Goldsborough or Goulden?

[Bob Spiers]

Will someone explain to me how a Yorkshire born female ancestor of mine is shown formally but separately with a surname of both Goldsborough and Goulden, and for good measure but in a less authorative way (baptismal records) as Gooldy?]

I have actually been working on this enigma with two other lady researchers (M & N), one via Ancestry and the other Roots Chat, between us we are working on different children of John Richardson and Hannah (often shown as Ann in Censuses) Goldsborough. Both living in Sheffield with Hannah or Ann born Greasbrough (Rotherham). We are talking the early to mid 1800's.

My own contribution of sending for a birth certificate for their daughter Matilda - shows her mother to be Hannah Goldsborough and (a Marriage Certificate) confirms her father as John Richardson (Steel Melter)

M has communicated that she has a Marriage Certificate for John Richardson (Blacksmith) married to Hannah Goulden and his father John Richardson (Hatter). Now the two John occupations tally as John the husband is shown in Censuses as a Furnaceman and his father as Hatter (in all cases). So that leave Hannah as Goulden not Goldsborough and a father George Goulden, shoemaker.

YET: M records her baptism record show her father to be George Goldsborough, shoemaker.
YET AGAIN: M has a record for another daughter (Harriet) whose mother is Ann Goulden.

M (who is also a Sheffield Indexer so well qualified in research) has found the baptismal records of 3 other children and this is where the mother is shown as Anne Gooldy and father John Richardson!

N awaits certificates for a different child (a very large family of Richardsons and a most popular name in Yorkshire and Sheffield in particular). Meanwhile she too has found a marriage for a John Richardson and Hannah Goulden in 1848 and we all agree there appears to be no marriage RECORD for John Richardson & Hannah (Ann) Goldsborough - hence sending for certificates where the name does appear.

SUMMARY.

There is now fairly substantial evidence -some additional to the above - to show that our John Richardson married a Hannah (who apparently liked to be styled Ann) Goldsborough who for whatever reason was also shown as Goulden. Although two different John and Hannahs' cannot be ruled out -and research continues- I and the other two ladies, believe we just have two different renderings of a surname but have no idea how this can be. If anyone can offer a rational reason for this -and we can rule out Gooldy as a likely corruption of Goulden - I would like to hear.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I have now completed quite extensive further research on this conundrum and had two others for help and none of us are any the wiser why Certificates support both surnames. I type these further notes as an aide memoire for myself and to aid anyone who may have ideas about the surname contradictions shown.

(a) We know Hannah's Marriage Certificate to a John Richardson in 1848 records her as Hannah Goulden and her father is shown as George Goulden, Shoemaker* (see 2 below)
(b) We know the eldest and second eldest daughters (Sarah Ann & Matilda) - 1849 & 1851 - both show on a Birth Certifcate their mother to be Hannah Goldsborough.
(c) We know her 5th child -1859 -(daughter, Harriet) shows on her Birth Certificate her mother to be Ann Goulden.

Other facts:
1. Although Hannah has the strongest first name support, one Certificate records her as Ann and she is similarly named within Censuses.
2. * Hannah's baptismal record shows her as Goldsborough and her father George Goldsborough, Shoemaker.(contradicts (a) above)
3. Baptismal records for 3 of her children show the mother to be Anne Gooldy (the Birth certificate for one now showing Goulden, and likely Gooldy a mis transcription of Goulden for the others as well).

Inconclusive
(i) Cannot find a birth record for Hannah or Ann as Goldsborough or Goulden but Censuses show c1825 and agree she was born Greasebrough (Rotherham), Yorkshire. NB there is a baptismal record as Goldsborough (see 2)
(ii) Cannot find a marriage record for Hannah or Ann as Goldsborough (Certificate as Goulden see (a))
(iii) The first child Sarah Ann (mother Goldsborough) records she was born at Balby, Doncaster the only child not to be born in Sheffield
(iv) John died 1863 and their last child born 1864 but he could of course have been the father. He cannot be found in the 1861 Census with Hannah/Ann.
(v) Hannah died 1869 so no Census records beyond 1861 where 'Ann' is shown living with her Richardson inlaws and 3 of her children, with a fourth in Service.

Currently on the back burner whilst I catch up with other research.