The Whittaker Family of Cheshire

Daniel is very elusive in Ancestry censuses but the following theory seems to fit all know facts about him and his 2 wives. From the 1851 census which can only be found on Findmypast, we know that Daniel was born near Kings Walden in Hertfordshire and his wife Eliza Powell was born at Kensworth, Hertfordshire. We also know that Daniel and Eliza were the parents of William Parkins born in January 1853 in Luton Bedfordshire. There are 3 William Parkins born around 1850 in Luton, one in 1848, one in 1856 and the one registered in the January Quarter of 1853. This one must be correct because the records of the other 2 are found in different families. The 1861 census and the 1871 census for Daniel and Eliza were difficult to locate. I found the 1861 by searching the area of Luton where they were living in 1851 but could not find the 1871 census until I checked their youngest son Frederick Charles who was born in 1860 and was 10 in the 1871 census. It turns out that Daniel and Eliza gave their ages as 33 in both censuses, which explains the problem in finding them in 1871.
Some time after 1871 the whole family relocated to the Denton area of Manchester and in 1878 Eliza Parkins died aged 51. At some time between 1881 and 1891, Daniel got together with an Elizabeth Birch. Elizabeth was born in Chapel Milton, Derbyshire in 1843 as Elizabeth Howard and married a man called Thomas Birch in the Denton area in the 4th quarter of 1865. In 1871 Thomas and Elizabeth are working together as Farm Servants in Denton, Elizabeth being 27 and Thomas about 54. They do not appear to have had children. Thomas Birch died in early 1880 and Elizabeth was a Widow aged 40 at the time of the 1881 census. She was working in Heaton Norris.
Daniel Parkins and Elizabeth were together in Stockport in 1891 living as man and wife but their birth places were unknown. In April 1901 they were together in Russell Street, Denton and this time their birth places are recorded as Kings Walden, Hertfordshire and Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire. They married in Stockport at the end of 1901 presumably because Daniel was ill and they wanted to legalise their relationship. Daniel died in Denton in the 2nd quarter of 1903 and Elizabeth died in the 3rd quarter of 1912. She was in Stepping Hill Hospital as a patient in early 1911.

1841 census Park Street, Western Side, Luton, Bedfordshire

Sarah PARKINS Wife M 35 Female Platter Bedfordshire
William PARKINS Son 13 Male Bedfordshire
Daniel PARKINS Son 11 Male Bedfordshire
Elizabeth PARKINS Daur 9 Female Bedfordshire
Harriet PARKINS Daur 7 Female Bedfordshire
Amos PARKINS Son 8months Male Bedfordshire

1851 census Upper Wellington Street, Luton, Bedfordshire

Daniel PARKINS Head M 21 Male Bonnet Blocker Breachwood Green , Hertfordshire
Elizabeth PARKINS Wife M 21 Female Bonnet Sewer Kensworth, Hertfordshire

1861 census 31 Chapel Street, Luton, Bedfordshire

Daniel PARKINS Head M 33 Male Straw Bonnet Blocker Breachwood Green, Hertfordshire
Elizabeth PARKINS Wife M 33 Female Straw Bonnet Sewer Kingswich, Bedfordshire
Hannah PARKINS Daur 10 Female Straw Bonnet Sewer Luton, Bedfordshire
William PARKINS Son 8 Male Scholar Luton, Bedfordshire
Louisa PARKINS Daur 5 Female Scholar Luton, Bedfordshire
James PARKINS Son 3 Male Scholar Luton, Bedfordshire
Frederick PARKINS Son 1 Male Luton, Bedfordshire

1871 census Spencer's Yard, George Street, Luton, Bedfordshire

Daniel PARKINS Head M 33 Male Hat Blocker Breachwood Green, Hertfordshire
Eliza PARKINS Wife M 33 Female Hat Sewer Kensworth, Hertfordshire
Louisa PARKINS Daur 15 Female Hat Sewer Luton, Bedfordshire
Henry PARKINS Son 13 Male Scholar Luton, Bedfordshire
Frederick C PARKINS Son 10 Male Scholar Luton, Bedfordshire
Sydney PARKINS Son 5 Male Scholar Luton, Bedfordshire

1891 census 29 Gorsey Brow, Stockport, Cheshire

Daniel PARKINS Head M 60 Male Felt Hatter Unknown
Elizabeth PARKINS Wife M 45 Female Felt Hat Trimmer Unknown

1901 census 11 Russell Street, Denton, Manchester, Lancashire

Daniel PARKINS Head M 64 Male Hat Finisher Kings Walden, Hertfordshire
Elizabeth PARKINS Wife M 45 Female Hat Trimmer Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire