Help please with finding a birth - Mary Evelyn ASTBURY 1893

[cathyaus]

Hi
I am hoping that someone can help me with locating my husband's grandmother's birth - so that we can order the birth certificate.

Mary Evelyn ASTBURY - according to the 1900 United States Census, her month & year of birth is listed as May 1893.

Other background information that I have
Parents -
(Edward) Thomas Astbury - born Longton Staffordshire
Mary Jane Astbury (nee Harrison) - born Cheadle Staffordshire.

Other children
(George) William Astbury (1900 US Census has birth as March 1888. Name on Census -recorded as "Willie" & all other research thereafter refers to him as William). I have located a George William Astbury on Free BMD as being registered June 1888 Stoke Upon Trent. 1891 UK Census records George as a 3 yr old born Longton, Staffordshire. Census area is Longton.

The family travel to New York in 1894 (Evelyn would have been about 14 mths old) & stay in Syracuse, New York until about 1909.

The 1911 UK Census records Mary Evelyn Astbury as being an 18 yr old - birthplace listed as "America" & "British Subject by Parentage"

I have searched & cannot located a reference number to order a birth certificate.
The only birth that I have located was for a Mary Evelyn Astbury born June Qtr 1893 in Chester (8a 413). When I ordered this certificate from the GRO they refunded part of my money & stated that "parents were not as listed". I emailed to try & get information as to who the parents were but got no reply.

Has anyone got any ideas on how I can get a reference number in order to purchase the birth certificate. I have also checked Staffordshire BMD - but no luck.

I am in Australia - so cannot go in person & check out anything.
Thanks
Cathy

[acorngen]

The thing is if she is listed as born in the US there will be no birth certificate for her over here.  Yes she will be a British subject because of Parentage so I would start looking for a cert in the US which are not the cheapest and can be difficult to locate and obtain

Rob

[groom]

Hi Cathy

The only other Mary Astbury born in 1893 as far as I can see is Mary Astbury Sep quarter 1893 Northwich 8a 256. I think Nantwich is also in Cheshire, so doesn't fit with what you have.

As Rob says you have two differing bits of information - if they didn't go to America until 1894 she was born in England, but the 1911 UK census seems to be saying she was born in America of British parents. Have you found them on a passenger list, that would at least show if she was with them and therefore born in England?

Jan

[Sparkle26]

Hi

On the New York passenger list it's just Thomas & Mary Astbury with their son Willie age 5 no sign of Mary Evelyn

Claire

[avm228]

Hi

On the New York passenger list it's just Thomas & Mary Astbury with their son Willie age 5 no sign of Mary Evelyn

Claire

The same is true of the outbound passenger list from Southampton (SS Paris, dep 7 July 1894).

Anna

[groom]

Hi again
Looks as if she was born in America then! Perhaps it should say birth May 1895.

Good luck in your search

Jan

[cathyaus]

Hi All
Thanks for your quick replies.

The 1900 US Census states born March 1893 Place of birth England (forgot to add that bit - sorry)> It also says year of immigration & listed next to the mother, older brother & Evelyn it says 1894> The father has 1892 as year of immigration as he went over to the US in 1892 & then back again in 1894. There is another brother listed on the US census but it states he was born in the US - which makes me believe that Evelyn was definately born in England - otherwise they would have listed her like the younger brother.

Assuming ( & I am fairly confident) Evelyn was born in England - then would she have been listed as a passenger on the 1894 trip to New York? She would have been 14 mths old & I assume - not require a bed - so wouldn't be listed as a passenger

The other dilema that I have been thinking about - is Evelyn arrived in America as a 14 mth old - she either thought she was born in America or else on the 1911 census - the head of the house is her employer - Publican of the Smithfield Hotel. Evelyn after spending 15 odd years in America - would have come back to England with an American accent - so maybe the Head of the house didn't ask her where she was born Who knows - just throwing some ideas out there.

[groom]

Hi

I'd take a guess that what you said in the last paragraph could be right - she never queried where she was born and just assumed America. However that still doesn't explain why we can't find her birth registered in England, unless she was registered under a different name from Mary Evelyn.


It could be that she wasn't listed a passenger, I dont know how strict they were about it then.

Looking at the dates you give for her father going to America - I just hope he didn't go early in 1892 ( Mary being born March 1893) otherwise Mrs Astbury migh have had some explaining to do!!!

Good luck

Jan

[avm228]

Assuming ( & I am fairly confident) Evelyn was born in England - then would she have been listed as a passenger on the 1894 trip to New York? She would have been 14 mths old & I assume - not require a bed - so wouldn't be listed as a passenger

Her age would not be a reason for her not to be listed.  All passengers were requierd to be listed.  On the outbound passenger list there are groups of columns for adults & children over 12 years, then children 1-12 years, then "infants" - meaning presumably babies under one year.  The passenger list shows individuals in each of these categories, but the only child listed for the Astburys is 5-yr-old Willie.

Very odd indeed!

Anna