John Sheldon Watchmaker - Birmingham

[graemesheldon]

I am trying to locate any details on John Sheldon, a watchmaker from Birmingham who attended the marriage of his son, George in 1873. Does anyone have details of any Sheldon watchmakers in Birmingham around that time?

Graeme

[DavidJP]

Hi,

There is a reference to a John Sheldon on this site here: http://www.clockswatches.com/

There is a reference to a James Sheldon too. Both of Warwickshire.

Follow the link, then select A-Z indexes at the top of the page, then select S & scroll down the page until you reach Sheldon.

Unfortunately this is a pay site but for one day you could join for £2.50 (£28 per year) to obtain either a couple of pages/documents of info. I cannot see any info for this man anywhere else.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David

[graemesheldon]

I went to the site and obtained this information:

"Sheldon, John of Birmingham. This clock and watchmaker, son of James, was working at Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, with his father from 1846 and was still there in 1853. About the 1878-9 period he was recorded at 28 Gough Street, Birmingham."

Could this help with any further census information?

Graeme

[CaroleW]

How do you know John was from Birmingham?  There is no George Sheldon marriage in Birmingham in 1873

If John was alive in 1873 then you should be able to find him on earlier censuses to establish his age and birthplace.   Use George to search as you already have his details (ie) birthplace/birthyear

1871

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1538354?collectionNameFilter=false

[graemesheldon]

George was married in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees to Mary Challoner. The 1881 census shows that George was born in Birmingham.
I am incorrect in thinking that John came from Birmingham, I assumed that if George was born there then his father would live there.

Does this help?

Graeme

[CaroleW]

Just found George in 1881 and he was born 1844 but nothing so far on the 1851 or 1861 census

[graemesheldon]

The 1871 census shows a George Sheldon lodging in Thornaby, we think this may be him as the birth date and location match.

Nothing found for 1851 or 1861.

[CaroleW]

I'm thinking one of 2 things

He was illegit and his mother married before 1851 and he is shown under her married name

He was illegit and registered as something other than Sheldon.  Mum married a Sheldon and he took his stepfathers  surname

His fathers name and occupation on the 1873 marriage cert could be fictitious.  Many illegit children made up a father when they married so as to appear "respectable".  Quite often it could be a relatives name/occ or just plucked out of thin air

[graemesheldon]

We cannot disagree with either possibility. It does seem strange that George was an ironworker but said that his father was a watchmaker - very different professions ...

I presume both possibilities are very difficult if not impossible to confirm.