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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Shropshire => Topic started by: Annie65115 on Monday 03 November 08 23:45 GMT (UK)

Title: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Annie65115 on Monday 03 November 08 23:45 GMT (UK)
Some of my ancestors in the early-mid 1800s came from the Shropshire/Montgomery border region - Alberbury and the area around Welshpool.

I'm a little confused as the birthplace of their children varies - sometimes Montgomeryshire, sometimes Shropshire - and I wondered if the county border was moved, accounting for some confusion. Does anyone know if this might have been the case?

many thanks :)
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: willow154 on Monday 03 November 08 23:54 GMT (UK)
Hi Annie,
I don't know if this might help you:
http://www.gazetteer.co.uk/appendixb.htm
Hope so :) Even if doesn't this time, it might do later!
Paulene :)
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: willow154 on Tuesday 04 November 08 01:25 GMT (UK)
http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10134675
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Gadget on Tuesday 04 November 08 01:35 GMT (UK)
Hi Annie  :)

If you could give names, dates and places, it would help.

I have many ancestors in the Montgomeryshire/Shropshire/Denbighshire borders area and to my knowledge there weren't any significant changes.

Genuki is probably your best starting point:

http://www.genuki.org.uk/


Gadget
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: willow154 on Tuesday 04 November 08 11:49 GMT (UK)
Hi, Gadget :) You're right, there were no changes.
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Gadget on Tuesday 04 November 08 11:57 GMT (UK)
Hi Paulene

I've poured over those parishes for years  ::)

Fisherman (Chris) also has similar problems with Alberbury/Welshpool. The river was the county/country boundary.


Gadget
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Annie65115 on Tuesday 04 November 08 13:31 GMT (UK)
Thanks for the replies. So, no changes -- just people in the 19th century not being clear about what was where!  ;D
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Gadget on Tuesday 04 November 08 13:36 GMT (UK)
Annie

It wasn't just your ancestors changing their places of birth.Most of us have a few changelings for various reasons.

Even I've done it on various censuses  ;D


Gadget
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: jenspen on Thursday 06 November 08 22:12 GMT (UK)
Hi Annie,

I have the same problem as yourself, it can be very confusing, however I hope this helps with some of the villages.

In 1861:

Alberbury was in Montgomeryshire
Coedway in Shropshire
Llandrinio in Shropshire
Llandysilio in Montgomeryshire

Regards
Jenni aka Jaguar


Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Gadget on Thursday 06 November 08 22:15 GMT (UK)
Hi Jenni

Could you give the source of the info, please, because, as far as i'm aware Alberbury was always in Shropshire in the 19th century:

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/MGY/Alberbury/index.html

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SAL/Alberbury/index.html


Click here for map (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=336500&y=314500&z=130&sv=336500,314500&st=4&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=336500&ay=314500&lm=0)

and:

http://content.ancestry.co.uk/Browse/list.aspx?dbid=8860&path=Shropshire


I have got all the parish maps on CDS but they're in my other home.



Gadget
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: jenspen on Friday 07 November 08 22:53 GMT (UK)
Hi Gadget,

As far as I can remember I obtained this info a few years ago on Genuki, but I may have obtained it from British History Online or similar. Sorry!

I always had problems locating my Gregory's & for quite a time I could not reconcile two families with the same parents and children and ages living in either Montgomeryshire or Shropshire only one or two miles apart.  It's taken me a few years to confirm that they were one and the same family.

Will look through my files to see if I kept an actual record of where I obtained this info. It was definitely online however.

Jenni
Title: Re: Did the county border move in the 19th century?
Post by: Gadget on Friday 07 November 08 22:57 GMT (UK)
Hi

From what I can remember part of the parish might have been over the boundary but re-reading the Genuki stuff, alberbury and Worthen seem to be well and truly in Shropshire. I do recall that the old census Cds for Shropshire had parts of 'my bit' of Denbighshire included and I think parts of Alberbuy and Worthen were included in the Montgomeryshire disks, although in Shropshire.

However, having been born and brought up in border country, I can understand the probs.  I'll check the parish boundary maps when I can.


Gadget