Author Topic: Trail goes cold in Shropshire  (Read 7273 times)

Offline alfred412

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Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« on: Tuesday 20 August 13 14:45 BST (UK) »
Hi there,

I've been trying to trace my family history as far back as I can, and have made it to a great great great grandfather, who was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire around 1814 (according to 1841,'51,'61 censuses), and subsequently moved to what is now London, but in those days was Surrey. Lambeth and Camberwell. However I can't find any further information in Shropshire, so I can't find out who his parents were, to continue ploughing back through time.

I've searched all over Ancestry to no avail, I'm starting to wonder if he just lied to the census taker :) Are there any tricks to get the best out of Ancestry, or perhaps other sites that have more information for Shropshire?

His name is Charles Ellis, he married an Anne Hain, and had a few kids. Aside from seeing him on the aforementioned censuses, I also have the birth certificate of their son, Henry Ellis, born in 1842, which is how I know the mother's maiden name.

Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. Is there any more information I can provide that might help?

Many thanks.
Al

Offline lizdb

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 14:57 BST (UK) »
Hi, and a warm welcome to Rootschat.

I think you will need to look beyond Ancestry, once you get back to pre census and pre civil registration days.

I dont know if full Shropshire PRs are online anywhere, or if you need to go to theLocal Record Office to look through christenings for Shrewsbury and surrounding parishes for the 1814 christening.

Another site to try is www.familysearch.org

But at the end of the day, not all PRs are online.


Edmonds/Edmunds - mainly Sussex
DeBoo - London
Green - Suffolk
Parker - Sussex
Kemp - Essex
Farrington - Essex
Boniface - West Sussex

census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline jillruss

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 15:04 BST (UK) »
Have you dismissed this baptism on Family Search:

https://familysearch.org/search/record/results#count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Acharles~%20%2Bsurname%3Aellis~%20%2Brecord_country%3AEngland%20%2Bbirth_place%3Ashrewsbury~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1809-1819~

i.e. Charles Ellis baptised 26 Feb 1815 s/o Benjamin & Sarah Ellis.

FreeBMD has Charles Ellis and Ann Hain on the same page for a marriage in Westminster Registration District in the December Quarter of 1839. Vol 1 Page 356 - you could send for the marriage certificate which will give you their father's details and help you to get back further.

Jill
HELP!!!

 BATHSHEBA BOOTHROYD bn c. 1802 W. Yorks.

Baptism nowhere to be found. Possibly in a nonconformist church near ALMONDBURY or HUDDERSFIELD.

Offline decor

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 15:23 BST (UK) »

Why don't you purchase the marriage certificate for Charles Ellis and Anne Hain.

There's a marriage registered in Westminster district in the December quarter of 1839, volume 1, page 356. A marriage for an Ann Hain is registered too.

That would give you information about Charles's father.

 ;D
This information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline decor

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 15:24 BST (UK) »
too slow!  :D
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Offline alfred412

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 15:39 BST (UK) »
Hi, :)

Wow, thanks everyone, that's great stuff.

I have ordered the marriage certificate you found, I guess that'll confirm whether he is the son of Benjamin. If he is I can see only one Benjamin Ellis' death certificate in Shropshire around that time, so I can order that and get Ben's parents info.

Also I saw this, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KD8Z-XD6, I hope that link works, but what's interesting is that it doesn't come up on Ancestry. Or am I doing something wrong? It shows Charles and family living quite happily in 1871, but since I hadn't seen it on my searches on Ancestry.com I had assumed that meant that Charles died sometime in the 1860s.

I guess it shows I have to be cautious and not assume things based on lack of evidence.

Thanks all, I have lots more to catch up on.

Offline lizdb

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 15:44 BST (UK) »


I have ordered the marriage certificate you found, I guess that'll confirm whether he is the son of Benjamin. If he is I can see only one Benjamin Ellis' death certificate in Shropshire around that time, so I can order that and get Ben's parents info.

Sorry, but a death cert wont give names of parents
Edmonds/Edmunds - mainly Sussex
DeBoo - London
Green - Suffolk
Parker - Sussex
Kemp - Essex
Farrington - Essex
Boniface - West Sussex

census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline alfred412

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 20 August 13 15:59 BST (UK) »
Shucks. Still, it might give other useful information? I'll wait and see, but that familysearch.org website seems to have a lot more info, so I have plenty to do :)

Offline alfred412

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Re: Trail goes cold in Shropshire
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 21 August 13 14:26 BST (UK) »
Hi again,

How reliable is that familysearch.org? It has a lot of information I can't find elsewhere, so I'm having a hard time verifying it with secondary sources. For instance, that Charles Ellis linked above, christened in 1815, father Benjamin, mother Sarah. If I do a search over a wider period for a Benjamin Ellis I find one born not far (or perhaps far in those days?) away in 1782. Assuming the census info of Charles' Birth is right, he was born 1812, only christened 3 years later, which would mean that Benjamin would be 30 at his birth, which is perfectly reasonable, but it's not conclusive. I can follow the whole thing back to 1577 just using the fathers name and picking one who would be of a reasonable age.

That's not really solid ground, or is it? For all I know Benjamin could have been born in Northumbria and moved to Shropshire to give birth to little Charles.

I guess what I'm really asking is, am I doing it all wrong?

Many thanks.