Robert Brigham Hulton (1852-1934)
My great grandfather was Robert Brigham Hulton, 1852-1934 (???, as we shall see!)
I know from chatting to a former neighbour of his that he had previously been a sailor.This leads to the possibility that I will outline in a moment.
His father was apparently Charles Norleigh Hulton, a member of the famous Lancashire family who was disinherited after marrying a working man's daughter, Mary Ann Watson, in Yorkshire in the 1840s.Robert was their youngest.
In 1855, Charles and Mary Ann both died of cholera in Germany, and young Robert was taken in by his father's sister and then by some relatives of his mother.Presumaqbly he eventually became a sailor.It is then that my hypothesis starts.Perhaps he died and my ancestor impersonated him, thinking there might be some money in it.He subsequently found this would not be the case, but having forged this new identity kept it, marrying in London in 1890 and subsequently having one child, my grandmother Laura, in 1900.
I'm not sayingmy RBH was an impostor, but I think there's a case to answer and I'd like to explain why.None of these reasons on their own makes a case, but I think together they make enough to be answered.
1Laura never claimed to be part of his family.OK, maybe he wanted not to make a thing of it so he never told her.But I think that's unlikely.And she would certainly have made something of it had she known.
2My RBH's jobs were relatively menial, whereas the real CNH despite marrying a working man's daughter was still considered a gentleman.
3Laura herself tried to disguise her ancestry - perhaps this was in effect hereditary?
4My RBH put his birthplace as Salford - not Hulton Hall which is nearby but not actually in the City of Salford.According to my aunt's note on the Hultons, he lived in Yorkshire until at least the age of 9, so it is inconceivable that he did not know he was from there
5My RBH did not know who his father was.The name Thomas on the marriage certificate is NOT his brother.
6There is a query over his age.I seem to think the figures quoted on the marriage certificate and/or the censuses do not tally with the birth certificate.
Hope this gives cause for thought - no more.
If anyone can provide any additional information, I would love to hear from them.
Richard Chester-Browne