Genealogy Chat

I have been trying to trace this lady. She was born in Lancashire in 1861 or thereabouts. She married in 1881 and became Kenny. Then in 1890 upon the death of her first husband she married again and became Caless. She died in 1935. Does anyone know anything more about this lady? Is she in your family tree?

What more are you looking for

Her marriage certs should name her father

Have you found her on any census

Is this her

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
60 Upper Hope Place Liverpool, Liverpool, Lancashire, England


Nancy S Caless Lodger Widow Female Private Means 50 born Bromley Thorne Yorkshire

Crossed out but reads married 5 years 2 children born still living

Not seeeing any births though with mmn bateson

Edit seeing as they are living apart in 1901 wonder whether she was saying they were only together for 5 years after the marriage

She wasn't a widow too as her husband was living with someone else who he had children with

In 1891 ,1901 and 1911 she doesn't have any children with her so think the info on the 1911 is incorrect

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Hapsford Road, Litherland, West Derby, Lancashire, England


First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John H Caless Head Married Male 28 1863 Commercial Traveller Oxfordshire, England Transcription
Nancy S Caless Wife Married Female 30 1861 - Yorkshire, England Transcription
Kate McHugh Servant Married Female 23 1868. - Ireland

Her maiden name was Bateson
Marriages Dec 1881
Bateson Nancy Shaw Bradford, Y. 9b 11
KENNY Charles William F Bradford, Y. 9b 11


VIEW West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
Add Alternative Information
Report issue
Name: Nancy Shaw Bateson
Marriage Age: 21
Event Type: Marriage
Birth Year: abt 1860
Marriage Date: 14 Nov 1881
Marriage Place: Bolton, St James, Yorkshire, England
Parish: Bolton, St James
Search Photos: Search for 'Bolton, St James' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Father: John Bateson
Spouse: Charles William Fenton Kenny



NANCY SHAW
Last name BATESON
Birth year 1860
Birth quarter 2
Registration month -
Mother's last name -
District Dewsbury
County Yorkshire
Country England
Volume 9B
Page 448
Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006


Shaw was her mums maiden name

BATESON, NANCY SHAW SHAW Order
GRO Reference: 1860 J Quarter in DEWSBURY Volume 09B Page 448 Order



Deaths Dec 1889
Kenny Charles William F 34 W. Derby 8b 379

Possible parents

Marriages Mar 1859
Bateson John Bradford Yk. 9b 78
Shaw Margaret Jane Bradford Yk 9b 78

A sister?

BATESON, MARY ANN SHAW
GRO Reference: 1865 M Quarter in KEIGHLEY Volume 09A Page 156 Order

Marriages Jun 1890
Caless John Henry W Derby 8b 749
Kenny Nancy Shaw. W Derby 8b 749

Had they separated because he is listed as a lodger but Nancy isn't with him

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
35, Stanley Street, West Derby, Lancashire, England


John H Caless Lodger Married Male 38 1863 commercial traveller - Bodicote Oxfordshire

Or divorced ???

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
4 Walnut View Walnut St Blackburn, Blackburn, Lancashire, England


John Henry Caless Head Married Male Asst Superintendant 48 1863 Oxon Bodicote Transcription
Constance Evelyn Caless Wife Married Female - 30 1881 Lancs Liverpool
William Henry Caless Son - Male School 8 1903 Middlesex Kensington W
Joan Mary Caless Daughter - Female School 6 1905 Warwickshire Fouroaks The
Ellen Constance Caless Daughter - Female - 4 1907 Lancs Sccrington

Telling porkies cos this is the marriage

Marriages Mar 1915 (>99%)
Caless John H Davies Clitheroe 8e 525
Davies Constance E Caless. Clitheroe 8e. 525


In Essex in 1939


Caless Household (4 People)
The Priory Victoria Road , Rayleigh U.D., Essex, England
Start free family tree View original image Print
FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB OCCUPATION
John H Caless 20 Oct 1862 Retired Army Officer
Constance E Caless 17 Apr 1880 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Ellen C Caless 03 Dec 1906 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.
Ref: RG101/1532C/023/29 Letter Code:
© Findmypast Ltd

One closed record

Moved around a bit
VIEW England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Order death certificate for John H Caless
Add Alternative Information
Report issue
Name: John H Caless
Death Age: 87
Birth Date: abt 1863
Registration Date: Jun 1950
Registration district: Abingdon
Inferred County: Berkshire
Volume: 6a
Page: 2

Not seeing her on the 1901 census
Edit here she is
Nancy Shaw Caless
in the 1901 England Census
VIEW 1901 England Census
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Name: Nancy Shaw Caless
Age: 39
Estimated birth year: abt 1862
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Formby
Search Photos: Search for 'Formby' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
Town: Formby
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage: M
Education:
Employment status: living on own means
View image
Registration district: Ormskirk
Sub-registration district: Formby
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3532
Folio: 87
Page Number: 22
Household schedule number: 146
Household Members:
Name Age
Nancy Shaw Caless 39
Robert Docker 65. Visitor


Nancy S Caless
Death Age: 74
Birth Date: abt 1861
Registration Date: Jun 1935
Registration district: Liverpool North
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8b
Page: 334


Nancy Shaw Caless
Age: 74
Birth Date: abt 1861
Burial Date: 9 May 1935
Burial Place: Ford Cemetery, Lancashire, England
Search Photos: Search for 'Ford Cemetery' in the UK City, Town and Village Place

Home address 42 Belmont Road

Hi Shirley,
Thank you so much for all that information. I had some of the census information, but not as detailed as yours.
I’ve been trying to discover when Nancy and John divorced, because I’d come to the same conclusion as you, that the “ marriage” to Constance on the 1911 census was false.
Do you know anything about their divorce? It seems much harder to find divorce records than marriage, which is surprising when at that time less people divorced.
I don’t know if you were interested in the Shaw/ Kenny connection or the Caless or both but this is a bit of a mystery I hope to track further.
I’m new to family research so your information is a great help.
The census records give the facts, but it’s the human story behind these that intrigues me....Why did they separate? Was Nancy unfaithful or John? Why didn’t they divorce sooner? Why was Nancy in the workhouse for a while? And so on. If you find out anything else I’d love to know. Are you still pursuing the story or is it not a big part of your research?
Grateful thanks from Glyn

On the service records for John Henry Caless there are a few interesting points.

When he signed up (1914- aged 49) his name was given as Cyril Henry Penrose- this was then crossed through and 'Alias John Henry Caless' Written in it's place.

His next of kin was (Wife) Constance Penrose 24 Chapman Road, Clitheroe- this address was later changed to 101 The Cottage, Collingbourne.

Details of his marriage were given as:
Constance Evelyn Davies, marriage 9/1/1915 Clitheroe Registry Office

Children:
William Henry 30.01.03 London
Joan Mary Carless 10.12.05 Warwick
Ellen Constance 03.12.06 Acrington
---------------------------------------

The records show he had served in the army previously- signing up in 1884 under the name Cyril Henry Penrose, and discharged 1890 at his own request.

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar

KENNY Charles William Fenton- 27 December. Thw Will of Charles William Fenton Kenny formerly of Litherland Park but late of Hapsford Road both in Seaforth in the county of Lancaster Gentleman who died 8 December 1889 at Hapsford Road was proved at Liverpool by Nancy Shaw Kenny of Hapsford Road Widow the Relict the sole Executrix
Personal Estate £4544
-----------------------------------

Oxford Journal 28 June 1890
MARRIAGES
June 23 at St. Phillip's Litherland, by the Rev J D Bradbrook, John Henry Caless (late of the 9th L?) and son of the late William Caless Esq, of Bodicote House, near Banbury Oxfordshire, to Nancy Shaw Kenny, widow of the late C W F Kenny Esq, solicitor, Seaforth.

Glyn

Well John H didn't marry till 1915 and he was living with Constance in 1911 so one would assume he wasn't divorced till after 1911 but before 1915

Assuming of course he was free then to marry

It's always a possibity he decided to marry bigamously so he could make a pay a
allotment to Constance

They seem to have gone way out of the district they were in 1911 to marry in 1915

It would be interesting what he gave as his marital status when he married Constance

As there are no Divorce Case files for Nancy Caless & John Caless, one could presume that they never divorced before he remarried.

As the 1901 census return shows him to be a Commercial Traveller, it would give them both an opportunity to find 'companionship' elsewhere.

Since John Henry Caless & Constance's son William Henry was born on 30.01.03 in London, its possible that John had strayed from the marital bed by April 1902.

Thank you all for that information. I’m not sure where the divorce records would after 1911. So I haven’t tried to trace them yet.
As to his alias, that was interesting, because I asked a military expert about it online and I was told maybe he was avoiding something or out of prison or used a friends name to sign up. It could be he wanted to go into the army and his family didn’t want him to. However, it’s odd he was John Caless when he married Nancy, but Cyril Penrose in the army and later with Constance.
Also, it’s suspicious ( to me....!!) that Charles Kenny was quite a young man when he died, and was a gentleman ( but Nancy was only a servant) who married Nancy, and very quickly died leaving her all the shares. Within 6 months she’s remarried, but ends up in the workhouse by 1911.
Any ideas about all that please? Thank you. Glyn

Information & links for divorce records can be found here
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/divorces/

Where did you find the record that Nancy was in a workhouse by 1911? The census shown for 1911 says that she had private means & had a lodger.
Bear in mind that she may have been admitted to a workhouse *infirmary* if she couldn’t afford a private doctor or medical care.

Being named as the sole Executrix on her 1st husband’s Will doesn’t necessarily mean that she was the main legatee. Only a copy of the Will can say if you are correct. They can be purchased for £10 from https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills

As to her first husband’s cause of death - do you have a copy of the DC?

Baptism:
Name: Nancy Bateson
Birth Date: 3 Mar 1860
Baptism Date: 17 Jun 1860
Parish: Lancaster, St Mary, Lancashire, England
Father: John Bateson (Labourer)
Mother: Margaret Jane Bateson
Abode: Bruntliffe Leeds
Register Type: Parish Registers
------------------------------------------

1861 census:

Name: Nancy Shaw Bateson
Age: 1
Estimated birth year: 1860
Relation: Granddaughter
Mother's name: Margret Jane Bateson
Gender: Female
Where born: Brantcliff, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Ellel
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: Lancashire
Registration district: Lancaster
Sub-registration district: Ellel
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Household schedule number: 101
Piece: 3154 Folio: 134 Page Number: 21

James Shaw 52 Head, silk carder
Nancy Shaw 52 Wife
John Shaw 24 son, silk dresser
James Shaw 16 son, card ?
Thomas Shaw 10 son
Mary Agness Shaw 7 daughter
Margret Jane Bateson 23 daughter, married, Mill hand
Nancy Shaw Bateson 1 Grandaughter
Sarah Rubin 24 boarder, widow
Rubin Summer 12 boarder
----------------------------------------

1871- Bateson on image:

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
George Street, Shipley, Bradford, Yorkshire & Yorkshire (West Riding), England

John Baleson Head Widower Male 37 1834 - Yorkshire, England
James Baleson Boarder Widower Male 77 1794 - Lancashire,
Sarah Baleson Daughter - Female 17 1854 - Yorkshire, England
Zillah Baleson Daughter - Female 15 1856 - Yorkshire, England
Nancy Baleson Daughter - Female 13 1858 Bruncliffthorn Yorkshire, England
Mary Baleson Daughter - Female 6 1865 - Yorkshire, England
Jim Baleson Son - Male 3 1868 - Yorkshire, England
Patsy Claffy Boarder - Male 16 1855 - Yorkshire, England
----------------------------------

Birth of brother, Jim:

BATESON, JIM (Mother's maiden name: SHAW )
GRO Reference: 1867 S Quarter in BRADFORD YORKSHIRE Volume 09B Page 194

The older girls have different mother's maiden name on their births- both listed under Beatson:

BEATSON, SARAH (Mother's maiden name: WHITAKER )
GRO Reference: 1853 S Quarter in DEWSBURY Volume 09B Page 421

BEATSON, ZILLAH (mother's maiden name: WHITAKER )
GRO Reference: 1855 D Quarter in DEWSBURY Volume 09B Page 373

Nancy's father was listed as a widower when he married Nancy's Mum in 1859:

Name: John Bateson (widower)
Marriage Age: 25
Event Type: Marriage
Birth Year: abt 1834
Marriage Date: 13 Feb 1859
Marriage Place: Bradford, St Peter (Bradford Cathedral), Yorkshire, England
Parish: Bradford, St Peter (Bradford Cathedral)
Father: James Bateson
Spouse: Margaret Jane Shaw