Samuel was born in Castleton in Derbyshire in 1818, the eldest of 4 children born to farmer William Dakin (1794-1830) and Ann Needham (1800-1834), and brother to James Dakin (1827-1883). Samuel appears to have been the Dakin that made the move over to Lancashire, starting the dynasty of the Haslingden and Blackpool Dakins. He and his father are listed on his marriage certificate as farmers.
The 1841 Census shows that Samuel is no longer living with his mother, who had remarried to become Ann Barber, and siblings. The likeliest candidate for Samuel in the Census seems to be the incorrectly transcribed Samuel Daken, who appears to be working as a Horse Keeper 6 miles from Castleton in Hathersage. Though he would be 22 at the time of the census the 1841 Census is known for rounding down ages to the lowest 5 years. Therefore Samuel’s age would be rounded down to 20. Also, Samuel’s future career was a coachman and starting off as a Horse Keeper would have been the logical place to learn his trade. This 1841 Samuel appears here.
There is a rumour that Samuel eloped with Sarah Fisher, who at the time may have been the daughter of a wealthy landowner. Indeed, though they were married in Sarah’s home town of Rotherham, the witnesses to the marriage were not family members. Samuel and Sarah were married on the 29th October in 1842 at The Parish Church, now known as All Saints Church or Rotherham Minster. At the date of marriage in 1842 Samuel was still resident in Castleton.
After their wedding Samuel and Sarah moved to Eccleshall, Sheffield where in 1844 their first child, John Fisher Dakin, was born.
The 1851 Census has Samuel living at 6 Cherry Tree Hill, Eccleshall and his profession is a Coachman. Later in that year their second child, Ellen Ann Dakin, was born. Ester and Mary arrived in 1853 and 1856 respectively and soon after they moved house to 28 & 26 Larkhill Street, Blackburn, Lancashire. William and James were born here in 1859 and 1861.
At some point between 1861 and 1871 James died. He appears on the Census in 61 and would have been around 10 in 71 but there is no record of him. Samuel junior was then born in 1865, possibly in Blackpool. It also appears that during this time the family moved house again. The 71 Census has them living at 93 Lane Side in Haslingden, Lancashire. Samuel senior has given up Coaching and is a Toll Collector. They move house again in the next decade so that the 1881 Census listed them at 9 Regent Street, Haslingden. And by the time that Samuel died in 1890 they were living at 24 Regent Street, Haslingden.
Dakin Family History 