William RILEY born "Kershill" Coventry - and idea where that is?

[AMBLY]

Hi all

I have ancestor, William RILEY (RIELY) who, according to a Military record was born in what looks like
Kershill, Coventry, Warwick about 1822.  He died in 1864 (not in UK). Can't find any IGI records of birth.
Don't have a marriage for him (his wife is known to us only as Bridget from Ireland).

He's always been a mystery (not found and probably unlikley to be,  in UK Census). But I've found a straw today - trying to see how good a bit I'm clutching!

At first I wondered if "Kershill"  could be a phonetic rendering of "Coleshill" or even "Foleshill"
Now I'm wondering - could it be "Keresley"? Can/could  "Keresley" be spoken in local accent or idiom to sound like "Kershill"?

Because today I found a Baptism entry in the Vicar Lane Independant Chapel of Coventry records, here:
http://www.hunimex.net/warwick/bmd/Coventry/Coventry%20Vicars%20Ln%20Bapt%201820%20-%2037.pdf
William Henry RILEY,
born 4 Jan 1821 at Cheylesmore, St Michael, Coventry
bap 28 Oct 1821
to parents William & Elizabeth,

Vicar Lane - info
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16042

Can't find other births to those same parents.
Hunted about for info Cheylesmore and came across snippets from this website:
http://www.localhistories.org/keresley.html

"Keresley was part of Cheylesmore manor" and "In the 12th century Keresley was called Keresleia."

So, I'm sort of excited - could I have I found my William RILEY?

All help, all suggestions and ideas gratefully received 

Cheers
AMBLY

[cov2811]

I'd put my bet on Keresley not Foleshill

[Lisajj]

I'd say that was Keresley

[Al in Vane]

A bit of a poser but I do not think it is Keresley. My first thought was that he had got Foleshill and Keresley muddled together which is possible because they lie next to each other and if he had moved at an early age he may not be sure.
Then you have a possible baptism at Cheylesmore which is to the south of the city, Folehill/Keresley lie to the north of the city so another reason to dismiss Foleshill/Keresley unless your baptism is wrong.
My conclusion is that he is giving his birthplace as Stivichall which is situated next to Cheylesmore. At first glance you may think I am joking about it but not when you realise that it is variously pronounced as Stychell, Stychall, Stychhill or even Sterchill in the modern idiom, as you yourself say Ambly, spoken in a gruff Coventry accent by a (probably) uneducated young man who could not write it down himself! Kerchill, Sterchill, not much difference when you say it to yourself, and it all fits your baptism to a T, or should that be K!

[AMBLY]

Thank you cov2811, Lisajj and Al....it is a tricky one!

Al, I'm liking the Stivichal description  - and I can see how it could end up being recorded as "Kershill" as you describe so it may be a real possibility.

My sadness however, is to report that I no longer thing the Cheylesmore baptism is my William (who has never been recorded as "William Henry" in our scant records of his life).  I think the following is the same William Henry baptised in Cheylesmore, put here for elimination:

MARRIAGE:
William Henry RILEY and Ann RAMMAGE
24 Nov 1844 Holy Trinity, Coventry

http://www.hunimex.net/warwick/bmd/Coventry/Holy%20Trinity%20Marriages%201842-1847a.pdf
24 Nov 1844 - by License:
William Henry RYLEY , full age, bachelor, Watchmaker of White Friars Lane, Father; William RYLEY Ribbon manufacturer
Ann RAMONAGE, full age, spinster, of Hill Cross, father: John RAMONAGE, Shroud Maker
Witness: James BANT and Charlotte DAY

BIRTH of son:
William Henry RYLEY
bap 12 Sep 1845 Holy Trinity, Coventry
Parents: William Henry RYLEY and Ann

CENSUS 1841: Gosford Street Coventry St Michael: William RLEY 20, Watchmaker, in a household of a Ribbon maker (not his parents though).
CENSUS 1851: Gas Street, Holy Trinity, Coventry: William RILEY 30, wife Ann 39, son William 5 - all b Coventry
CENSUS 1861:Brighton Sussex, lodging, age 40 (his wife and son are in Coventry, with Ann working as a Shroud maker)
CENSUS 1871: Cattle Market, Otley, YKS: William H RYLEY 50, watchmaker, wife Ann 58, son William H Jnr 25 - all b Coventry

Al, the word I see as "Kershill"  , it's possible it's meant to be  "Kesshill - hard to differentiate between 'r' and 's'.  Do you know if there is a place (other than Stivichal) near Coventry that could relate to?

Thankyou for all suggestions and ideas so far - it all helps

Cheers 
AMBLY

[Al in Vane]

I cannot think of anywhere that would fit, without the Cheylesmore connection it does look like he mixed up Keresley and Foleshill.
Does his Military record show when he joined or where he joined?

[Al in Vane]

From the IGI I think this one is definitely worth a look -

William Riley

 
 Birth:  22 MAY 1820   
 
 Christening:  28 APR 1822   Independent And Some Baptist, Foleshill, Warwick, England
 
 Death: 
 Burial: 
   

~~~~~~~~
Parents:
  Father:  JOSEPH RILEY  Family
  Mother:  MARY 

[AMBLY]

Hi Al

Yes, I think my next tack has to be learning how to be finding more on that line of things....

All  I have for him is a list of "Examination of Invalidated Soldiers" dated 31 May 1864. The description / reason for the Invalidation is "Disbandment of the Regiment" - the Regiment in question was the Falkland Islands Company - a Garrison made up from men who had already served a minimum of 16 years in and who volunteer from, infantry regiments in the UK. His UK regiment on the Examination is either the 30th (Cambs) or 80th Foot (Staffs) - and I think he went to the Falklands in 1858.

On the other hand, I do know how tall he was, what color his eyes were and that he was 'swarthy' -  so not all bad  

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Hi Al

Just seen your latest reply - now that is interesting one - thankyou! I'll have a look and see what I can see on Census etc for that family......my William's daughter (his only child as far as I know), was named "Mary"
She's as much a mystery as he - no idea where she was born, only that is was around 1850.

Cheers
AMBLY