Stephen Parle is my great great grandfather, and that is as far back as we can go with our family history.
Two accounts of how he came to live in Runcorn:
(Geographical note: Runcorn and Widnes are towns on opposite banks of the River Mersey, Widnes on the north bank and Runcorn on the south. They are about 12 miles up river from the Port of Liverpool.)
1. Stephen Parle come over from Ireland in about 1838 and worked in the slate quarries at Blaenau Ffestiniog. He married a Welsh Baptist lady named Caton. This is an account given by Anne Thompson, my father's sister.
2. Stephen Parle was born around 1835, came to England some time before 1860, and married Anne Sillet. My great grandfather's birth certificate shows that he (John) was born on 12th February 1865 at the family home in Salkeld's Square, Runcorn. His father's surname is spelt 'Parl' and his mother's maiden name is Sillet. Stephen's occupation is Chemical Works Labourer. There were four children: Mary, who was born in Runcorn in 1860 and died very young, and Anne, Rose and John. When Stephen's wife Anne died he left Runcorn and never returned. The abandoned children were put in Dutton Workhouse. At the age of 12 or 13, John ran away from the workhouse and came to Widnes, were he got a job as 'can lad' to the boiler firemen in Muspratt Works (part of United Alkali Combine)
If you have any information about Stephen Parle (or Parl) that might link with either of the above, I would be grateful if you could contact me at [email protected].