Re: diggle family history

Dear Diane,

I only just came across your posting - I'm sorry to be responding so late in the day.

We have an intriguing mystery here. My grandfather was Samuel Diggle (1864-1941). He married Isabella Winfield Wrench (1862-1945). I am the only son of their eighth child George Ernest Diggle and I was born in 1937.

Let's look at the Wrench family first. They lived in Mouldsworth, Cheshire, England. Isabella Winfield had a sister, Sarah Winfield, who married Richard Scholfield in 1867 and so became Sarah Winfield Schofield. Sarah Winfield was my Great Aunt therefore. There was also a brother William Wrench (b. 1846) who does not appear in any UK records that I can find - emigrated perhaps.
Sarah Winfield and Richard Schofield had 12 children - of whome five were boys and would thus have carried the surname Schofield forwards. None of the seven girls was called Sarah.

So was'your' Sarah Schofield, my Great Aunt? It's not impossible. Her husband Richard died in 1902. She died in 1932 and she is buried in the nearest churchyard to Mouldsworth in Cheshire. That's 30 years in which she could have gone to Canada, married - albeit late in life - and returned. How old was she when she married John Diggle?

Looking at the dates of Sarah's male children we have:
Frederick William Winfield b. 1869
Richard b. 1873
Thomas b. 1877
Joseph b. 1883
Herbert b. 1888

Perhaps 'your' Sarah is the daughter of one of these?

On the Diggle side. None of my grandfather's siblings was called John. He had older brothers called George and Ernest.

I'm rushing somewhat today so I'll leave this with you. I'll try to answer any questions you may have and hope that together we may crack this mystery!

I look forward to hearing from you.

Keith Winfield Diggle