For details of the book written by Jan Kuplis on the Gerrard family click here.

Gerrard Family History

Richard Gerrard b.1835 Hindley Lancashire m.22 Jun 1861 Hindley Coal Miner					Jane Aspinall b.3 Dec 1842 Pennington m.22 Jun 1861 Hindley
William Gerrard b.1862 Hindley Lancashire Coal Miner	James Gerrard b.1864 Hindley Lancashire Coal Miner	Ellen Gerrard b.1866 Hindley Lancashire Cotton Mill Assistant, Cotton Reeler	Emma Gerrard b.1868 Hindley Lancashire Cotton Mill Assistant, Cotton Reeler	Selina Gerrard b.1870 Hindley Lancashire Cotton Mill, Carder	Hugh Gerrard b.1875 Hindley Lancashire	Peter Gerrard c.16 Jan 1876 Hindley Lancashire	Mary Gerrard c.8 June 1877 Hindley Lancashire	Elizabeth Gerrard c.7 Sept 1879 Hindley Lancashire

In the 1881 census, Richard Gerrard is listed as living at 102 Bridgwater St Hindley, Lancashire, England, he is 46, working as a "Coal Miner" and was born in Hindley.

Living with Richard are :-

• His wife Jane, aged 40, listed as born in Bickershaw, Lancashire.
• His son William, aged 19, a Coal Miner, born in Hindley
• His son James aged 17, a Coal Miner, born in Hindley
• His daughter Ellen aged 15, a Cotton Mill Assistant Cotton Reeler, born in Hindley
• His daughter Emma aged 13, a Cotton Mill Assistant Cotton Reeler, born in Hindley
• His daughter Selina aged 11, a Cotton Mill Carder, born in Hindley, born in Hindley
• His son Hugh aged 6, born in Hindley
• His son Peter aged 5, born in Hindley
• His daughter Mary aged 3, born in Hindley

FamilySearch.org has a record of a christening of Peter Gerrard 16 Jan 1876 in Hindley and of Mary Gerrard 8 June 1877 and of Elizabeth Gerrard 7 September 1879.

In the 1901 census James Gerrard's family are listed as follows :-
51, George Street

• James Gerrard 37, coal miner - hewer, born in Hindley
• Wife, Elizabeth, 32, born in Hindley
• Son, Harry, 2, born Hindley
• Son, Fredrick, 10 months, born Hindley
• Thomas Walls, 30, Labourer in coal mine, born Shevington

Which Jane Aspinall is our Jane Aspinall?

The first problem was finding Richard and Janes's marriage certificate. The entries on the national register are indistinct and FreeBMD therefore did not have it. However, with the help of 1837online I managed to find the entry for Richard Gerrard and the entry for Jane Aspinall and together get enough information to order the marriage certificate.

There is a church record (found via Family Search) for Hindley of a Richard Gerrard marrying a Jane Aspinall on the 22nd of June 1861, in the Parish Church of All Saints Hindley (at Chapel Green).

The marriage certificate (June 1861 Wigan 8c 31) for this wedding gives the following :-
22nd June 1861, in the Parish Church of Hindley,
Richard Gerrard, 27, batchelor, Collier, Chapel Green, father Gerard Gerrard, Paletter.
Jane Aspinall, 20, spinster, Piecer, Pennington ..(unreadable)..., father John Aspinall, Collier.
Jane made her mark, Richard was able to write, one witness was John Gerrard the other was Alice But .... (the name is unclear).

This Jane is presumable the Jane Gerrard who is living with Richard in the 1881 census (it is not certain, but a good bet).
Jane's aged 40 (3rd of April 1881), listed as born in Bickershaw, Lancashire.

The ages match, but the place of birth does not, one is Pennington the other is Bickershaw (although the two are adjacent).

I have the birth certificate for a Jane Aspinall, born 3rd of December 1842 at Pennington. Father John Aspinall, mother Mary Ann Aspinall née Mary Ann Leather.

Is this the same Jane Aspinall? The date of birth works for 20 when she married and 40 in the 1881 census. The place of birth matches the marriage certificate (but not the census). The father's name is the same but the occupation is different.

It is easy enough to find Richard Gerrard in the 1861census, just before he marries Jane, living with his parents and siblings. But where is Jane, she married in June so where was she on April 7th 1861? I can not find a Jane Aspinall aged 20 born in Pennington or Bickershaw, living in Lancashire. Is there an indistinct record that can not be transcribed? Near matches (all unmarried) are :-

• Jane Aspinall, 19, father William Aspinall, mother Alice, Silk Weaver, born West Houghton.
• Jane Aspinall, 22,         born Ranworth, House Servant.
• Jane Aspinall, 19, father Samuel Aspinall, born Gorton.
• Jane Aspinall, 19,          Servant, born Manchester.
• Jane Aspinall, 20, father James Aspinall, mother Matha, Cotton Weaver, born Chorley.
• Jane Aspinall, 17, father William Aspinall, mother Hannah, Cotton Mill Operative, born Haigh.

• John Aspinall, 57, Carter, King Street, Bedford. Wfie Mary.
• John Aspinall, 50, Silk hand loom weaver, Wife Mary Ann. (but they have a daughter Jane aged 8)
• John Aspinall, 42, Victualler, Profters Arms, Hallgate Wigan. Wife Ann.
• John Aspinall, 38, Overlooker Power Looms, Wife Sarah, 112, Princess St, Higher Hurst, Ashton-under-Lyne.
• John Aspinall, 36, Cotton Spinner, Greenhall Farm, Water Street, Atherton. Wife Ann.

Parents of Jane Aspinall

In the 1881 Census there is a John Aspinall aged 70 [b.1811], he is living at 1 Back King Street, Leigh Lancashire. John Aspinall is a Silk Weaver, and listed as born in Leigh.
With him are :-

• Mary Ann Aspinall, aged 70 [b.1811], (wife) born in Tyldesley.
• Mary Sefton, aged 25 [b.1856], (daughter) Cotton Weaver, born in Leigh.
• Richard Sefton, aged 4 [b.1877], (grandson), born in Leigh.
• John Johnson, aged 19 [b.1862], (grandson), Ope Cotton Spinner, born in Leigh.
• William Johnson, aged 17 [b.1864], (grandson), Railway Brakeman, born in Leigh.

FamilySearch.org has a "Robert Leather born 1786 Atherton Leigh, Lancashire, , , England"
FamilySearch.org has a marriage "Robert Leather to Betty Ainscough, 21 Sep 1806 Leigh, Lancashire".

Note in place names, all are listed as in Lancashire, today they would be part of Wigan Metro, which includes Leigh. However, Leigh only became a town in 1899. These place would be villages and hamlets in Lancashire in the 19th century.

Census Dates

• 1841 taken on 7 June
• 1851 taken on 30 March
• 1861 taken on 7 April
• 1871 taken on 2 April
• 1881 taken on 3 April
• 1891 taken on 5 April
• 1901 taken on 31 March