William Law, the son of Benjamin Law and Lydia Sheard

William Law born on March 12, 1809 in Batley, Yorkshire was the son of Benjamin Law and Lydia Sheard.

William Law's parents, Benjamin and Lydia Law, moved from Batley, Yorkshire to Stockport, Cheshire sometime after 1832.

Marriage of William Law and Mary Worth

William Law married Maria Worth (most likely in Cheshire) between 1832 and 1835. The estimated time and place of their marriage is based on:

• The Law family moved to Stockport circa 1832
• Marie Worth Law was born in Cheshire circa 1811. Marie Worth Law indicated on the censuses that she was born in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
• Lydia, the daughter of William Law and Mary Worth Law, was baptized in Stockport in October 1835.
• Mary's maiden name was taken from the civil birth records of her children.

Note: I looked for the marriage of William Law and Marie Worth in the Church of England records for Wilmslow and Stockport and did not find anything. The marriage is NOT listed under either Law or Worth in the North & East Cheshire Marriage index 1754 to 1837.

Addresses for William Law and Mary Worth in Yorkshire

Sometime between the death of Benjamin Law on February 21, 1837 in Stockport and December 1837, the Law family moved back to Yorkshire where William and Mary Law were listed:

1. Beggerington, Woodkirk, West Ardsley (about a mile and a half east of Batley) at the birth of Emma in 1838. "Ardsley West" was also know as Woodkirk.

   Ardsley West is a parish in the Wakefield district, Yorkshire. It is 5 miles north-west of Wakefield. In 1868 it included six hamlets and a post office. In 1868 the population was 1,646.

   The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, by John Marius Wilson, published in 1870

2. Sunny Bank, Upper Batley at the birth of Littice in 1840. Sunny Bank is very near the site of Benjamin Law's old mill in Howley.

3. Havercroft, New Batley in the 1841 census.

4. In New Batley in the civil records for the birth of his daughters, Isabelle in 1842, Mary Ann in 1845 and Hannah in 1849.

5. 30 New Street, Batley, in the 1851 census.

   "All that part of the township of Batley situate (sic) at Providence Street New Batley and Batley bounded on the East by Providence Street on the South by the road leading from thence to New Batley on the West by the road leading through New Batley and the North by the road leading from thence to the North end of Providence Street. Houses 97."

6. Early in 1861 they were at 122 Wheats Crofts Batley.

7. A few months later at the time of William Law's death in April 1861, they were at Alma Terrace, in Batley.

8. Marie Law at 45 Wood Well 1871-1874

Children of William Law and Mary Worth

William and Marie Law had at least six daughters.

1. Lydia Law (1835) married John Land

   Born 1835, Stockport

   Birth
   
   • Church Record: Lydia, the daughter of William and Maria Law, St Petersgate, Stockport, spinner, was baptized on October 4, 1835 in St Mary's Church, Stockport, Cheshire.
     

   • Civil Record: The Civil records are not available until 1837.
   Note: Lydia was named for William Law's mother, Lydia Sheard Law.
   Marriage: Lydia Law of Gomersall, married John Land on November 7, 1857 in the Birstall Parish church. John Land was a widower with perhaps as many as six surviving children from his first marriage. John's oldest son, John, was 15 his youngest son, James, was around two years old.
   Children: John and Lydia named their first son, Law, after her maiden name. I assume they could not name him William after his grand father because John already had a son named William. For more information on the marriage and children of John Land and Lydia Law Land go to John Land now or at the bottom of the page.
   Death: See John Land now or at the bottom of the page.

2. Emma Law (1837) married Thomas Pickering

   Emma Law, born 1837 in West Ardsley

   Birth
   • Church Record: Emma Law, daughter of William, spinner, and Marie Law of Beggartown was baptized on February 4, 1838 in Woodkirk, (West Ardsley), Yorkshire (From the West Ardsley parish records). Note: "Beggartown Hill" is just south of West Ardsley.
   • Civil Record: Emma, the daughter of William Law, spinner, and Maria Law, formerly Worth, was born on December 25, 1837 in West Ardsley. Her birth was reported by her father, William Law.
   Marriage 1856: The Parish Church of Batley, January 31 1856, Emma Law age 20, spinster, daughter of William Law, clothier, of Batley married Thomas Pickering, age 22, bacholor, tailor, son of John Pickering, nale maker. Thomas signed. Emma made her mark. Witnesses were William _obley and Joseph Pickering X his mark. (GRO)
   1861 and 1871 Censuses: Thomas and Emma were listed in the 1861 and 1871 censuses. See Laws in the Censuses
   Other Information on Thomas Pickering: In the 1841 census Thomas Pickering was the son of John Pickering, "nale" maker
   Children: According to the censuses they had:
   1. Emily, born circa 1857
   2. Maria born 1859
   3. Agnes cira 1862
   4. Carrie born circa 1864
   5. Annie born circa 1866
   6. Charles born circa 1868
   7. Adelia born circa 1870
   8. Polly born circa 1872
   9. Julia born circa, 1875
   Death: Emma Pickering Dewsbury District Death, age 41, 9b page 382 June 1878 Free BMD

   1881 Census: On Wellington street, Thomas Pickering, age 46 widower, master tailor employing two men, Emily L Pickering age 24, Marie age 23 woolweaver, Carrie age 17, wool weaver, Annie age 15, no occupation, Charles H age 13, scholar, Adelia age 11 scholar, Polly afe 9 scholar, and Julia age 6 scholar
   1891 Census: Thomas Pickering, age 56 widower, tailor, was listed on Wellingotn Street in Batley with, Carrie, daughter age 27, Polly daughter age 18, cotton twister, Julia daughter age 16 and grandson, John Arthur age 3
   1901 Census: Thomas Pickering was listed in 1901 on Wellington street, age 66 widower, tailor own account, warking at home, Julia daughter age 26, no occupation, Ethel grandaughter age 13, machine minder in woolen mill worker, John A grandson age 13, machine miner at woolen mill worker

3. Littice Law, born 1840 in West Ardsley.
   Birth
   • Civil Record: Lettice, the daughter of William Law, clothier, of Sunny Bank, and Maria Law formerly Worth, was born on August 19, 1839, in the registration district of Dewsbury in the sub district of Batley in the County of York (Civil Birth Record). Note: Sunny Bank is in Upper Batley, very near Benjamin Law's mill at Howley.
   • Church Record: Littice Law, "daughter of William, clothier, and Marie Law of Batley", was baptized in Woodkirk, (Ardsley West), Yorkshire on March 4, 1840 (From the Ardsley West parish records).
   Death:
   • Church Record: Littice Law of Batley, age 20 months, was buried on May 5, 1841 in the Parish of Batley.

     Note: This death was also recorded in the Morley Chapel Wesleyan church in Morley LDS film #0828147 - Littice Law Batley May 5, 20 mos., 1841

   • Civil Record: Littice Law, age 1 year 8 months, daughter of William Law, clothier, died of "teething" the May 3, 1841, New Batley, death reported by William Law.

4. Isabelle Law, born 1842 in Batley
   Birth
   • Church Record: I did not find the baptismal record for Isabelle Law
   • Civil Record: Isabelle Law, the daughter of William Law, clothier, of New Batley, and Mary Law, formerly Worth, was born on March 5, 1842. The birth was reported on April 5, 1842 by her father, William Law.
   Further Records: I do not know what happened to Isabelle.

   I cannot find any listings for a death or marriage for Isabell on Free BMD. She was not listed under Isabell Law in the 1881 census according to LDS.

5. Mary Ann Law (1845) maried Samuel Land

   Mary Ann Law, born 1845 in New Batley

   Birth
   • Church Record: I did not find the baptismal record.
   • Civil Record: Mary Ann, daughter of William Law, clothier, and Marie Law, formerly Worth, was born April 2, 1845, birth reported by William Law, father, New Batley, Batley.
   Marriage: Mary Ann Law, age 18, of Batley, daughter of William Law (deceased), cloth weaver, married Sam Land, age 20, bachelor, tailor, of Batley, son of John Land, cloth drawer, in the Register Office on November 7, 1863. Note: Sam Land was the son of John Land by his marriage to Mary Dyson. John Land's second marriage was to Mary Ann Law's sister, Lydia Law.
   Emigration: Sam Land and Mary Ann Law Land left England circa 1872 and immigrated to Philadelphia. For information on the Law/Lands in Philadelphia go to The Lands in Philadelphia now or at the bottom of the page
   Death: 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

6. Hannah Law, born 1849 in New Batley
   Birth
   
   • Church Record: I did not find the baptismal record.
   • Civil Record: Hannah, daughter of William Law clothier, and Marie Law, formerly Worth, was born December 8, 1849, birth reported by Marie Law, mother, her mark, New Batley, Batley. I have not yet located the civil record.
   Further Records: I do not know what happened to Hannah Law.

Note: I assume that William and Mary had other children who died young. The break of 5 years between Mary Ann and Hannah is quite large given the rate of reproduction at the time. Since William would have been 27 years old at the time of Lydia's birth it is possible that he had other children before Lydia.

William Law and Mary Worth Law in the Censuses in Batley, England

1841

William Law was listed in Enumeration District 7, Havercroft, New Batley

1. William Law, age 30, Woollen (illegible)
2. Maria, age 25
3. Lydia, age 6
4. Emma, age 4.

1851

William Law was listed at 30 New Street, ED 1H Batley:

1. William Law, head of household, age 41, occupation, hand loom weaver of woolen, born in Yorkshire, Batley.
2. Maria, wife, age 38, occupation, bobbin winder, born in Cheshire, Wilmslow.
3. Lydia, daughter, age 15, occupation, rag sorter, born in Cheshire, Stockport.
4. Emma, daughter, age 13, occupation, rag sorter, born in Yorkshire, Ardsley West
5. Isabelle, daughter, age 8, occupation, nurse home, born in Yorkshire, Batley.
6. Mary Ann, daughter, age 6, scholar, born in Yorkshire, Batley.
7. Hannah, daughter, age 1, home, born in Yorkshire, Batley.

1861

William Law was listed in Enumeration District 8 at 122 Wheat Crofts, Batley

1. William Law, head of household, age 52, occupation, hand-loom weaver, born in Batley, Yorkshire
2. Maria, wife, age 50, born in Wilmslow, Cheshire
3. *Mary Ann, daughter, age 15, occupation, "wool power loom weaver", born in Batley, Yorkshire.
   Note:* Mary Ann Law was listed twice
   1. With her parents
   2. With her sister, Emma Law Pickering
4. Hannah, daughter, age 11, scholar, born in Batley, Yorkshire

1. Thomas Pickering, head, married, age 26, master tailor, born in Batley
2. Emma, wife, age 23, born in Batley
3. Emily Law, daughter, age 4, born in Batley
4. Maria, daughter, age 2, born in Batley
5. Samuel Land, (I cannot read the relationship to head of household), unmarried, age 18, tailor app, born in Leeds
6. *Mary Ann Law, sister-in-law, age 15, no occupation, born in Batley

• Samuel Land, was the son of John Land and Mary Dyson born in Leeds circa 1843.
• Mary Ann Law was the daughter of William Law and Marie Worth.
• Mary A Law married Samuel Land in 1863.

Marie Law was listed in the Township of Batley, Borough of Batley, Municipal Ward, West, Parliamentary Borough of Dewsbury, Town of Batley at 45 Wood Wele as follows:

1. Maria Law at 45 Wood Wele as the head of household, widowed, age 59, occupation, grocer, born in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

For other Laws in the censuses see Laws in the Censuses

Occupations of William Law, Mary Worth Law, and their children

William Law

• In 1838, at the birth of Emma, William law was listed as a spinner
• In 1839, at the birth of Littice, William Law was listed as a Clothier.
• At his death in 1861, William Law was listed as a woolen weaver.

• The 1851 census indicates that Marie Law was a bobbin winder
• She was not working in 1861
• The 1871 census indicates that she was running a grocery store in Wood Wele, Batley

• The 1851 census indicates that Lydia, age 15, was a rag sorter
• 1861 through 1881, wife of John land, no occupation listed

• The 1851 census indicates that Emma, age 13, was a rag sorter
• I861 census, wife of Thomas Pickering, no occupation.

• The 1861 census indicates that Mary Ann, age 15, was a wool power loom weaver
• The 1880 census in Philadelphia indicates that Mary Ann Law Land was "keeping house"

Death of William Law

Civil record: William Law, age 52, woolen weaver, died of Phthisis, duration of 4 months, jaundice 1 week, certified, on April 14, 1861. His residence was Alma Terrace, Batley, the death was reported by John Land, present at the death. John Land's address was also given as Alma Terrace, Batley.

Notes:

• Phthisis is consumption or pulmonary tuberculosis.
• John Land was William's son-in-law

Church Record: William Law of "Purl-well" was buried April 17, 1861, age 52.

Death of Mary Worth Law

I have not found the death record for Mary Worth Law. She was listed in the 1871 census but I did not find her in the 1881 census.

For more information on Benjamin Law (the father of William Law), Lydia Sheard Law (the mother of William Law) and the ancestors of Benjamin Law and Lydia Sheard Law, click on the photo of the plaque in honor of Benjamin Law (erected on the front of the Batley Library in 1996).

For more information on Lydia Law, her marriage to John Land and their family click on the photo Lydia and John's son, Law Land.

Lydia Law Land and her children immigrated to Philadelphia in 1883. For more information on the Lydia Land and her children in Philadelphia, click on the picture of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

For information on the family of Marie Worth, click on the photo of Church Street, Wilmslow, Cheshire