Genealogy Chat

I have been using this site for 3 years or more now and can you believe it I am still trying to trace a birth date for my Great-Grandad. It is so very frustrating to find him on a census with his brothers to painstakingly research 1837 for all their births,(not to mention going to the Manchester records office) only not to come across one of them. My only hope was getting hold of his military records to see if his DoB was on them but no guess what that turns out to be a nightmare too. Can anyone please advise me on my options: a) Travel from Manchester to Kew on the off chance thay might have something, wasting train fare in the process. b) Waste yet more money on certificates that are not mine. c) Call it a day? I know alot of people are prob in the same situ as me so maybe they can appreciate how I feel. The best thing of all I have researced my 112 family members with no-one to ask, family dead, both parents etc through what my mother wrote on old photo's. Sorry!!!!!

Catherine, Don't give up! Post his name etc on here, maybe someone will be able to find him for you. His birth must have been registered, perhaps his name ahs been mistranscribed or it is in a district you weren't expecting. Sam x

Don´t give up - gives us another chance - post what details you have.

You have spent the last 3 years of your life doing this, ARE YOU MAD, Giving up now, Just as more and more records are becoming available, May be time to give it a rest for a week or two but don't give up. Roy

Don't give up. My great grandmother has vanished before she came to Scotland from England (no birth or census) but I'm sure I'll find her some day. Post the details you have and maybe someone will find something. Margaret

Dont give up, ancestry bmd is free now, give us some details and we will try and help kim x

catherine, don't give up, after 3yrs you of all people must have gone through all the ups and downs. also new websites are spinging up all the time as genealogy must be the fastest growing hobby, so put your request on here sit down have a cuppa and put your feet up....good luck...MOE!

Don't despair. My husband's great-grandfather's birth proved elusive. According to a family member who had researched the tree earlier, Charles Albert Carter applied for his own birth cert in 1936 and the GRO couldn't find it. He said on various censuses he was born in Bow, Islington and Southwark. I thought I would find his parents in 1861 (he was born 1866) but it was impossible. Finally Fiona on this site found the family as McCarthy. I looked for a Charles Albert McCarthy born 1st quarter of 1866 registered in Southwark and there he was. When I got the birth cert - another shock - his father, although called James McCarthy in 1861 census and James Carter subsequently, was Dennis McCarthy! No wonder I couldn't find his marriage as either James Carter or James McCarthy!! Have you found baptism for him, its possible he was never registered. nell

What a wonderful lady your mother must have been. I wish my family were as considerate. Go to the National Archives website: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp put in your g grandfather's surname in the 'word or phrase' box and WO 363 in the 'department or series' If the name is common, there may be several references. If it is unusual, say skillings, put in ski* If you only have one reel of film to look at, then it is not worth travelling down from Manchester on the offchance of finding something, as the search will only take twenty minutes. If the name is common, then it is probably worth doing it yourself, as a stranger might miss something obvious. Kew is lovely and always worth a visit, but only if you have enough to keep you busy for a day. The other snag is that some records are out of order. Some wonderful volunteers are going through and recording the missorts, but there are thousands of reels, so this all takes time. Finally, I am told that there are about six different places to look for an ordinary soldier. What I've told you about is simply the largest category.

I have a Gx2-g-father who was baptised in 1820 at 'approx three years' old. His mother had the same surname as he, and her 'present whereabouts unkown'. I assumed this was a reinforced concrete wall, never mind brick. I was just glad I'd been able to find him - by accident of census &Google. This Christmas, I was given an Oxfordshire FHS CD of parish register transcripts for the area to which he moved and where he ended up living. I realised that there were a lot of people with his surname - including (just) one woman of childbearing age with the right first name. He was, presumably, sent back to his mother's parish as soon as his baptism parish could manage to get rid of the burden. His mother, being a servant, would have had to provide a reference, - with an address, one presumes. You never know what extra info will turn up. Just try polishing another bit of the tree, and something will surely turn up. Christine PS - for purists - I recognise that this isn't conclusive, but I have every intention of 'running with it' until something else turns up, but noting the weak link.

Thank you everyone for all the kind words. I feel somewhat embarrased that I had a 'moment'. Still this is what I know so far. If everone is still awake- Oh and he has just a about the most common name in the world which makes it even harder. William Brown on 1881 census he is shown as being age 12 born Manchester living with his brothers James age 11 born Liverpool and Arcibald age 14 born Llandudno Wales. Mother Mary age 31 born Scotland. The father who is not listed is also called William brown again born Scotland. I have found no record for any of the above brothers. In the 1871 census it's all different William is listed as being age 2 born Liverpool, and James is listed as being born Manchester. Archibal still Wales. But the only record of an Archi is on the 1891 census under being born Manchester? Still following? Can you see my problem. Conflicting or What?

for reference family on 1881 Archibald Brown abt 1867 Llandudno, Caernarvonshire, Wales Son 14 Victoria Street, Ardwick, Lancashire, England James Brown abt 1870 Liverpool, Lancashire, England Son 14 Victoria Street, Ardwick, Lancashire, England Mary Brown abt 1850 Midlothian, Scotland Head 14 Victoria Street, Ardwick, Lancashire, England William Brown abt 1869 Manchester, Lancashire, England Son 14 Victoria Street, Ardwick, Lancashire, England Mary Brown is listed as married and born Edinburgh Scotland. Occupation seamstress and 1871 Archibald Brown abt 1867 Wales Son Everton Lancashire James Brown abt 1870 Manchester, Lancashire, England Son Everton Lancashire Mary Brown abt 1847 Scotland Wife Everton Lancashire William Brown abt 1842 Scotland Head Everton Lancashire William Brown abt 1869 Liverpool, Lancashire, England Son Everton Lancashire William Brown (senior) occupation baker

Hi Catherine, Dont give up now you have got so far. I have thought of doing it once or twice, but just left it alone for a couple of weeks and then come back. I am having the same problem with my ggrandad and his second wife. She is on the 1901 census as married, also the children, he is not. Spent hours trying to find his death no luck anywhere. He was a soldier up to about 1894 so thought of Boer War. I have now written to Kevin Asplin, who has a great Boer War site and he is going to look for military records for me at Kew. Where in Manchester are you. I may be able to help. Ann

Hi Catherine Your Browns are even worse than mine. Before you even think of heading south, do you have an address or regimental number for William? Quite honestly, I don't think the service record would be much good, even if you found it. Men lie, or can't remember their ages. They lie or forget their birthplaces. Nobody produced a birth certificate when they joined up. Unless you are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN of your man's details, you will probably have a list of thirty or more men who all might be him.

But isn't this Archie: Births Sep 1866 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brown Archibald Conway 11b 543

Hi - could you give us a list of the birth certs that you have already ordered (year, quarter etc) so that any of us looking can disregard those ones. I already found two but I guess you would already have tried these: William Brown - Liverpool - DEC QTR 1868 - v8b p201 William Brown - Manchester - DEC QTR 1868 - v8d p271 Leah

It sounds like a bit of confusion by the enumerator when it comes to where they were born, but looking over it all i think it is the same family, too many connections...MOE!

Where did you find that? I have him down as being born 1867. But I suppose I would have to send for the cert on the off chance it might be him? Can people check a ref first for you to see if it's the correct one? Do you know if the birth cert around that time would have his mothers maiden name on? I appreciate everyone's comments and feel very humbled to know that there are still alot of people out there willing to help wach other.Thank you Catherine

Hi Catherine, If you order online from the GRO, you can request that they check certain things, such as a parents name. If they check and the cert you've asked for is not the correct one, they will refund £4. And yes, a birth cert from any year will have the mother's maiden name on. Sam x

My grandfather and his brother were the only 2 children in his family that were not registered on the GRO. They both came from a a very large family and I wonder if perhaps the parents could not afford to register them. The only thing I have to go on is my grandfathers age in the census and his death certificate (he lied on his marriage certificate saying he was a much younger man) so I do not know the actual date of his birth. Good Luck Irene