Lily Balderston (nee Beaumont) 1869-1919

[Lynne RutterParticipant]

My great-grandma Lily (also Lilly or Liley) Balderstone died on 2.10.1919 aged 50, leaving her husband Joe Balderstone and three daughters, Edith, Mabel and Hilda Mary (my grandma). My father and uncle tell me that after her death, she was never spoken of again which they found strange, but never questioned. Joe married again, Mary Taylor of Spark Street, Longwood. She was known to them as Nanna.
My father and uncle wondered if Lily’s death was mysterious (suicide or lunacy) so I researched it. She died on 2.10.1919 at 12 Percival Street, Longwood, the family home, of heart trouble so nothing suspicious there. She was buried on 6.10.1919 at Longwood Wesleyan (Lamb Hall Road) church yard alongside her husband Joe and his second wife, Mary. Her youngest daughter, my grandma Hilda, was 13 years old.
My research also led me to look at her birth and marriage certificates – and there are discrepancies:
Lily was born on 12.1.1869 at Leymoor, Golcar, her parents being John Edward Beaumont of Golcar and Rebecca Crossley of Stainland. They married at Huddersfield Register Office on 1.6.1868.
However, Lily and Joe were married at New NorthRoad Baptist Chapel on 3.1.1891. Their marriage certificate states that her father is John Edward Ramsden! Is this a mistake on the registrar’s part? Or was Rebecca made pregnant by ‘another’ (JE Ramsden) and JE Beaumont took her on and pretended that Lily was his child? Rebecca was already 3 months pregnant upon marriage – Lily was born 6 months later.
Did the family find out this ‘secret’ upon her death? Is that why there are no photos of her anywhere? Or is there a perfectly innocent explanation?
Any ideas or information is very welcome.
Thank you,
Lynne

[Jackie12Participant]

Hi Lynne
I noticed that on looking up the civil marriage record for Lily and Joe, 2 other names are also present ie Alice Ramsden and Joe Wood …. their parish marriage record is available on Ancestry and shows a marriage on 3 Jan 1891 at Queen’s St Wesleyan her father Hugh Ramsden dec’d
I can’t help thinking that the clerk recording these 2 marriages may simply have made a transcription error so Lily’s father is transposed into a Ramsden.
Given that Lily died in 1919 it may simply be that the family had no photos taken, maybe it was too expensive for them.
Many folk didn’t speak much of loved ones they lost. Maybe her husband wasn’t able to deal with talking of her with their children, or thought it would upset them.
Regards
Jackie

[Jackie12Participant]

PS
If you have access to Findmypast there are several mentions of Joe Balderton(e) and Balderton(e)s of Longwood including a report of Mabel’s wedding

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