Well, that was disappointing I have never seen such scant and untidy Presbyterian records
Basically the only additional bit of information which is missing from the family search transcription is the abode of Henhill which we already knew from the 1851 census. What is even more odd is that the date given is birth date – none given for date of baptism.
I decided to see whether father James appeared in earlier records but from 1805 back to 1764 there was only one Bartram (spellings very) and he was Thomas son of John in 1791.
Then I went forward from 1805 – the Minister changed in 1815 and records become full details and easy to read. I found – Barbary 2nd daughter and child of Thomas Bertram, Hind at Linkhall Parish of Ellingham baptised 5th Feb. 1821 – mother given as Margaret Percy.
Now I know that Thomas isn’t connected to you (yet!) but I started to wonder where his first daughter had been baptised – perhaps she was with a bunch of other Bartrams.
I started with North Sunderland (Bamburgh parish) but the name doesn’t appear there until the 1830s. Then I went to Belford and found the first daughter of Thomas baptised in 1819 and also two sons, 3rd and 4th children baptised 1823 and 1825. His first son was called John. He was living in three different parishes when these three children were born but all were baptised at Belford Presbyterian. His wife’s name is actually Mary Percy, not Margaret as stated in Warenford.
Now, having rambled on, there is an interesting bit. A little earlier in the records I found three sons being baptised to James Bartram and his wife Margaret – John in 1797, James in 1799 and Robert in 1801. This may not be your James – there’s more work to be done to prove that – but I suspect that he is possibly Thomas’ older brother. Both first born sons were called John and, if this is the Thomas baptised in Warenford in 1791, then his father was John.
A lot of conjecture here but I think at this stage they should be noted as possible leads and a bit more investigation done.
Christine
