street, age 84, buried 25 September 1922, burial no. 53848 (nee Banks, widow of Thomas Topping, married in Liverpool in 1858)

1841 CENSUS OF PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BORN IN THE COUNTY?
William Banks	M	20	Brick maker	Yes
Ellen Banks	F	20	-	Yes
Margaret Banks	F	3	-	Yes
Betty Banks	F	1	-	Yes