Correct Indian places of birth: "Farn Faram" and "Tharnsula" in Ramsgate 1911

[aghadowey]

The person on that website has aready done a lot of research but woud ike to contact decendants of Rev. Edward Guilford. There might be other information online which you coud find by using a search engine like Google.

[Keith Sherwood]

Will talk to my mother's friend about all this, and how much of this amazing story she already knows about.
The most extraordinary bit of research that the lady on that link discovered was that apparently the Edward GUILFORD born in 1853 was a blacksmith before going to theological college in London, prior to embarking on his remarkable career with the leper colony in the Punjab.
The researcher does indeed want to contact any living descendants of this line of GUILFORD's too...
keith

[PrueM]

Great news, Keith! 
So pleased our guesstimates at the places turned out to be correct, and that aghadowey has found such great extra info for you and your mum's friend 

Prue

[Gaie]

Hi All 

Great group effort, eh?

Keith, you always have such interesting queries, I couldn't resist!

I'm wondering just how far Tarn Taran and Dharmsala were from a British Consul or how difficult the journey to register births might have been.  The LDS only seem to have films of Hindu records for Lahore and Amritsar places and districts; I can't see any parish records, but as the Guilfords were missionaries presumably there was no local parish church for baptisms  .

Kind regards
Gaie

[Keith Sherwood]

Gaie and Prue,
Yes, I always seem to get lucky when I get my gardening fork into the roots of a tree and start to unearth something new and exciting - and unexpected!
I'm going to contact the lady who wrote that well-researched article about her gt-gt-grandpa Charles GUILFORD through the Family Tree Forum and get her in touch with my mother's friend, and the friend's nephew.  I've spoken to them both on the phone, and they're keen to share information...
keith
p.s. And thanks Gaie for trying to track down those elusive Punjab birth entries, wherever they might have been registered...

[Gaie]

Hi Keith

Well, you may be in luck here.  I've had a look at the website that Aghadhowey gave us, and it refers to Lilian and Edith's baptism records from the "Bengal Presidency, India" that are listed on the IGI.  Now my geographical knowledge tells me that Bengal and the Punjab are on opposite sides of India, but the LDS Place Search says that:

"The Presidency of Bengal mainly included the states of Bihar and Orissa. At times the Presidency extended to Punjab and most of Northern India. Includes returns from the British colonies of Burma, Malacca and Singapore."

The Index to Films gives (transcripts in both cases):  "Index to baptisms 1876-1884" , Film No: 498518 and  "Index to baptisms A-L 1885-1895" , Film No: 498519, and the London FHC has copies of these films on long-term loan.  Guess who's going to the London FHC this Friday.....

The originals are held by the India Office, London.

So if you would like I can have a look at these films inbetween perusing Polish parish records - it may reveal Edward and Evelyn's baptisms, and it will make a welcome break from deciphering Polish/Latin script .

Kind regards
Gaie

Added:  Helpful map!  http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/images/india3.jpg

[Gaie]

The India Office Family History Search webpage makes mention of a biography of Edward Guilford b1853 d 1937; source: Who was Who III p565.

http://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/FullDisplay.aspx?RecordId=014-000142233

Kind regards
Gaie

[Keith Sherwood]

Gaie,
Sorry, had popped out for a while...
I would be eternally grateful to you if you don't mind being sidetracked by those birth entries in India on Friday.  Afraid I can't reciprocate with help with your Polish roots, but I'm sure you're rising to the challenge!
Yes, please, if you could, seems ages ago that I was last down in London hunting things down at The British Library, or the Guildhall Library, or the FRC (now defunct), or the LMA.  I miss it...
keith

[Gaie]

Hi Keith

I managed to view a film:

Bengal Presidency, India
Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, 1713-1948

1886, Vol 195, GUILFORD Edith Louise, Folio 67.

1888 Vol 206, GUILFORD Edwd M, Folio 82.

So I presume these are the references you need for the records held at the India Office, British Library; there may be more detail in these records.

I didn't have time to view the film for Lilian b1884.

And of course Evelyn was born in England:

Jun Qtr 1890 Reading Vol 2c Page 386b Evelyn Helena GUILFORD

Kind regards
Gaie