Betty
You may have seen one or two of my replies to various people re:- Thomas
Davies/Jane Shone
If I can confirm some further proof on Thomas then it will take me back
another 2 generations on the information I currently hold.
I think it will take some time to prove and will require me to visit the
record office at Hawarden again sometime in the near future.
However, the Davies family came from Mold in North Wales to live in the Wigan
area of Ince,
probably because mining work was becoming difficult or scarce in their local
area and since mining was apparently booming in the Ince district
they decided to migrate and I pick them up after the 1851 census.
From my earlier searches, it showed that a number of local
hotels/lodging
houses were being used to take the many families from the North
Wales area as
temporary accommodation, until the head of the family could find employment
,usually in the mines and whilst some of the younger women found work in the
cotton mills.
The area around Warrington Rd was such an area and the families moved around
the various terraced houses which were usually owned by the mineowners.
Streets such as Parliament St ,Pitt St. & Warrington Rd accommodated various
Davies family units at some time or other during the 1861and 1871 censuses.
I will gather together relevant information when I next vist the Wigan record
office at attempt to get the copies you require.
Regarding your puzzle, I don't think that I can shed too much light on the
subject other than possible embarrassment of Wm. Griffiths when, not knowing
his own father name, decided to use the name Halliwell perhaps from the
William/Margaret Halliwell family to whom he may have become attached or
friendly with.
Remember, they all lived very close to each other and became very close knit
groups in those days.
Bye for now, I'll keep you informed of developments.
John Alan Davies