Genealogy Chat

Hi, hoping someone can help me trace anything about my maternal great grandmother, Agnes Mabel Lawrence, the common law wife of my Great Grandfather George Creasey. I have been unable to find anything about her other than she gave birth to my grandma, Florence Jenny Creasey in 1893 and my gt. uncle James William Creasey in 1894 at 8 Mary Ann St. Accrington, Lancashire and on the birth certificates she is named as Agnes Mabel Creasey, formerly Lawrence although I know they were not married. George was already married to Hannah Barnes. My grandma always said she did not know her mother and was brought up by George's mother but in 1901 census Agnes, George and James were living in a boarding house in Cross St. Accrington. By 1903 George was living with a Maria Whittaker.I cannot find what happened to Agnes. The only possible link is a barmaid in Blackburn called Agnes Lawrence in 1891 census who came from Douglas, Isle of Man, but I have been unable to find any trace of her in the Isle of Man records. I can find no birth or death records for Agnes and any help would be appreciated.

is this her in 1901

1901 England Census about Agnes M Creasey
Name: Agnes M Creasey
Age: 33
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Relation to Head: Boarder
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Manchester, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: Accrington
Ecclesiastical parish: St James
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Haslingden
Sub-registration district: Accrington
ED, institution, or vessel: 39
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3860
Folio: 197
Page Number: 6
Household schedule number: 34
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Fish 51
Nancy Fish 44
Ellena Lonsdale 41
Thomas Bailey 45
Thomas Kenyon 54
George Creasey 39
Agnes M Creasey 33
James Creasey 6

looks like James with grandparents in 1911

1911 England Census about James William Creasey
Name: James William Creasey
Age in 1911: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1895
Relation to Head: Grandson
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Accrington, Lancaster, England
Civil Parish: Accrington
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 2 Holden St Accrington
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Textile Iron Fitter
Registration district: Haslingden
Registration District Number: 471
Sub registration district: Accrington
ED, institution, or vessel: 15
Piece: 24763
Household Members:
Name Age
Martha Creasey 69
James William Creasey 16
James William Creasey 25
Ada Creasey 29
Fanny Creasey 4
Gilbert Creasey 7

Florence in 1911

1911 England Census about Jennie Florance Creasey
Name: Jennie Florance Creasey
Age in 1911: 18
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893
Relation to Head: Niece
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Accrington, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: Accrington
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 2 Lydia St Accrington
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Weaver
Registration district: Haslingden
Registration District Number: 471
Sub registration district: Accrington
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Piece: 24761
Household Members:
Name Age
Francis William Tomnie 27
Jennie Tomnie 30
Ethel Tomnie 4/12
Jennie Florance Creasey 18

is this florence in 1901

1901 England Census about Jennie Cressey
Name: Jennie Cressey
Age: 7
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1894
Relation to Head: Granddaughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Accrington, Lancashire, England
Civil Parish: Accrington
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Haslingden
Sub-registration district: Accrington
ED, institution, or vessel: 25
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3859
Folio: 72
Page Number: 32
Household schedule number: 208
Household Members:
Name Age
Martha J Cressey 58
Mary Cressey 22
Jennie Cressey 18
James W Cressey 17
Jennie Cressey 7

have you tried looking for Agnes in 1871 and 1881?

the censuses are in full and free to all on the familysearch site.

Try there for a baptism as well.

Her birth pre-dated the introduction of penalties for failing to register

Yes thank you, all those entries are correct and relating to the family but I already have all that information. I don't think the Manchester birth place is correct in the 1901 census as it also states George Creasey was born in Manchester when in fact he was born in Bottom Dodworth near Barnsley. As they were not married I have no means of going back a generation so although I can find various Agnes Lawrences in the previous censuses I don't know which one could be her as none of them actually state Agnes Mabel just Agnes or Agnes M. As i said in previous note the most likely Agnes is the barmaid from Isle of Man as dates, age etc. match but i can find nothing further about either her birth or death. It's as though she appeared, had two children, then totally disappeared. George was a Fish Merchant so possibly had connections with Isle of Man so that would fit. The last mention of her is in the 1901 census.

Can you copy & paste that 1901 census please? Can't seem to find it!
Jan

1901 posted above
I can't find her sorry

from a tree on ancestry but no proper proof

Birth
1869
Glasgow, Lanark

Residence
1891 Age: 22
Cathcart, Renfrewshire, Scotland

1891

1891 Scotland Census about Agnes Lawrence
Name: Agnes Lawrence
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Relationship: Stepdaughter ---------------
Gender: Female
Where born: Glasgow, Lanark
Registration Number: 560
Registration district: Cathcart
Civil Parish: Cathcart
County: Renfrewshire
Address: Douglass Villa
Occupation: Domestic Servant
ED: 9A
Household schedule number: 252
LINE: 17
Roll: CSSCT1891_177
Household Members:
Name Age
Margaret Lawrence 30
Agnes Lawrence 23
Alexander Lawrence 21
John Lawrence 17
James Lawrence 20
Daniel Lawrence 15
Ross Lawrence 3
Euphemia McCormick 23
Charles Woodrow 20

they have attached James Willie Creasey as her son

another tree has her born on the Isle of Man

no parents listed

possible/

ame: Jennie Florance Creasey
Age in 1911: 18
Estimated Birth Year: 1893
Relation to Head: Niece
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Accrington, Lancashire, England
Civil parish: Accrington
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street Address: 2 Lydia St Accrington
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Weaver
Registration district: Haslingden
Registration District Number: 471
Sub-registration district: Accrington
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Piece: 24761
Household Members
Name Age
Francis William Tomnie 27
Jennie Tomnie 30
Ethel Tomnie 4/12
Jennie Florance Creasey 18

Francis Tomnie married Jennie Creasey in 1906

edit - perhaps just co-incidence, Jennie Creasey was not born until 1881 mmn Binnings

Thank you, the Agnes from Scotland is a possibility which I will try to follow up. The Jennie Florence Creasey in the 1911 census is my grandma, Agnes Lawrence's daughter with George Creasey. The older Jennie Creasey (married name Tomnie) was her aunt (George's sister) whom she lived with after her Grandma died.