FORSTERS of Beamish and Tanfield

[Mercel]

Hi can anyone help me? I am trying to trace information about my GG grandfather Robert Forster born in Tanfield Durham in 1826.
I am trying to trace his birth certificate marriage details etc and am getting nowhere. I know he had four children two girls Dorothy 1856 and Mary 1854 born in Birtley. he also had two sons Robert and Thomas. Robert was born 1863 and Thomas ( my great grandfather) was born 1861 Birtley. I have no details of his marriage. I believe his wife died  soon after the youngest child was born. Can anyone help.

[AMBLY]

Hi  Mercel
Welcome to Rootschat!!

In 1871 -  see the family, without mum in  Census - do you already have this?

This is the family in 1861, I think:

1861: Birtley  Durham
RD : Chester Le Street   Sub-RD : Harraton   ED, institution, or vessel: 5 
REF: Class: RG9; Piece: 3762; Folio: 86; Page: 57
Address: 1 D?-----ths? Houses
Head: Robert FOSTER 35, Carter, b Tanfield Durham
Wife: Sarah FOSTER 34, b ----------? Cumberland
Dau: Mary FOSTER 8, Scholar, b Birtley Durham
Dau: Dorothy FOSTER 5,  Scholar, b Birtley Durham
Dau: Esther FOSTER 3,  b Birtley Durham
Son: Thomas FOSTER 11mo, b Birtley Durham

The 'dog must've eaten his homework" becasue this enumerator  has handwritten the entire enumeration sheet - the columns, heading etc - it's not a pre-printed sheet  which he has filled in. There is a big Blotch over the street name and his writing is messy.. Sarah''s birthplace indexed as "Tolthergle" - it's very hard to make out and the supposed T doesn't look like T in Tanfield....

Cheers
AMBLY

[Mercel]

Thanks Ambly this is the family, I have been given pieces of information regarding this family since I logged on to this site. People have been so helpful. Thank you very much for taking the time to do the search. I am extremely grateful.
Best wishes Mercel

[AMBLY]

Hi Mercel

I think this is them in 1851:

1851 - Harraton  Durham  
RD : Chester Le Street   Sub-RD : Chester   ED: 2b  
REF: Class: HO107; Piece: 2394; Folio: 418; Page: 4
Address (not stated but could be "Traffalgar Row " as carried over from previous page.
Head: Isaac NICHOLSON 48, AG Lab b Ainstable Cumberland
Wife: Mary NICHOLSON 44, b Withnal Cumberland
Visitor: Robert FORSTER, 25, Cartman, b Tanfield Durham
Visitor: Sarah FORSTER 23, b Withnal Cumberland
Dau: Elizabeth NICHOLSON 13, b Withnal Cumberland
Son: Isaac NICHOLSON 10, b Chester le Street Durham
Visitor: Mary FORSTER 5mth,  b Chester le Street, Durham

This entry has been very badly Indexed! Sarah as surname "GERSTEN",  Isaac snr as "Joana"  , son as "Isan"but it is quite clearly as I have transcribed above!

There is high chance Sarah is actually Isaac & Mary's daughter - now married to Robert FORSTER with a baby daughter Mary.

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Hi Mercel

And indeed - here is a likely marriage batch 

Marriages Dec  Qtr 1850 - Newcastle upon Tyne Vol 25, pg 430
BRIDES:
Bell  Alice
Nicholson  Sarah
Robson  Mary
Thompson  Ruth

GROOMS
Batey  James   
Forster  Robert
Musgrove  George     
Young  Robert   

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

And finally, in 1841 here is Isaac NICHOLSOn - with the daughter named Sarah 

1841 - Chester le Street  Durham
Hundred: Chester (Middle Division) 
REF : HO107/300/5 Folio: 31  Page: 14
RD : Chester Le Street   Sub-RD: Harraton   ED: 2
Address: Trafalgar Row
Isaac NICHOLSON 30, Ag Lab - N
Mary NICHOLSON 30 - N
Sarah NICHOLSON 14 - N
Thos NICHOLSON 6 - N
Eliz NICHOLSON 4 - N
Isa NICHOLSON (male) 4 days? or mos? - Y
Jno BALMER (male) 45 - N (no occupation noted).

Cheers
AMBLY

[Mercel]

Thank you once again Ambly I did have the information about Trafalgar Row and the Nicholson link. I was trying to find information prior to his marriage before 1841 and someone kindly found some info for me. I am so grateful thank you again.

[Mercel]

hi ambly
thank you for your help yesterday. Could you tell me where you found the information fo the wedding of robert and Sarah. I need to look his parents but not sure where to look.
Thank you

[AMBLY]

Hi Mercel

I found the marriage record on FREEBMD:
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

The marriage cert, as you know would confirm Robert & Sarah's  father's names and occupations, and poss have an address of Robert & Sarah at the time & witness' names to assist.   And the birth cert of your Gt Grandfather Thomas or one of his siblings, would confirm his mother was Sarah NICHOLSON.  Until you have at least those,  everything I'm suggesting from  this point, is just suggestion though I have to say, it's looking promising!!

You've said you've been given information already on RC - does this include all possible Census information from Robert going forward after 1861, after Sarah died, since there might be clues regarding his parentage/siblings....?

However,  on IGI is a possible christening:
Robert FORSTER  Chr: 7 Aug  1825   Tanfield, Durham, England
Father: Thomas FORSTER
Mother:  MARY 

The IGI also has the following extracted christenings in Tanfield to parents Thomas FORSTER & Mary - they could be siblings to your Robert:
John 15 Nov 1818
Dorothy 24 Sep 1820
Thomas 20 Jul 1823
George 30 Sep 1827
Edward 21 Feb 1830

On the IGI is an extracted marriage where the forename & surname of the marrying couple are the same:
02 Jun 1817   Tanfield, Durham
Thomas FORSTER
Mary FORSTER

On the 1841 Census, considering age rounding, there were at least 11 possible Robert FORTSER - and this did not include name variations (Robt/ FOSTER/) etc all over Durham......

On the other hand, there were not so many Dorothy FORSTER  - the most likely one did transpire to be in a house with a Thomas & Mary of parental type age & right occupation, and a Robt. born abt 1826...

1841 - Chester le Street   Durham
Hundred: Chester (Middle Division)   
Source information: HO107/300/1,  Folio: 36 
RD : Chester Le Street  Sub-RD: Lamesley   ED: 2 
Address: Township of Birtley
Thos FORSTER 55 Cartman
Mary FORSTER 50
Dorothy FORSTER 20
Robt FORSTER 15

Next door to them was : 
Geo.  FORSTER 45, Cartman
Eliz. FORSTER 40
Thos. FORSTER 15, --on? Roller
Dorothy FORSTER 15
John FORSTER 5
Marg't FORSTER 5
Isabella FORSTER 1
ALL born in County Durham.

The names of this 1841 family certainly echo the names of your Gt- Grandfather Thomas and his siblings, and the occupation is certainly right!


Cheers
AMBLY