Willam Merritt Gillam

[Pete44]

I am trying to trace the ancesters of Wm Merritt Gillam born about 1847 in India. He was married to Edith Buller and the family roots appear to be in Countesthorpe, Leicestershire. Grateful for any info.
Pete44

[Tati]

Hi Pete  - Welcome

No immediate help but I see he's a pupil (age 9 born Calcutta) at Camberwell in 1851 - there's also a Frank A Gillam age 7 born Madras at the same school.

Tanja 

[Tati]

His marriage cert would give you his father's name:

September quarter 1887
Kensington 1a 313
William Merritt A Gillam - Edith Emily Buller 

[Pete44]

Hi
Thanks for the India info may come in useful. Already have his fathers name also William but not much help, I shall persevere

Pete44

[DebbieG]

Hi Pete I am still puzzleing over this one.  There appears to be several members of the Gillam family born in India who appear at various census times in this country - it looks as though there may be a couple over there producing children in the 1840s and sending them back here for schooling etc.  I have found an Alexander C born 1846 in 1861 on his uncle Edward Pritchards farm in Chalfont St Peters.  The Frank mentioned above I found in 1891 (indexed as Gilliam) with 4 children all born in India, and William himself is listed in 1881 as a merchant for A Kyab b of Burmah.  Do you have the actual marriage certificate? and does it give William's fathers occupation?

 

Debbie

[DebbieG]

Hi Pete

Well at last I think I have found some info for you - I have been surfing around the web for sites dealing with british citizens in India and found this one

http://www.fibis.org/

On there I found the marriage 18th Jan 1841 at Calcutta of Capt. W Gillam of the ship The Braemar to Miss CC Plum

and then the registration of the births of two sons to this couple - unfortunatly the sons aren't named - the dates are 1st November 1841 and 30th May 1843 - and both times the father is Captain W Gillam of The Breamar

I am so pleased to have found something for you at last

 

Debbie

[DebbieG]

I have now realised that it ties in with the info I found on the 1861 census where Alexander C Gillam born 1846 India Madras, was on his uncles farm, uncles widowed sister was also there - her name was Charlotte Plum - aged 69 born Sarratt Herts.

According the IGI Thomas and Charlotte Plum had a daughter baptised Charlotte Caroline Plum in 1815 at St Mary's Whitechaple Stepney.

I am guessing that Charlotte Plum (nee Pritchard) is very likly the grandmother of your William Merritt Gillam

Debbie

[Pete44]

Thanks Debbie you may have found a breakthrough, William Merritt Gillam's father is shown as a Master Mariner on his Wedding Certificate therefore I shall attempt to follow this through.

I have some old letters and notes given to me by my Mother which centres on Countesthorpe where I believe the family were, or maybe still, landowners since the 1600's, they also provide some names from early 1800's but so far no link. It is my intention to visit Countesthorpe in the late summer to do some research if time allows.

Again many thanks I'll let you know how I get on.

Pete44

[DebbieG]

Pete - yes please let me know what happens, I have got intrigued by this family over the last couple of days,  I have a couple of other ideas I want to try I will let you know if anything comes of them

Debbie