In 1831, Margaret Hopley was a witness at Jane's marriage to George Brereton.
Sister is more likely than mother to be witness, but may have been her mother Margaret.

Aged 9 in 1841

Name    Ann Brereton
Record Type    Baptism
Baptism Date    28 Oct 1832
Baptism Place    Shocklach, St. Edith, Cheshire, England
Father    George Brereton
Mother    Jane Brereton

Ann, daughter of George & Jane Brereton of Shocklack Oviatt, Labourer

Name:    Ann Brereton
Gender:    Female
Death Age:    10
Burial Date:    30 Dec 1842
Burial Place:    , Tilston Parish, Cheshire, England
Burial Age:    10y
FHL Film Number:    2105377

Name:    Ann Brereton
Registration Year:    1842
Registration Quarter:    Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district:    Great Boughton, Cheshire
Volume:    19
Page:    50

Aged 7 in Apr 1841, born Horton (where living)
Aged 16 in Apr 1851, born Tilston
Aged 19 in Oct 1853
Aged 25 in Apr 1861, born Alton
Aged 37 in Apr 1871, born Houghton
1881 Orton
1891 Tilston
1901 Orton
Aged 71 in Jun 1904

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

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.

Name    Richard Brereton
Gender    Male
Record Type    Baptism
Baptism Date    8 Mar 1835
Baptism Place    Tilston, St. Mary, England
Father    Richard Brereton
Mother    Jane Brereton
Description    Tilston, St. Mary. Baptisms
Page number    73
Richard son of Richard & Jane Brereton of Horton, Farmer.


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.

Aged 5 in 1841
Aged 14 in 1851, born Tilston
Aged 26 in 1861, born Horton

Name    William Brierton
Gender    Male
Record Type    Baptism
Baptism Date    12 Jun 1836
Baptism Place    Tilston, St. Mary, England
Father    George Brierton
Mother    Jane Brierton
Description    Tilston, St. Mary. Baptisms
Page number    76

Baptism at Tilston, Abode Horton, Farmer

Presumed died before 1871 when Mary was a Widow.

Deaths Jun 1870   (>99%)
Brereton  William  32  Birkenhead  8a 294

Born before Sep 1837 (as no GRO record)

Aged 3 in 1841
Aged 14 in 1851, born Tilston

Name    Robert Bruerton
Gender    Male
Record Type    Baptism
Baptism Date    13 May 1838
Baptism Place    Tilston, St. Mary, Cheshire, England
Father    George Bruerton
Mother    Jane Bruerton
Description    Tilston, St. Mary. Bishop's Transcripts

Baptism at Tilston, Abode Horton, George a farmer

BRERETON, ROBERT        58 
GRO Reference: 1899  J Quarter in BIRKENHEAD 
Volume 08A  Page 334

Age is a few years out, but this seems the most likely match.  There are no other Birkenhead GRO records with a matching age (searched up to 1940)

No Wills for Robert Brereton (except for two in the 1600s)

BRERETON, GEORGE        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1839  D Quarter in GREAT BOUGHTON 
Volume 19  Page 55

Name    George Brereton
Gender    Male
Record Type    Baptism
Baptism Date    23 Feb 1840
Baptism Place    Tilston, St. Mary, England
Father    George Brereton
Mother    Jane Brereton
Description    Tilston, St. Mary. Baptisms
Page number    87

Baptism at Tilston, Abode Horton.

3mo old when buried

May have died early as not on 1841 or 1851 census

Deaths Mar 1840   (>99%) Brereton  George    Gt Boughton  19 57
Deaths Jun 1847   (>99%)  Brereton  George     Gt Boughton  19 59

3 mo 

Aged 4 months n 1841 census

Must have been born in Tilston, as siblings were.

BRERETON, MARGARET        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1841  J Quarter in GREAT BOUGHTON 
Volume 19  Page 63

I've gone over the Tilston baptisms and there are none for George and Margaret after 1840 (to Dec 1844).

Died before 1851 as missing from census

Deaths Dec 1842   (>99%)
Brereton  Margaret    Gt.Boughton  19 48

Age 20 months

Died Horton, aged 4 months in April 1843

BRERETON, MARY        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1842  D Quarter in GREAT BOUGHTON 
Volume 19  Page 62

4 months

Aged 9 in 1851
Aged 50 in 1891, at Birkenhead, born Horton

BRERETON, JOHN        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1844  M Quarter in GREAT BOUGHTON 
Volume 19  Page 62

Name:    John Brereton
Gender:    Male
Baptism Date:    29 Dec 1843
Baptism Place:    Nantwich, Cheshire, England
Father:    (Not shown)
Occupation: Wife of Builder (difficult to read)
Abode: Hospital Street, Nantwich
Mother:     Jane Brereton
FHL Film Number:    1836189

BRERETON, JOHN        50 
GRO Reference: 1893  D Quarter in BIRKENHEAD
Volume 08A  Page 345

There are Wills for John of Broad Lane, Stapely (died 1893) and John of Dragon Farm Handley (died 1895) but these are others.

BURETON, CHARLES        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1846  M Quarter in GREAT BOUGHTON 
Volume 19  Page 63

BRERETON, JANE        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1848  S Quarter in GREAT BOUGHTON 
Volume 19  Page 63

3 on 1851 census, born Cuddington, Cheshire
13 on 1861 census, born Horton, Cheshire

Name:    Jane Gregory
Estimated birth year:    abt 1847
Registration Year:    1883
Registration Quarter:    Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at Death:    36
Registration district:    Birkenhead, Cheshire
Volume:    8a
Page:    348

8 months on 1851 census

11 on 1861 census, born Cudington, Cheshire
20 on 1871 census, born Cudington, Cheshire
40 on 1891 census, born Horton, Cheshire
48 on 1901 census, born Horton, Cheshire
47 on Death Index (Mar 1902)

BRERETON, THOMAS        HOPLEY 
GRO Reference: 1850  S Quarter in WREXHAM 
Volume 27  Page 282

Ellen (widow) had remarried in 1907, but she already had a son from Theophlus in 1904, so Thomas must have died about 1902-03

Name:    Thomas Brereton
Estimated birth year:    abt 1855
Date of Registration:    Jan-Feb-Mar 1902
Age at Death:    47
Registration district:    Chester, Cheshire
Volume:    8a
Page:    268