James Woodcock
James Woodcock.
born c1780 in Audlem.
married September 12 1806.
at Audlem, St James the Great Church.
Elizabeth Dod.
born c1780 in Audlem.
There is not a lot known about the early Woodcocks
other than the fact that they
married and had at least two children a boy and a girl. The couple got married
on September 12th 1806 after the birth of the first child that they had named
Joseph. The second child was a girl that they named
Ann. There is a strong
feeling that they had another girl named Mary who was the first wife of
George
Boot but this is in no way proved. (as yet).
The marriage register reads :- James Woodcot of the Parish of Audlem, a bachelor and Elizabeth Dod of the Parish of Audlem, a spinster, were married by banns published in this church on January 19th, 26th and 2nd February, and no impediment [ bride and groom both marked with 'x'; witnessed by Thomas Banks, John Woolrich, Richard Cooksey parish clerk]. Since neither James nor Elizabeth could read or write their names in the register, they would be unable to correct the spelling of Woodcot to Woodcock, but there can be no doubt that this is the correct entry.
James and Elizabeth's two children.
| Joseph Woodcock | christened 24th February 1805 born illegitimate. |
| Anne Woodcock | christened 12th April 1807. |
Joseph Woodcock
Joseph Woodcock.
born c1806 in Audlem Cheshire.
married.
Mary Heskett.
born c1806 in Audlem.
Joseph Woodcock was born in Audlem and married a woman named Mary Heskett, on the marriage certificate it can be noted that neither Joseph, Mary or the two witnesses could write and they all made there mark with a cross. The two witnesses were both named Woodcock but only the second name of John is legible. They had at least six children all born in Audlem in Cheshire.
Joseph and Mary's Children.
| Mary Woodcock. | born 1835 in Audlem Cheshire and married George Boote in 1852. |
| Hanah Woodcock | born 1837 in Audlem Cheshire. |
| Eliza Woodcock | born 1839 in Audlem Cheshire and married James Hobbs. |
| William Woodcock | born 1841 in Audlem Cheshire and married Sara Orwell. |
| Sarah Woodcock | born 1843 in Audlem Cheshire and married Joseph Hollins then married James Malkin. |
| Thomas Woodcock | born 1846 in Audlem Cheshire and married Hanah Tricket. |
| John Woodcock | born 1845 in Audlem Cheshire. |
George Boote appears on the 1841 census records married to a Mary Woodcock and with a son Samuel Woodcock born illegitimate. In 1849 Mary dies. George appears again on the 1851 census records living with a servant girl also named Mary Woodcock. By the year 1852 he has remarried this time to the servant Mary Woodcock. On the 1861 census records they both appear married and Mary has born four children Mary, Caleb, William and George. There must it seems be a link between the two Mary's but as of yet this is not established, the best guess is that James had another daughter after Anne named Mary Woodcock, if this is the case though not proved then George remarried his niece.
Eliza Woodcock had an illegitimate child names John Woodcock in 1858. She married James Hobbs around 1863 in St Margarets church in Wrenbury Cheshire. They had another boy in 1865 that they named James after his father.
William Woodcock married Sarah Orwell see details below.
Sarah Woodcock's story is a little confused, she married firstly a Joseph Hollins in Market Drayton in 1859, the 1861 census records have them living in Norton in Hales, Shropshire, but by the 1871 census records she is living in Knutton, Staffs with James Malkin and his wife. By the 1881 census she is living as James wife. Perhaps she was taken in by the Malkins after her first husband died. Perhaps James wife died and he then married Sarah. Perhaps we will never know. Sarah had one child by her first husband whom they named after the father John Hollins. She had four children by her second husband James Malkin. They were Martha b.1871, William b.1873, Fredrick b.1879 and finally Hannah Malkin b.1884.
Thomas Woodcock married Hannah Tricket in Wolstanton, Staffs on 10th October 1865, the two witnesses were Samuel Jarvis and Elizabeth Tricket. They had two sons John Woodcock b.1866 and Thomas Woodcock b.1879.
For more details of this family contact Sue Jones.
John Woodcock b1866 son of Thomas and Hannah.
Sue Jones nee Woodcock kindly offered some of her research which I have added to this website and I extend my gratitude to her.
Details of the 1841 Census Records.
| 1841 Census records Dwelling: Padock Lane, Audlem | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Age | Sex | Occupation | Born in Countyy |
| Joseph Woodcock | 35 | M | Lab | Y |
| Mary Woodcock | 30 | F | 0 | Y |
| Mary Woodcock | 6 | F | 0 | Y |
| Hannah Woodcock | 4 | F | 0 | Y |
| Eliza Woodcock | 2 | F | 0 | Y |
| William Woodcock | 1 mnth | M | 0 | Y |
Details of the 1851 Census Records.
| 1851 Census Records Dwelling : Audlem, Cheshire. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Where born |
| Joseph Woodcock | Head | 45 | Audlem Cheshire |
| Mary Woodcock | Wife | 45 | Audlem Cheshire |
| Hannah Woodcock | Daur | 14 | Audlem Cheshire |
| Eliza Woodcock | Daur | 12 | Audlem Cheshire |
| William Woodcock | Son | 10 | Audlem Cheshire |
| Sarah Woodcock | Daur | 8 | Audlem Cheshire |
| Thomas Woodcock | Son | 5 | Audlem Cheshire |
| John Woodcock | Son | 1 | Audlem Cheshire |
| William Griffiths | Visitor | 21 | Audlem Cheshire |
William Woodcock
William Woodcock.
born c1841 in Audlem, Cheshire.
died 1906 in Newcastle Under Lyme.
married between 1861 and 1865.
in Audlem, St James the Great.
Sarah Orwell.
born 1844 in Ashley Staffordshire.
christened 6th March 1844.
died 16th March 1881 in Racecourse, Silverdale.
William was the son of Joseph and Mary Woodcock.
William Woodcock was born in Audlem in Cheshire
and sometime between 1861 and 1865
he married Sarah Orwell from Ashley at St James the Great, the local church in
Audlem.
Sarah Orwell was born in Ashley, Staffordshire and was the daughter of Henry Orwell born c1824 and Mary born c1821 both from Ashley.
By the year 1871 the married couple had moved to Knutton in Staffordshire where William is shown working as a Labourer at the Iron Works. The 1871 census records show that Henry the first child was aged seven and born in Audlem, and William aged three was born in Knutton, so we must presume the move took place between these two dates, say around 1867. It is most probable that he moved to find work.
Census Records 1861 to 1901.
1861 Census records.
The 1861 Census records show that William is living and working as a Waggoner for a farmer name William Mate in Norton Wood, Norton in Hales. He is age 19 and unmarried.
1871 Census records.
| 1871 Census Records. Dwelling : Racecourse Silverdale. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | Age | Occupation | Where Born |
| William Woodcock | Head | 28 | Lab Iron Works | Audlem, Cheshire |
| Sarah Woodcock | Wife | 27 | 0 | Ashley, Staffordshire |
| Henry Woodcock | Son | 7 | 0 | Audlem, Cheshire |
| William Woodcock | Son | 3 | 0 | Knutton, Staffordshire |
| Mary Woodcock | Daur | 2 | 0 | Knutton, Staffordshire |
| Samuel Woodcock | Son | 7 Mth | 0 | Knutton, Staffordshire |
1881 Census records.
| 1881 Census records : Dwelling Woodbines Houses | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | M | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
| William Woodcock | Head | W | 38 | Labourer | Audlem |
| Henry Woodcock | Son | U | 17 | Driver (Carter) | Audlem |
| William Woodcock | Son | U | 13 | Driver | Silverdale |
| Mary Woodcock | Daughter | U | 12 | Schoolar | Silverdale |
| Samuel Woodcock | Son | U | 10 | Schoolar | Silverdale |
| John Woodcock | Son | U | 8 | Schoolar | Silverdale |
| Elizabeth Woodcock | Daughter | U | 6 | Schoolar | Silverdale |
| Ann Woodcock | Daughter | U | 1 | 0 | Silverdale |
As we see by the 1881 census record Sarah has died. It may also be noted that on Sarah's death certificate her surname is stated as Howell, her maiden name was Orwell ?
1891 Census records.
| 1891 Census records: Dwelling 10 Gallowtree Lane | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Relation | M | Age | Occuparion | Birthplace |
| William Woodcock | Head | W | 52 | Farm Labourer | Cheshire, Holmesfield |
| William Woodcock | Son | M | 20 | Collery Labourer | Stafford, Silverdale |
| Mary Woodcock | Dau | M | 22 | 0 | Stafford, Silverdale |
| John Woodcock | Son | S | 19 | Journeyman Butcher | Stafford, Silverdale |
| Elizabeth Woodcock | Dau | S | 16 | 0 | Stafford, Silverdale |
| Ann Woodcock | Dau | S | 11 | 0 | Stafford, Silverdale |
1901 Census records.
| 1901 Census records : Dwelling 16 Gallowstree Lane | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | M | Age | Occupation | Birthplace | 0 |
| William Woodcock | W | 56 | Farm Labourer | Cheshire, Audlem | 0 |
| Annie Woodcock | D | 21 | 0 | Staffs, Silverdale | Imbecile from birth |
It may be noted that the 1901 census record states Annie was Imbecile from birth, I have details from her grandchildren that they have fond memories of Annie, and there is not a lot to suggest she was an imbecile. Annie did have a reluctance to leave the house various people tried to get her to go out but failed. Douglas Beech remembers that there was always a pot of senna tea on the boil. Betty Cope says she has very fond memories of her and that she had very long hair down to the waist but it was usually kept pinned up. My father Harvey Austin remembers that when their house was bombed in the second world war she came to stay with them in Audley Annie is said to have hated Audley. On reflection it would seem very likely that she hated Audley she had lost her home in Thistleberry, she was apart from her husband and family, she had a broken leg and also some type of agoraphobia. Poor woman.