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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: KennethDavidson on Thursday 11 October 18 17:22 BST (UK)
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Hi,
I'm trying to find the birth details for William Davidson. He was born around 1820-30 in London (based on Census records for western Glasgow between 1851-1901). I now know that his parents were Robert Davidson (Baker) and Caroline Oliver.
I can see no record of his birth certificate from the Ancestry records and I'm not sure were to look next. I'd appreciate any guidance on this.
Thanks, Kenneth.
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Hi - there won't be a birth certificate if he was born in London before 1 July 1837, when civil registration was introduced in England.
The closest you'll get is a baptism, if you're lucky. Do you know what the family's religious denomination was?
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- not really, but I'd guess Presbyterian.
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Do you know whether his parents Robert and Caroline were alive in 1850, when he married in Scotland?
Have you found the family anywhere in 1841?
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Hi avm,
There is no reference to either parent in William & Elizabeth's marriage (from SP), or any of their census records (1851-1901, see below). Having just re-checked the SP records for 1841, 1851 & 1861, there is is no record of a Robert & Caroline Davidson in Scotland. In the 1841 Census there is a record for a Caroline Davidson (b abt 1807 in Barony, Glasgow), but wrong husband name, and wrong maiden name.
Using Ancestry data, I've tried to find a record of their marriage in England, without success.
In summary, I have:
William Davidson (b. about 1825-30, from SP Census ages)
Wedding 1850 Joiner Barony, Glasgow
Census 1851 Joiner England
Census 1861 House Carpenter England, London
Census 1871 House Wright England
Census 1881 House Joiner London
Census 1891 Patternmaker England
Census 1901 Joiner House England
Died 1907
How would I access London parish registers?
Thanks, Kenneth.
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Is the information as to his parents' names taken from his death certificate? If so, who was the informant? Information on death certificates isn't always reliable because (obviously) it isn't provided by the deceased, so it is only as good as the informant's knowledge.
Ancestry has many London parish records- most, but not all, of which are Church of England.
Among them is an 1829 baptism at St Giles-in-the-Fields of the curiously-named Miles Sarah, child of Robert Davidson (a baker) and Sarah, of 1 Market St, St George, Bloomsbury. I haven't found Miles after this, and Robert's occupation may just be coincidence.
Have you search SP for any other marriage or death records of Davidsons with parents matching William's parents?
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Robert Davidson, baker of Hart Street, Bloomsbury featured in a very lengthy patent cure advertisement in various papers in 1800.
He (or his son Robert) is listed in directories up to 1825-6 as a baker at 26 Hart Street.
There's an 1834 PCC will for Robert Davidson of Bloomsbury which lists his sister Katherine, his only son Robert, and his grandchildren Robert, Caroline, William, David, Myles, Sarah, Elizabeth and John Davidson, all children of his son Robert.
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That's interesting. I'd not thought about the informant being mistaken. In this case the informant was his married daughter, (Jane (Jean) Watson, who would have been about 52 at that time. If there was an error of memory, then I'd expect that the name 'Caroline' was more likely correct, as William Davidson (b. 1835-30) had a daughter with that name.
I've checked for marriage records for Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in SP for Parish and Statutory records (1855+) nationally, with no returns (and omitting Oliver from the search).
I've also checked for marriage records for London for Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver through Ancestry with no success.
I'm planning to be in London anyway in 2 weeks time. I was thinking about spending a few hours at the National Records at Kew. How would I go about investigate parish records within the London area?.
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Thanks ShaunJ. Very interesting. I'll look through this line when I go to Kew at the end of the month.
Kenneth.
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There's a public tree on Ancestry but it doesn't list William https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/9559046/person/-161063598/facts
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More baptisms of children of Robert Davidson (baker) and Sarah, of Bloomsbury:
Robert, born 24.04.1817, bapt 13.07.1817
Catharine Jane, born 05.01.1819, bapt 11.04.1819
Sarah Ann, born 08.10.1820, bapt 02.02.1821
Caroline, born 19.05.1822, bapt 08.09.1822
William, born 20.03.1824, bapt 29.08.1824
David, bapt 14.05.1826
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The Robert b.1817 also became a baker and when he married 1838 his father is shown as late Robert Davidson, baker.
Annette
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I'll try to follow up on all this new information when I visit the NR at Kew later this month.
Thanks to everyone for their assistance.
Kenneth.
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I am sure that someone will correct me if I am wrong but Kew don't generally have parish registers, you possibly want London Metropolitan archives for those. I would suggest that you look at both websites for what information they hold before travelling to either.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/researching-here/what-records-we-hold/
I believe that the LDS family history centre which was temporarily at Kew has now moved
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=767594.msg6197701#msg6197701
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Good Morning
Here's the rest of Robert and Sarah Davidson's children baptised in London St Giles Holborn
Robert 24 April bapt 13 July 1817 5 Bury St Bloomsbury baker
Catherine Jane 11 April 1819 born 5th Jan 30 Drapers Place Bloomsbury baker
Sarah Ann 2.2.1821 born 8th Oct 1820 1 Market St Bloomsbury baker
Caroline 8 Sep 1822 born 19 May 1822 same
William 29.8.1824 born 20th March 1 Market St Bloomsbury baker
David 14 May 1826 born 30 Dec 1825 same
Miles Sarah 1 Jan 1829 born 23 Sep 1827 same you already have.
(Sorry missed the post with the rest of the children on but seeing as I've typed them out I'll leave them).
Robert Davidson seems to have married Sarah Crossfield 13 May 1826 at St James Piccadily
wit Sarah Stevenson and Sarah Wyatt.
Sarah is buried at St George Bloomsbury 19 Feb 1832 age 36 years of Market St
So it may well be that Robert then remarried.
Ciderdrinker
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Caroline Davidson b 1822 married George Simmonds at St George the Martyr, Southwark on 3 Sep 1843. Father: Robert Davidson, baker.
Witnesses were William Stead & Elizabeth Sarah White.
Unfortunately she seems to be in service in 1841, so doesn’t lead us to the rest of the family.
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I womder whether Miles and Sarah were twins, and the baptism register is misleading? They are listed as separate grandchildren in Robert snr’s will, according to the list posted above. We are also missing the youngest children Elizabeth and John.
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BAPTISM 1831:
John David DAVIDSON
Born 7th July 1831 and Baptised 23 October 1831, at Parish of Tooting Graveney , Surrey
Parents: Robert & Sarah DAVIDSON
Abode: Bloomsbury London
Trade: Baker
MARRIAGE 1850:
On 3 Nov 1850 at St Andrew Holborn
John DAVIDSON, full age of Fetter Lane, Bachelor, Butcher. Father: John Robert DAVIDSON, Baker.
Catherine Ann MORRIS, full age, Spinster, of Fetter Lane. Father: William MORRIS, Baker
Witness: Richard BONNEY and Isabella HODGES
CENSUS 1851:
HO107 /Piece / 1496; Folio / 794 /Page: 24
6 Ann's Place, St Pancras
William RUSSELL, 54, Plasterer, b Wesstminster, Middlesex
Wife: Mary RUSSELL 50. b Corsham Wilts
Son-in-Law: John DAVIDSON 20, Butcher, b Bloomsbury
Dau-in-Law: Catherine DAVIDSON 19, b Bloomsbury
Haven't found John & Catherine after 1851.
Cheers
AMBLY
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And this looks like Elizabeth - baptised at age 5yrs and mother's name mis-written as "Susan" in the register.
Elizabeth DAVIDSON
Born 15 Sep 1829, Baptised 1 Apr 1835 at St George Bloomsbury
Parents: Robert and Susan DAVIDSON
Abode: Market Street
Trade: Baker
Cheers
AMBLY
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Possible sighting of John Davidson (b1831 Middx) in 1841, with a Jos & Sarah Woodward (both 50, born out of county) in Bloomsbury.
HO107/672 bk2 folio 31 p56.