Three of our ancestors – Thomas Barton (b. 1835), Ann Barton (b. 1840), and John Barton (b. 1843) – were born out of wedlock to Ellen Barton. They were all baptized as Bartons. As was the custom with children born ouot of wedlock the fathers’ names were not recorded in their baptismal entries. Ellen married Henry Mawdsley in 1844 and the couple had five more children. Based on the available evidence Henry Mawdsley is almost certainly the father of all of Ellen’s children including Thomas, Ann and John Barton.

Here is the evidence for this conclusion.:

  • Henry and Ellen were long time neighbours. The 1841 census for Skelmersdale records Henry Mawdsley living at Sefton Hall on page 5 and Ellen Barton living at Grimshaw on page 6. Assuming the census taker walked in a straigt line only seven families lived between the Mawdlsey and Barton residences
  • In 1851 Ellen’s son Thomas Barton (b. 1835) was enumerated at the household of Evan Mawdsley, Henry Mawdsley’s father. He is identified in the census as Evan Mawdsley’s grandson
  • In 1851 and 1861 Ann Barton (b. 1840) was enumerated living with her mother Ellen and Henry Mawdsley. Although she was baptized as Ann Barton, her name is consistently given as Ann Mawdsley in the census taking.
  • In the 1861 census both Thomas Barton and John Barton were enumerated in Skelmersdale, working as farmhands, under the name Barton.
  • When Ann Barton (b. 1840) got married in 1861 she identified her father as Henry Mawdsley in her marriage register 
  • In 1863 Ann Barton gave birth to her first child, Alice, and the birth was registered by her mother, Ellen. Ellen registered Ann’s maiden name as Mawdsley
  • Ann Barton (b. 1840) registered the births of her children consistently giving her maiden name as Barton. Ann’s husband, Edward, also consistently gave her maiden name as Barton
  • The 1871 census records a “John Mawdsley, Son” living with Ellen Mawdsley. Based on his age he is clearly the child Ellen baptized John Barton. John retained the surname Mawdsley in 1881 after his mother passed away

To this day descendants of Henry and Ellen Mawdsley refer to the Bartons, who are featured in old family albums, as “Barton cousins.”