India: BMD records for local people

[paulalou]

Hi,

I'm trying to locate a side-branch of my family (discussed in this thread http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,286906.0.html). After 1861 I have no trace of Emma and her children so have assumed they travelled back to India. As I also have no trace of Emma's marriage to Mohammed I'm assuming she took on the Islam religion. I've searched the available online indices at the British Library and other indices to look for either a baptism entry for Jane, a marriage for either child or a death/burial entry for any of the family. As this wasn't a typical 'Brits abroad' type marriage I can only assume that any BMD entries will be entered into the Islamic religious records. It is slightly confusing with the eldest daughter being christened in a CoE church.

I've found information regarding Emma's husband, Mohammed. He was the valet to the Prince of Surat during the 1850's. The Prince is mentioned in several articles in 'The Times' during the 1850's and appears to have travelled back to India in the late 1850s - this would coincide with the younger daughters birth. Mohammed was mentioned in a book by an English reformer for Indian and African rights (whose name I've currently forgotten - I shall dig the reference out). The reformer spent several evenings in the company of Mohammed and the other servants, learning their language and teaching Mohammed English, Mohammed appeared to be quite educated and in possession of lots of opinions. He does mention that some of the servants married English women but doesn't name them. He also wrote that he disuaded Mohammed from starting up a business in London - he seems to have had double standards when it came to foreigners settling in England.

Does anyone have any advice as to how I can proceed with finding out what happended to Emma and her daughters?

Many thanks

Paula

***Edit**** I've found the book online http://www.archive.org/stream/asiaticinenglan00hughgoog/asiaticinenglan00hughgoog_djvu.txt
The man I am interested in was referred to as Dost Mohammed Shah.

[MUMMYG]

No help with your question but is this your man Mohammed?
http://web.archive.org/web/20041015084827/www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/5443/af1.htm
 

[Angel260268]

If you google The British Library and email them with what you know they might be able to help.

[paulalou]

Sorry, I just wanted to bump this thread. I'm having no luck trying to identify where local BMD's may be located in Bombay/Mumbai. There is definitely no record of the family within the British Indian records, that I can find.

Would anyone know of incoming passenger lists for the years 1860-61 that may be available. I assume Emma travelled back to India with her husband and the Prince of Surat when he failed to persuade the English government to give him what he wanted, around 1857. BUT she travelled back to England in time to be noted in the 1861 census.

I'm wondering if household records were kept for the Prince, they may lead me to somewhere, but I need to know if there is an archives centre in Mumbai I can email. Various google searches have lead me to various government offices but none are of any use.

Can anyone help me?

Many thanks
Paula

[Redroger]

I wonder whether the Price of Surat's family had or have a private archive?

[paulalou]

2022: I'm bumping this thread as I'm still looking for information about English women who married Indian men in London during the 1850s and I've had no luck finding anything else out since my original post. Does anyone know if there are any Indian records online? Or of an archives I could approach to find out more and Emma, her husband Mohammat/Mohammed and their two daughters?

[JohnLFC]

Hi
My GF was supposed to have been born in Mhow, India in 1882, I don't think he lived there long, we suspect his father was in the army. Does anyone know how I can obtain details of births in India during that period?
They are not on Ancestry.
Thanks
John

[osprey]

the index of the GRO Army births is on FindmyPast as are many records from British India Office Births & Baptisms.

Also this index on FamilySearch

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1584960

[JohnLFC]

Thanks osprey, that's not providing the results I'd hoped for.