Aged 7 in Apr 1841
Aged 16 in Apr 1851
Aged 19 in Oct 1853
Aged 25 in Apr 1861
Aged 37 in Apr 1871
Aged 71 in Jun 1904

Two Richard Breretons were born about 1833-5.  The one who married Esther, was the son of George Brereton.

Various birthplaces are recorded for Richard:
1841 Horton (where living)
1851 Tilston
1861 Alton
1871 Houghton
1881 Orton
1891 Tilston
1901 Orton

I believe Houghton and Orton are both meant to be Horton.  Horton Green is the next village south of Tilston, so most probably Horton is the area surrounding Horton Green.  Therefore his birth place was probably on a farm part of Horton Hall, near Horton Green and Tilston, where his father George is recorded in the 1833 Poll Book..

One possible christening record is indexed, which probably is the correct record as it specifies "Tilston by Malpas", but has his father as Richard (not George).  There isnt a record for George as the father, so perhaps this is a transcription error (as christened Richard), or simply his record isnt indexed.

RICHARD BRERETON
Event(s):
Christening:  08 MAR 1835   Tilston By Malpas, Cheshire, England
Parents:
  Father:  RICHARD
  Mother:  JANE BRERETON 
Baptism at Tilston, Abode Horton.

I did have his birth as 28-Sep-1833, but nothing to support this and census and death ages are of little help. However, he was a year  older than Esther on the marriage certificate and 1961 census record.

In his later years, Richard probably suffered from dementure.  He would bring home rubbish and occasionally threaten his wife Esther, who must have been terrified, athough from newspaper clips we know Esther was a tough old girl !

Deaths Jun 1904 - BRERETON  Richard  69  Birkenhead  8a 295

Death Cert: Richard Brereton died 8 June 1904, at 11 Chaple Street, Birkenhead (i.e. the Bird in Hand), aged 69 years, a retired  Licensed Victular.  The cause of death was "Cerebral Apoplexy, 4 months".  Annie Hale, daughter was present at the death.

Richard was buried on the 13th June, and the headstone shows he died 8th June.

Richard (aged 71) and Esther (aged 84) are buried in the same grave as Esther's youngest brother, Mathew Eddowes who died at the early age of 29.  Three infants, Ethel Brereton, Henry Hale and William Brereton, are also buried with them.  Grave number 481 in the CoE section 2.

No will.

Edmund was baptised Nov 1833, so Esther must be later than that:
Aged 15 in 1851, Born Holt
Aged 18 on 24-Oct-1853 (Marriage)
Aged 24 in 1861, Born Holt, Denbishire
Aged 37 in 1871, Born Wrexham, Denbigh (Common Wood ?)
Aged 47 in 1881, Born Wales
Aged 57 in 1891, Born Holt, Denbigh.
Aged 67 in 1901, Born Wrexham, Denbigh
Aged 84 in Mar 1917 (at death)

Born Holt, near Wrexham, Common Wood, Denbighshire, North Wales, daughter of John a Farmer and Mary.
Note: According to the 1871 census, John Eddowes was born in Cousin Wood, Wrexham.

Les Thomas has a date of 3-May-1833 (but this should be 1835) as 1833 is too close to Edmund, she was 18 when married, and was baptised in April 1836.

Esther <Eddowes>
Christening:  17 APR 1836   Holt, Denbigh, Wales
Parents:
  Father:  John Eddowes
  Mother:  Mary 

Deaths Mar 1917   (>99%)
Breret_n  Esther  84  Birkenhead  8a 695

Esther's death in Birkenhead in 1917 in also confirmed by the record of her will.

Richard (aged 71) and Esther (aged 84) are buried in the same grave as Esther's youngest brother, Mathew Eddowes who died at the early age of 29.  Three infants, Ethel Brereton, Henry Hale and William Brereton, are also buried with them.  Grave number 481 in the CoE section 2.

She was buried 5-May, so assumed to have about a week before (confirmed by probate).

BRERETON Esther of 56 Church Street Birkenhead widow died 28 February 1917. Probate Chester 28 March to Richard Brereton beerhouse keeper. Effects £2,463 9s. Resworth £2,523 9s.

Born: Wrexham, Denbighshire, North Wales.

Recorded as aged 17, Born Denbishire, Wrexhan in 1871 census
Aged 59, Born Wrexham according to 1911 census

BRERETON, JOHN        EDDOWES 
GRO Reference: 1854  M Quarter in WREXHAM 
Volume 11B  Page 312

Ann Hale (nee Brereton) recorded John's birthday as 19 March 1854.

First Name:  JOHN
Surname:  BRERETON
Place:  BIRKENHEAD
Occupation:  RAILWAY SHUNTER
Date:  1914
Will:  Yes

Deaths Dec 1913   (>99%)
Brereton  John  59  Birkenhead  8a 579

On Oct 16th 1913, John made his will, leaving everything to his wife Eliza.  Alfred Goodwin and Joseph Shipley were witness.  Probate was granted 10 Feb 1914.

Probate:
BRERETON John of 46 Church-street Birkenhead railway shunter died 26 Dec 1913 Probate Chester 10 February to Eliza Brereton widow. Effects £218 14s 10d.  His estate was left to wife Eliza in its entirity.

Aged 35 in 1891
Aged 45 in 1901
Aged 56 in 1911

Born in Birkenhead in 1856 (according to GRO and 1881 census).
Two Ann's were born in the Wirral this year:

BRERETON, ANN        EDDOWES 
GRO Reference: 1856  J Quarter in WIRRAL 
Volume 08A  Page 443

WARNING: There are also birth for Ann Brereton MMN = ORRETT in 1853 and 1856 on the Wirral.

Ann Hale (nee Brereton) recorded her birthday as 2 Apr 1856, which is consistent with the first record.


Name:    Anne Brereton
Gender:    Female
Baptism Date:    27 Apr 1856
Baptism Place:    Holy Trinity, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England
Father:     Richard Brereton
Mother:     Esther Brereton
FHL Film Number:    2104037

Ann was 83 when she died.
Born: Birkenhead, Cheshire


Probate:
HALE Ann of 56 Church Street, Birkenhead, Widow died 11 March 1940 Probate Liverpool 16 May to John Hale bricklayer. Effects £420 14s

Born Birkenhead, Cheshire about 1859.
Note: FreeBMD only indexed from 1861 for Birkenhead, and no GRO record index for Richard - very strange !

Ann Hale (nee Brereton) recorded Richards birthday as 11 June 1858

Aged 52 on 1911 census

Deaths Mar 1920   (32%)
BRERETON  Richard  (age 51 or 61)  Birkenhead  8a 585

Richard must have still been alive when his mother Esther wrote her Will in 1917, leaving him one quarter of the residual estate.

Died before 1925, and Mum (Joan Dittmer) never met her grandparents.  A search of the records between 1918 and 1925 finds only one Richard Brearton who died in Birkenhead.  The index is difficult to read, and his age looks more like 51 than 61, but this is him.

Richard Brereton, Beer Retailer, died 9 Feb 1920 at 7 Tunnel Road (Birkenhead), aged 61 years.  The cause of death was Cirrhosis of the liver and Exhaustion.  R. T. Brereton, Son was in attendance.

My mother remembered that Richard was "a heavy drinker". Cirrhosis of the liver is often caused by long-term alcohol misuse (or hepatitis C infection). Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and stops it from working properly.

The cemeteries office at Landican have confirmed he was buried on 12-Feb-1920 in the same grave as his wife Lidia, who was interned two years earlier.  The grave is in CoE Section 2, Grave No. 789.  See references and picture.

Probate:
Brereton Richard of the Red Lion Inn 7 Tunnel Road Birkenhead died 9 February 1920 Probate 6 March to Richard Timmis Brereton ships plater and Elsie Dittmer (wife of Harry Dittmer). Effects £1218 10s 4d.

Born: Birkenhead, Cheshire (1861 census)
2 months old at time of 7-April-1861 census
10 yerrs in 1871
30 years in 1891 (with wife Mary)
40 years in 1901 (with wife Mary)
50 years in 1911 (with wife Mary), b.Birkenhead

BRITTAN, GEORGE        EDDOWS 
GRO Reference: 1861  M Quarter in WIRRAL 
Volume 08A  Page 427

Ann Hale (nee Brereton) recorded George's birthday as 9 Feb 1861 wich fits in perfectly with the census.  However, I cant find any BMD record for his birth in Birkenhead.

Name:    George Brereton
Gender:    Male
Baptism Date:    8 Mar 1861
Baptism Place:    Holy Trinity, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England
Father:     Richard Brereton
Mother:     Esther Brereton
FHL Film Number:    2104037

George alive in 1911, and must have still been alive when his mother Esther wrote her will in 1917, leaving him one quater of the residual estate. He died before 1843, as Mary was described as a widow on her probate.

Two good matches, but nothing for Newton in Makerfield (Warrington area), where he was in 1911. His wife Mary died in Malpas, Cheshire, which is where she was born, so may have returned to family after George's death.  Since we know of no second name for George, then George A is probably the wrong one.

Deaths Sep 1936   (>99%)
Brereton  George A  74  Manchester S.  8d 163

Deaths Mar 1936
Brereton George 75 Nantwich 8a 535