The Henry Harold Harrison Family

Biography

John Harrison was the eldest son of John Harrison and Jemima Whittle. He was born in 1813 in Coppull less than a year after his parents were married and was baptized at Chorley St. Laurence Anglican church on 2 September 1813. John grew up on his parents farms in Coppull and Adlington where he no doubt was employed helping his father’s farm. John went on to become a farmer for most of his working life.

Circa 1834, John married Elizabeth Ormandy of Upholland. 

There have not been any records found of the births of John and Elizabeth’s first two sons, Joseph and John Jr. Our first record of the family is the birth record of William Harrison in 1838. The family was living in Heath Charnock, north of Adlington. John was working as a canal bank ranger, overseeing locks and traffic on the Leeds Liverpool Canal (near what is now the Chorley Golf Club). By 1840, when daughter Alice was born, John was still employed as a canal ranger, and the family had moved to Adlington. In the 1841 census, John’s wife Elizabeth was enumerated living at Toll House in Adlington, occupation shopkeeper, with their children William and Alice, and John’s sister, Ellen Harrison. John was not at home when the census taker called, nor were their two older sons, In 1843 when daughter Ellen Ormandy was born, John had left the canal job and was employed as a labourer.

Circa 1846, John became the innkeeper at the Waggon & Horses Inn on Nightingale Road in Adlington. The family took up residence at the inn and several Harrison children were born there. The 1851 census recorded John, Elizabeth, and eight children (excluding Joseph the eldest and Henry who was not yet born) at the inn on the night of 30 March 1851. The family was at the Waggon & Horses when Henry was born in December 1853. However, by 1855 John was back working as a labourer, and around that time the family moved from Adlington to Wigan. This move probably transpired around the same time as when eldest son Joseph moved with his family from Blackrod, near Adlington, to Wigan.

The 1861 census taker found John and his family living at 134 Great George Street close to the centre of Wigan. John listed his occupation as a colliery agent. All of their children except the two eldest sons, Joseph and John, were living with the parents. John’s mother Jemima was also at the home of John and Elizabeth on the night of 7 April 1861—whether living there or visiting it is not known.

At the time of the 1871 census, the family address had changed to nearby 17 St. Thomas Street; John was still working as a colliery agent. Children Jemima, James and Henry were living with their parents, and also staying at their home was Mary E Williams, a granddaughter (probably fathered out of wedlock by one of John’s sons) and James Ormandy, a nephew, probably the son of Elizabeth’s brother, James.

In the 1881 census, John and Elizabeth were both approaching age 70 and, as people of few means, were struggling to make ends meet. They had moved to 148 Chapel Lane, Wigan, where John was employed as a cowkeeper, and Elizabeth as a dairy maiden. However, they still had family with them. His son James, his wife Annie, and children Jemima (age 13), Roland (age 2) and Nellie (age 1) were all living with John and Elizabeth. Their son Henry was living at the house next door with his wife and four children.

Circa 1882, John and Elizabeth, along with James, Annie, and children, all moved to Elm Farm, Little Lane, Pemberton. This farm, 2 km or so from Wigan town centre, is still shown on modern maps. Three years later, on 4 September 1885, John Harrison died of pneumonia at age 72. He was buried in the churchyard of Standish St Wilfrid with his mother, Jemima Whittle. His wife Elizabeth died a few months later on 27 December 1885 and was buried with her husband and mother-in-law.

Research Notes

There is no direct evidence that John and Elizabeth were the parents of Joseph Harrison and therefore the great grandparents of Henry Harold. Joseph was born before mandatory civil registration began in 1837. We have not been able to locate a record of his baptism. Although he should have been living with his parents at the time of the 1841 census, the census-taker appears to have missed both John and Joseph. By the time of the 1851 census Joseph was apprenticed and no longer living with his family.

Therefore we have had to rely on the following indirect evidence to make this family connection:

• In 1855 Joseph identified his father in his marriage register as John Harrison, a labourer. This John Harrison was a labourer prior to 1846 and may have become a labourer again upon leaving the Waggon & Horses
• Joseph was born in Adlington, as were all of John and Elizabeth’s children insofar as we know (some census records incorrectly give their birthplaces as Standish)
• Joseph named one of his daughters “Jemima”, a very unusual given name at that time and place, but also the name of John’s mother
• Joseph named one of his daughters “Maria Ormandy Harrison.” Ormandy was Elizabeth’s maiden name
• The 1901 census for the Honeysuckle Inn recorded a John Harrison, age 26, identified as a cousin of Henry Harrison. John and Elizabeth Harrison’s son William had a son of this age and lived in Poolstock in 1901
• We have not been able to identify any other “John Harrison” who might reasonably be a candidate for Joseph’s father

The names of firstborn children can also be evidence of family ties as they were often, although not always, named after their grandparents. Joseph and Ellen named their first two sons Edward and Henry, most likely after Ellen’s father and grandfather. (They did not give the name John to any of their children.) They did, however, name their first daughter Elizabeth, perhaps after Joseph’s mother.

Taken together this evidence, albeit indirect, is compelling in establishing John and Elizabeth as Joseph’s parents.

Their marriage record has not been located, either in Standish or Chorley, so they may have married at Upholland St. Thomas.

Source Documents

• Baptism Record of John Harrison (1813–1885)
• 1851 Census Record of John Harrison (1813–1885) and household
• 1861 Census Record of John Harrison (1813–1885) and household
• 1871 Census Record of John Harrison (1813–1885) and household
• 1881 Census Record of John Harrison (1813–1885), Henry Harrison (1853–?), and households
• Death Certificate of John Harrison (1813–1885)

Details

• Burial: Standish St. Wilfrid's Church Yard;
• Christening: 1813-03-12, Chorley St Laurence;
• Birth Registration: 1813 ;

  Per 1871 Census, John reported that he was from Coppull, not Standish.

• Residence: 1814-05-01, Coppull; John & Jemima Harrison family home.

  Per Baptism Record of brother James, Coppull Chapel, 1 May 1814.

• Residence: 1815-10-15, Coppull; John & Jemima Harrison family home.

  Per Baptism Record for brother James, Coppull Chapel, 15 Oct 1815.

• Residence: 1817-04-16, Coppull; John & Jemima Harrison family home.

  Per Baptism Record for brother William, Coppull Chapel, 16 Apr 1817.

• Residence: 1820-07-30, Coppull; John & Jemima Harrison family home.

  Per Baptism Record for sister Alice, Coppull Chapel, 30 Jul 1820.

• Residence: 1824-06-20, Coppull; John & Jemima Harrison family home.

  Per Baptism Record of sister Ellen, Coppull Chapel, 20 Jun 1824.

• Residence: 1833-06-16, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John & Jemima Harrison family home.

  Per Baptism Record of brother Henry, Coppull Chapel, 16 Jun 1833.

• Residence: 1838-08-23, Heath Charnock, Lancashire, England; John Harrison & Elizabeth Ormandy family home.

  Per William Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Occupation: 1838-08-23, Heath Charnock, Lancashire, England; Canal Bank Ranger.

  A Canal Bank Ranger tended to all aspects of a section of a canal including the locks, traffic, and licenses. John must have worked on the Leeds Liverpool Canal, the only canal in the area of Heath Charnock.

• Occupation: 1840-12-15, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Bank Ranger.

  Per Alice Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Residence: 1840-12-15, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John Harrison & Elizabeth Ormandy family home.

  Per Alice Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Residence: 1840-12-15, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John Harrison & Elizabeth Ormandy family home.

  Per Alice Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Occupation: 1841-01-24, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Labourer.

  Per Alice Harrison’s Baptism Record.

• Residence: 1841-01-24, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per Alice Harrison’s Baptism Record.

• Occupation: 1843-02-09, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Labourer.

  Per Ellen Ormandy Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Residence: 1843-02-09, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John Harrison & Elizabeth Ormandy family home.

  Per Ellen Ormandy Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Residence: 1843-03-03, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per Ellen Ormandy Harrison’s Baptism Record.

• Occupation: 1843-03-03, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Labourer.

  Per Ellen Ormandy Harrison’s Baptism Record.

• Residence: 1845-03-16, Adlington, Lancashire, England;

  Per Jemima’s Birth Certificate.

• Occupation: 1845-03-16, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Labourer.

  Per Jemima’s Birth Certificate.

• Residence: 1847-06-07, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per Elizabeth Harrison’s Birth Certificate, likely the Waggon & Horses.

• Occupation: 1847-06-07, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Innkeeper.

  Per Elizabeth Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Occupation: 1847-08-08, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Publican.

  Per Elizabeth Harrison’s Baptism Record.

• Occupation: 1849-04-04, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Innkeeper.

  Per James Harrison’s Birth Certificate, probably at the Waggon & Horses.

• Residence: 1849-04-04, Adlington, Lancashire, England;

  Per James Harrison’s Birth Certificate, probably at the Waggon & Horses.

• Residence: 1850-12-20, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John & Elizbeth Harrison family home.

  Per Mozella Harrison’s Birth Certificate and per 1851 Census, the family almost certainly lived at the Waggon & Horses.

• Occupation: 1850-12-30, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Innkeeper.

  Per Mozella Harrison’s Birth Certificate and per 1851 Census, John was almost certainly at the Waggon & Horses.

• Residence: 1851-03-30, Waggon & Horses, Adlington;

  Per 1851 Census.

• Occupation: 1851-03-30, Waggon & Horses, Adlington; Inn Keeper.

  Per 1851 Census.

• Residence: 1853-12-10, Adlington, Lancashire, England; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per Henry Harrison’s Birth Certificate. They were likely still living at the Waggon & Horses, because John’s occupation is still innkeeper.

• Occupation: 1853-12-10, Adlington, Lancashire, England; Innkeeper.

  Per Henry Harrison’s Birth Certificate.

• Occupation: 1855-10-14, Unknown; Labourer.

  Per Joseph Harrison’s Marriage Registration.

• Residence: 1861-04-07, 134 Great George Street, Wigan; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per 1861 Census.

• Occupation: 1861-04-07, Wigan, Lancashire; Colliery Agent.

  Per 1861 Census.

• Occupation: 1870-09-17 ; Colliery Manager.

  Per Marriage Certificate of son William Harrison and Ann Williams.

• Residence: 1870-09-17, St Thomas Street, Wigan; John and Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per Marriage Certificate of son William Harrison and Ann Williams.

• Residence: 1871-04-02, 17 St Thomas Street, Wigan; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per 1871 Census.

• Occupation: 1871-04-02, Wigan, Lancashire; Colliery Agent.

  Per 1871 Census.

• Occupation: 1873-01-29, Wigan; Colliery Manager.

  Per Henry Harrison–Alice Austin Marriage Register

• Residence: 1881-04-03, 148 Chapel Lane, Wigan; John & Elizabeth Harrison family home.

  Per 1881 Census.

• Occupation: 1881-04-03, Wigan, Lancashire; Cowkeeper.

  Per 1881 Census.

• Occupation: 1885-09-04 ; Retired Coal Merchant.

  Per Death Certificate.

• Residence: 1885-09-04, Elm Farm, Little Lane, Pemberton;

  Per Death Certificate.