So sorry to read about your plight, Florence, and although there’s probably nothing any of us can say that will do much to ease your distress, our thoughts are obviously with you.
On the 'Atherton' ancestry front, we’ve probably all learned to our cost that guesswork is usually very unproductive. As Gay said earlier, there sometimes comes a point when guesswork using only free sites simply won’t produce the goods.
I think that without investing a groat or two in a couple of key two bits of solid information (either a birth certificate for Lily which should give her mother’s full name, or the 1911 census return which will tell us who lives there), we’ll all just continue to go round in circles.
However, Ginger’s contribution yesterday prompted me to reconsider the Prestwich-born children I found initially whose mother’s name is ‘Green’.
If only to clear my brain, I decided to summarise the facts gleaned from the various forum suggestions and other free resources. I started with the indisputable information on Lily’s marriage certificate.
Facts:
Lily’s father is George Atherton, and his given occupation is that of ‘fitter’. (marriage certificate)
A Lily Atherton birth was registered at Prestwich in December 1916, mother’s maiden name ‘Green’ (Vol
page 632)
Lily’s marriage certificate confirms her date of birth as November 1916
A George (Frederick) Atherton birth was registered at Chorlton, 1874 (Vol 8c page 731)
George F Atherton can be tracked through all the census returns 1881 – 1901, always in the Manchester area and always a fitter (copies of census returns)
A Susannah Atherton, born Gorton 1876, is the wife of George F Atherton and the childless couple are living at 33, Alice Street, Bradford [part of the North Manchester civil parish] (1901 census return)
Marriage between George Frederick Atherton and Susannah Lomas registered at Chorlton, 1895 (Vol 8c page 1001)
A Susannah Lomas birth was registered at Chorlton, 1876 (Vol 8c page 766)
Susannah Lomas (Atherton) can be tracked through all the census returns 1881 – 1901.
Susannah Atherton (b 1875) is living at Prestwich (1911 census basic search)
Death registration for a Susannah Atherton (age 38) at Prestwich March qtr, 1914 (Vol
page 558)
George F Atherton, born 1874 and living in Prestwich (1911 census basic search)
Probablities:
Marriage between a George Atherton and Gertrude Ellen Greenhalgh at Prestwich in 1914
There are discrepancies between transcriptions of the marriage details on different electronic sites. In FreeBMD, the listing fits exactly. However, in LancashireBMD both names have mistakes in them. He’s registered as George ‘T’ Atherton and Gertrude is listed as ‘Susannah Greenhalgh’
George Frederick Atherton's first wife was called Susannah
A Gertude E Greenhalgh birth was registered at Bolton 1892 (Vol 8c page 502)
A Gertude E Greenhalgh living at 9 Snowdon Street, Bolton (1901 census return)
A Gertude E Greenhalgh, born 1891 is living at Bolton (1911 census basic search)
Geographically, Prestwich borders Bolton (the Prestwich registration district was abolished and re-named ‘Manchester North’ in 1925)
Death registered at Manchester North in 1927 for a George F Atherton, age 53 (ie born 1974) [Vol
page 525]
Marriage registration for Gertrude Atherton to ? Makin, Manchester North in 1933 (Vol
page 1142)
There are 6 other Atherton children whose births were registered at Prestwich within the right timescale, although the mother’s maiden name is transcribed as ‘Green’, not 'Greenhalgh' (FreeBMD index)
Dec 1916: Atherton, Lily Green Prestwich
632
Sep 1918: Atherton, Gladys Green Prestwich
576
Mar 1920: Atherton, George Green Prestwich
977
Dec 1921: Atherton, Doris Green Prestwich
684
Jun 1924: Atherton, John Green Prestwich
664
Mar 1926: Atherton, Brian Green Manchester N.
814
Jun 1927: Atherton, Leslie Green Manchester N.
815 **
** From your forum posting yesterday, this could be the Leslie Atherton you recognise as living in Audenshaw. The birth is on the cusp of the George Atherton timescale but it's certainly possible.
Possibilities:
In the 1911 census, there are 3 Atherton children living in Prestwich (1911 census basic search).
Alfred Atherton b 1897
Alice Atherton b 1899
Fred Atherton b 1899
It might be that these children belong to George and Susannah, although I couldn’t find even an indirect connection between any of them in a quick 1901 census search. That said, Fred is in hospital as a patient.
It might be that George then re-married, to Gertrude Greenhalgh
It might be that Alfred, Alice and Fred are the step-children you refer to in your posting yesterday
Although I’ll have missed something and there's still no absolute certainty, that process at least purged my own brain. We all understand that your priorities lie elsewhere at the moment, Florence, but if you would profit from a distraction, or when you're more able to collect your thoughts, it might first be worth risking a few groats on Lily's birth certificate and the 1911 census at least.
Corrections or modifications welcome.
Best wishes
Woody