Martha Balmer was born in 1862 [1] in Preston, Lancashire, England, the daughter of Edward Balmer, a shoemaker. [2] She was baptised on 17 January 1862 at Saint John's church, Preston, Lancashire. [3]
Her mother died in 1863. Her father remarried in 1868 in Derby and in 1871 was living there with his new wife. [4]
In 1871, Martha and her older sister Martha, aged 8 and 10 respectively, were in the workhouse in Whiston, Lancashire. [5]
Martha had an illegitimate daughter Eleanor in 1880.
In 1881 Martha was living at 19, Victoria Street, Warrington with her grandfather, a shoemaker, her sister Mary and her daughter. Like her sister, Martha was a weaver. [6]
On 27 August 1882 in St Elphin's church, Warrington, Martha married Abraham Whittaker, a file cutter. Witnesses were John Hussey and Abraham's sister, Mary Mason. [2]
In 1891 she lived on Victoria Street Warrington with her husband and four children. [7]
Sources
↑ "Birth Entry" England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp accessed 12 July 2021 database entry for BALMER, MARTHA Mother's maiden surname: BIRCH ), GRO Reference: 1862 M Quarter in PRESTON Volume 08E Page 455
↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27G-46M9 : 13 December 2017), Martha Balmer in household of Edward Balmer, Warrington, Lancashire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales Census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 6, Piece/Folio 3796/82, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,089.
↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7W1Q-SZM : 23 February 2021), Abraham Whittaker, Warrington, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Lancashire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
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