Genealogy Chat

I need some help with my fathers side of my family.
I have nothing on his grandfathers side and i need some help! I could do with a reliable Irish family researcher that does not charge the earth! Can anyone help please!!!
Thanks x

Shazzlou - before parting with any money, why not put a few details on here to see if anyone can help?

.nudge

I need to trace the baptism/conversion record of my gt grandfather John Joseph Lewis, he wed my gt grandmother Penelope Jackson in 1891 at Brigids church curragh camp Ireland and would have had to convert from church of England to roman catholic to do so. His fathers name was Joseph Lewis occupation blacksmith

This baptism/conversion record is a last shot at gaining more info on him as census search etc has gone no where.
Im hoping this record may give both his parents names as i have heard some baptism/conversion records do.
I e mailed St Brigids church and had no reply.
Any ideas folks!!

When uncertain where to go, I look in cyndislist.com - try looking here -http://www.cyndislist.com/profess.htm
and then click on the various links. I myself have used the services of a researcher in here - http://www.apgi.ie/members.html

Is this your family on 1911?

LEWIS, John Joseph Head Married M 43 1868 Painters Labourer Staffs Wolverhampton
LEWIS, Penelope Wife Married
20 years F 47 1864 Home Duties Wexford Oilgate Resident
LEWIS, John Son Single M 19 1892 Platers Labourer Wicklow Dublin Resident
LEWIS, Cristopher Son Single M 15 1896 Platers Labourer Wicklow Dublin Resident
LEWIS, William Son M 12 1899 School Staffs Wolverhampton
LEWIS, Anastacia Daughter F 9 1902 School Staffs Wolverhampton
LEWIS, Patrick Son M 6 1905 School Staffs Wolverhampton

Registration District:
Wolverhampton Sub District:
Wolverhampton Eastern Enumeration District:
7 Parish:
Wolverhampton

Address:
43 Herbert St Wolverhampton County:
Staffordshire

Thanks for that Joy. This ancestor is really awkward he claims on census to be born Wolverhampton c.1868 but no record of birth there.
The only one he could be is the John with parents Joseph Lewis & Maria Lewis (nee Horobin) but thats not him as that John wed a lady named Agnes. His army records the first one has father Joseph as next of kin and he is C of E religon but claims he born Coventry. The next one his next of kin is Penelope his wife and he is listed Catholic religon so he must have converted and he still claims born Coventry but census in 1901 & 1911 he living Wolverhampton and claims he born there!! Coventry archives have looked and no John Joseph Lewis born there c.1868!! What a nightmare!!!

Yes thats the family William was my grandad.Wished i had asked about his family when he or my father alive. Even tried Great Western Railway where John Joseph Lewis worked but no joy.
If it had not been for the help off a lady named Ann i would not have his army papers or half the info i have now.
I will try the links off Joy but if anyone else has ideas please let me know as my old gt grandad John Joseph seems very elusive!!

nudge

Have you thought that he may have been reg as John Lewis and has added the Joseph himself or it was added at baptism?
Have you tried Wolverhampton for a search with John Lewis ,,father Joseph..Blacksmith?
I know you asked Coventry,but did you ask just for John Joseph Lewis births and maybe he is there under John?
Also he may not actually have converted to RC ,just said he did?Interfaith marriages happened a fair bit even back then.
Just some ideas even if not much help.

There is nothing under John Joseph Lewis or John Lewis in Coventry or Wolverhampton.
I know what you mean about the Roman Catholic bit but was under the impression that to marry in a roman catholic church then he would have had to convert.

When did John join the Army? Does his Army record give his previous occupation and does it give an address for his father?

he was in staffs reg his army no was 1995 he had his medical on 5th Oct 1886 and he was 19 years 11 months. There is a working out pencilled in half way down page 5.10.86 - 11.19 = 5.11.66 so i thought that would be his date of birth although census age always says born 1868.
He was a tinman and father Joseph Lewis occupation blacksmith living jamaica row Birmingham.

Chelsea pensioners on FMP

First name(s): John

Last name: LEWIS

Calculated year of birth: 1867

Parish of birth: Coventry

Town of birth: Coventry

County of birth: Warwickshire

Age at attestation: 19 years 11 months

Attestation date: 7 October 1886

Attestation corps: South Staffordshire Regiment

Attestation soldier number: 1995

The National Archives reference: WO97 / 5340 / 119

Yes thats the one. Got both his army papers the one before his marriage & after cant find him on census anywhere apart from 1901 & 1911 in Wolverhampton after his marriage.

Shazzlou,

John would not have had to convert to R.C. religion, but he would have to promise that their children would be brought up in the Catholic faith.
He may have converted to make it easier for the children,s sake.
Nowadays sometimes the children are brought up in both religions.
E.G. Mother is Catholic Father Non-Catholic.
Girls are brought up as Catholics, boys as Non-Catholic.
Lily.

On his papers on there it says he was in South Africa from 1900 to 1902 or am I reading it wrong?
And yet he is on census with Penelope on 1901 as a railway man?

There were 3 John Lewis in staffs regiment. One joined after 1891 so it wasnt my gt grandad the other one had a brother listed as next of kin but when i traced them on census their father was not named Joseph so that left the John Lewis reg no 1995. The other army paper i have after wed wed Penelope has her as next of kin and his number is 7210 Staffs regiment.

I think he was in South Africa 17th March 1900 to 14th Nov 1900 and was Home 15th Nov 1900 to 8th April 1902 and then went back to South Africa 9th April 1902 to 3rd Aug 1902.
Busy Man by looks of it!! Thats wahat it looks like at top of sheet anyway!

Was he actually in the Army between 1900 and 1902 or was this the period between the two enlistments? Are you sure the two Army records are for the same man? Does the second one refer to his earlier service?

There is no Joseph Lewis living in Jamaica Row in 1881. There is a Joseph Jones. He is a toolmaker and tobacconist (odd combination!).