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Family History

As family history is very relevant to local history, we have decided to include this page. If we cannot help, we will know someone that can and pass the information on. As this site is about Darwen, then anything related to it is important to us. 



HANSELL/ANSELL

Looking for descendents of Abraham and George Ansell/Hansell and Elizabeth Ann Whittle.
In the mid 1870’s three brothers came north in search of work.  This was during the Agricultural Strike in Hertfordshire.  George Ansell was the eldest, born in 1844, Abraham aka Abel was born in 1849 and William was born in 1853.  William bought his sweetheart, Emma Carpenter with him. All were born in Stevenage, Herts.

William and Emma married on 7th February 1878 and were back in Stevenage when their eldest daughter Jane was born in 1879. One of their sons, Frederick, was killed in 1915 in WW1.

Abel married Elizabeth Ann Whittle in Blackburn Registry Office on May 6th 1878 and they had two children, Robert born 1879 and Betsy Jane born in 1880.  Both children were registered as Ansell. By the 1881 census, Abel has disappeared and Elizabeth Ann is living with the eldest brother George in Tockholes as  husband and wife.  I have never found Abel after this date.

George and Elizabeth went on to have 10 children between 1882 and 1900

Of these, six died in infancy.  Elizabeth had two illegitimate children, the two children from Abel and the four surviving children from George.  Elizabeth died in 1902, George married Mary Wild in Blackburn Registry Office in 1907.  Mary died in 1917 and George died in 1918. I haven’t found children for this marriage but I think Mary would have been too old.
The eldest girl, Sarah Ann Whittle, born in 1873 and died in 1953 married Samuel Midgley on 9th July 1898 in St John’s Church, Darwen.  I haven’t found any children for this couple.

The eldest boy, Henry Whittle, born 1876 and died 1947, married 1st, Mary Ann Graham  in 1890 in St John’s Church and I found only one child, William Henry born 1896. He next married 2nd  Mary Eleanor Greenhalgh in St James Church in 1899.  They had the following children, Bessie born 1900 and Samuel Midgley Whittle born 1907 and died 1912. The nickname of Henry was Bandy. There could be other children not yet found.
Robert, son of Abel and Elizabeth, was born in 1879, no death found yet, and he married, 1st to Alice Bury in 1899 in Holy Trinity Church.  They had six children but 3 died in infancy.  Alice died in 1919 and Robert married 2nd to Mary Elizabeth Haworth in St Johns Church in 1929. No children found.

Betsy Jane, daughter of Abel And Elizabeth was born in 1880 and she married George Yates Smalley in 1900. Their son, George Yates Smalley was born after his father was killed in 1901. This George died in 1946 in Powell Street. I suspect that Henry Whittle, his Uncle, brought up George when his mother died young. George Yates Smalley joined the 4th East Lancashire Reserves in 1914 when his Uncle Henry was present at his swearing in and he was only 13.

Alice Hansell, daughter of George and Elizabeth, was born in 1885 and died in 1942 married Richard Edward Tattersall in Burnley in 1903.  They had 5 children including my mother.  I have all their descendents.

Elizabeth Ann aka Lily, daughter of George and Elizabeth, was born in 1887 and died in 1962 in Vancouver, Canada.  She married Samuel Birchall Morrey in 1905 in St John’s Church.  Samuel was born in 1884 and died in 1963 in Los Angeles. They had a son, Allan Birchall Morrey born 1906 who died in 1989 in Canada.   Samuel left Lily shortly after WW1, when he served in the Canadian Army and went to live in America with another lady.  I am in touch with the descendents of Lily.

Nancy Jane, daughter of George and Elizabeth was born in 1891.  She married in Blackpool in 1908.  Nothing further is known.
George, son of George and Elizabeth was born in 1897.  He was with the family on the 1901 census but nothing further is known about him.
Robert and Betsy Jane were registered as Ansell but all the other children were registered as Hansell. Robert & Betsy married as Hansell and this is what they were known as. They also stated on their marriage certificates that George was their father.

    Any information on the above please contact darwenhs@hotmail.co.uk  
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