When Nancy was 18 years old, she was sent to the Blackburn Union Workhouse. She was deemed to be insane and was an inmate of their lunacy ward until her death in 1916.

Thomas Addison

Born: 1833 in Cuerden, Lancashire, England

Father: Christopher Addison (1788 to 1864)
Mother: Ann Goldthorp (1791 to 1857)

First Spouse: Ellen Hirons (1839 to 1861)

Married: 26 DEC 1857 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England

Children: None

Second Spouse: Mary Pickup (1844 to 1893)

Married: 1863 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England

Child:

Nancy Addison (1874 to 1916)

Died: 25 JUN 1896 in Darwen, Lancashire, England

Timeline:

1841 Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire, England
1851 Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire, England
1854 Death of brother, Christopher
1857 Death of mother, Ann
1857 Marriage to Ellen
1861 Blackburn, Lancashire, England
1861 Death of wife, Ellen
1863 Marriage to Mary
1864 Death of father, Christopher
1871 Over Darwen, Lancashire, England
1874 Birth of daughter, Nancy
1878 Death of brother, John
1881 Over Darwen, Lancashire, England
1888 Death of sister, Nancy
1891 Over Darwen, Lancashire, England
1893 Death of wife, Mary
1895 Death of brother, George
1896 Death and Burial

Occupation: cotton piecer (1851), cotton spinner

Records:

1841 to 1891 England Census Records
Lancashire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1911
Lancashire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index: 1837-1915
England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

Variations of Surname: none

Thomas Addison’s First Wife:

Ellen Hirons:

Ellen was born in 1839 in Long Lawford, Warwickshire, England. She died in 1861 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. Ellen was 22 years old when she died.

Ellen’s father was Thomas Hirons. He was born in 1806 in Church Lawford, Warwickshire, England. He died in 1882 in Diseworth, Leicestershire, England.

Ellen’s mother was Elizabeth Shirley. She was born in 1806 in Braunston, Northamptonshire, England. She died in 1847 in Church Lawford, Warwickshire, England. Elizabeth was 41 years old when she died.

Ellen had three known brothers and sisters. The children were born in Long Lawford, Warwickshire, England.

Eliza Hirons (1833)
Mary Ann Hirons (1835 to 1836)
Joseph Hirons (1837)

Elizabeth had previously married Thomas Jones on 28 MAY 1826 in Church Lawford, Warwickshire, England. Two known children were born during their marriage:

Mary Jones (1827)
Elizabeth Jones (1829)

Thomas Jones was born in 1799 in Church Lawford, Warwickshire, England. He died in 1829 in Church Lawford, Warwickshire, England. Thomas was 30 years old when he died.

Hirons to Hinds:

As I was searching for information on Ellen Hirons’ parents, I discovered that Thomas changed his surname from Hirons to Hinds. The Family Search website explains that one reason people changed their surnames was to avoid prosecution.

The 1841 England Census shows that Elizabeth and her children were living in Newbold upon Avon, Warwickshire, England. Thomas was not included in this document.

The 1851 England Census shows that Thomas was a gatekeeper for a railway station. He and his three children had moved to Lynby, Nottinghamshire, England.

The 1861 England Census shows that Thomas had moved to Ratcliffe upon Soar, Nottinghamshire, England. He was a boarder of William and Mary Moore.

The 1871 England Census shows that Thomas had moved to Diseworth, Leicestershire, England. You will notice that Mary Moore, a widow, was listed as his servant. Her married daughter, Elizabeth, and her two sons were also living in the household.

The 1881 England Census shows that Thomas was a lodger of the widow, Mary Moore. Her daughter and her two sons were also living in the household.

My Thoughts:

There is an entry in Ancestry.com’s database “England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892” dated 1 JAN 1851 for Charles and Thomas Hirons. Charles Hirons was acquitted of the crime of simple larceny. Thomas was sentenced to six months hard labor.

This document lacks vital information such as their ages and where the crime occurred. For this reason, I cannot definitively state that Elizabeth’s husband was arrested for larceny.

Thomas did have an older brother named Charles. In 1851, he was living in Long Lawford, Warwickshire, England. This parish was also where Thomas’ children were born between 1833 and 1839.

It is worth mentioning that, two months after the conviction date, Thomas moved to Linby, Nottinghamshire, England. This parish is 60 miles north of Long Lawford.

It is merely speculation on my part that Thomas committed a crime. He may have taken the job of gatekeeper for the railway station to support his three children.

If a descendant of this family knows the answer to this question, please contact me. My email is dlwakenight@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message in the Comments Section of this post.

Another Family Mystery:

Why did Thomas Hirons, aka Hinds, live with William Moore’s family for over twenty years? I have yet to find a common ancestor that could tie these families together.

William and Mary Moore:

William Moore was born in 1813 in Diseworth, Leicestershire, England. He died in either 1863 or 1865 in Ratcliffe on Soar, Nottinghamshire, England.

Mary Ward was born in 1817 in Thrumpton, Nottinghamshire, England. She died in 1900 in Diseworth, Leicestershire, England.

William married Mary Ward in 1838 in Ratcliffe on Soar, Nottinghamshire, England. One known child was born during their marriage:

Elizabeth Moore was born in 1841 in Ratcliffe on Soar, Nottinghamshire, England. She died in 1925 in Diseworth, Leicestershire, England.

Elizabeth gave birth to one child out of wedlock:

Harry Moore (1865 Kegworth)

Elizabeth married Tom Farmer in 1867 in Diseworth, Leicestershire, England. One known child was born during their marriage:

Ernest Farmer (1868)

Tom Farmer was born in 1845 in Diseworth, Leicestershire, England. He died in 1915 in East Leake, Nottinghamshire, England.

Elizabeth and Tom separated shortly after their son was born. As shown above, Elizabeth lived with her mother and Thomas Hinds.

The 1871 England Census shows that Tom was living with his uncle, James Hutchinson, in Kegworth. This parish is four miles northeast of Diseworth. His name was listed as John on the census record. This was probably a transcription error.

The 1881 England Census shows that Tom moved to East Leake, Nottinghamshire, England. He was a boarder of widow, Mary Doughty. Her daughter, Eliza, and two grandchildren were included in the household.

NOTE: You will notice that Eliza and her children were listed under her maiden name. She was unmarried. This means her two children were illegitimate.

The 1891 England Census shows that Eliza’s son, Ernest, was a boarder of Tom Farmer.

Tom Farmer lived with Ernest Doughty, his wife, and his children until his death in 1915. They were still living in East Lake, Nottinghamshire, England.

My Thoughts:

I believe Tom Farmer was the father of Eliza Doughty’s two children. This would explain why he lived with the family for over 35 years.

Tom and Elizabeth never divorced. This meant he could not marry Eliza Doughty. She, in turn, may have married someone else and moved from the area.

This is another mystery that a family descendant could solve.

Thomas Addison’s Second Wife:

Mary Pickup:

Mary was born in 1844 in Tockholes, Lancashire, England. She died in 1893 in Over Darwen, Lancashire, England.

Mary’s father was Thomas Pickup. He was born on 26 JUN 1819 in Lower Darwen, Lancashire, England. He died in 1874 in Tockholes, Lancashire, England.

Mary’s mother was Ann Smith. She was born on 22 AUG 1818 in Tockholes, Lancashire, England. She died in 1873 in Tockholes, Lancashire, England.

Mary had nine known brothers and sisters. Eight of the children were born in Tockholes. The youngest child was born in Lower Darwen.

William Pickup (1842)
Charlotte Pickup (1845)
Alice Pickup (1847 to 1852)
Sarah Pickup (1849)
Thomas Pickup (1850)
John Pickup (1853)
Alice Pickup (1855)
Caroline Pickup (1856)
Henry Pickup (1860)

Thomas and Mary’s Daughter:

Nancy Addison:

Nancy was born in 1874 in Over Darwen, Lancashire, England. She died in 1916 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.

Nancy never married.

What Happened to Nancy?

Nancy was 18 years old when she was admitted to the Blackburn Union Workhouse for mental health issues. This entry can be viewed in Ancestry.com’s database “UK, Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, 1846-1921”.

Nancy’s parents must not have been able to control her. It is possible that they had her committed because of her erratic behavior. Nancy was an inmate in the lunacy ward from 27 JAN 1892 to 6 JAN 1893.

There is a notation in the 1901 England Census that Nancy was a lunatic. Wikipedia defines a lunatic as:

“. . . referring to a person who is seen as mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, or crazy – conditions once attributed to lunacy.”

The notation in the 1911 England Census describes Nancy as “insane“. Another Wikipedia article explains:

“The disorders formerly encompassed by the term covered a wide range of mental disorders now diagnosed as bipolar disorder, organic brain syndromes, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders.”

There was no indication in the earlier census records that Nancy had a mental disorder. She was still fairly young when she was sent to the institution.

Psychology Today published an article in 2021 concerning age and mental illness. The study found that these disorders initially emerged when a person was 14 to 15 years old.

Nancy was probably an inmate of the Blackburn Union Workhouse until her death in 1916. She was 42 years old when she died.

Notes:

The surname Addison was common along the borders of Northern England and the eastern counties of Scotland. In the period known as the Middle Ages, these Addison ancestors migrated south to settle in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire counties in England.

The progenitor of this family line was Christopher Addison. He was born around 1788 in Bolton, Lancashire, England. Who were his parents? That is still an unanswered question.

This family lived in the Walton-le-Dale area of Lancashire, England. The four oldest children were born in Moon’s Mill which is now Higher Walton. The two youngest children were born in the parish of Cuerden. The family finally settled in Over Darwen which is five miles south of Blackburn.

Timothy Addison created a family tree on Rootweb. His ancestors lived in the parishes of Kings Meaburn, Morland, Crosthwaite, Beathwaitegreen, and Levens in northwestern England.

Is there a connection between his ancestors and the ones who migrated to Lancashire? This is where my search begins . . .

If you know the answer to this question, please contact me. My email is dlwakenight@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message in the Comments Section of this post.

Creating Your Family Tree

Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:

Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for births, marriages, and deaths.

Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory that is passed down from generation to generation.

Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.

When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. The records can include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestors.

If you have a unique surname, like Wakenight, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are many others on the internet for other countries like Ireland, Italy, and Germany.

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would typically start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on.  There are also family trees that go “forward into time.”  Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty, and move forward into the present time.  The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline with that famous person.

There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!