VIRGINIA STREET CATHOLIC CHAPEL WAPPING

[Churchie]

I have a large gap in my family - there were two Italian brothers who lived in the Wapping/Shadwell area, Raffaele and Saverio Ciaccia
They had many children, between 1814 and 1828, but I have never found a single birth record for any of them. Plenty of marriages and burials, insolvencies, censuses, but not a single christening.
I have concluded they may have been Catholic, so purchased the Catholic Family History London transcriptions volume 1, which covers several Catholic churches in the area. One of the brothers was a Godfather at St Mary Moorfields, but nothing else.
What I would like to get my hands on, is the Virginia Street Chapel in Wapping. I have the baptisms 1789-1800, and 1832-1840 is also available on CD, but not the crucial in between years. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

Oh, and happy to do look-ups for St Mary Moorfields, St Aloysius, Westminster St Mary, St Boniface, Bavarian Embassy Chapel, assorted years between 1747-1862.

Cheers,
Caroline.

[kmart66]

Hi

Just seen that both brothers were married at Spitalfields Christ Church in Stepney. This is an anglican church so i imagine that their children would be baptised in an anglican church, just a thought.


Kevin

[Valda]

Hi

Between 1754 and the start of civil registration 1st July 1837 excluding Jews and Quakers, it was illegal for any other non-conformists (not conforming to the rites of the Church of England) to marry in anything other than an Anglican church. That means in this period marriage in an Anglican church was no indication whether the couple were members of the Church of England, Catholic or any other non-conformist religion. The subsequent baptisms of any children are the real indicator.

Westminster Diocesan Archives seem to have a gap in the registers they hold

http://www.rcdow.org.uk/diocese/default.asp?library_ref=4&content_ref=517

It might be worth contacting the archivist to see whether there is any knowledge concerning the missing period in the register and whether that means it has not survived or not been deposited.

Regards

Valda

[Churchie]

Thanks Valda, I shall contact them and see if they can help.

You've confirmed what I had thought - I also have many Huguenots in my family, and they all married twice - in their own church and in the Church of England to make it legal.
My Ciaccias all married in the Church of England, and the amount of other documentation to prove they exist makes me fairly certain they were christened somewhere else.

Raffaele Ciaccia used the name Raphael/Ralph Church whenever it suited him, which compounds the frustration. That's where my name has come from, so it's very important to me. I think I will have to invest in some more CDs...


Caroline.

[hurworth]

Hello Churchie,

You kindly offered to do lookups for the Bavarian Chapel.

I was wondering whether you are still able to do this and if so would you be so kind as to look for any Watson or Wickwar baptisms or marriages.

A marriage was registered in 1839 between Elizabeth WickNar (it should be Wickwar) and John Watson.  The newspaper announcement says it took place at the Bavarian Chapel.  I am trying to see whether this couple and the Watson family living at 30 St Georges Rd, Hanover Square in 1841, 1861 and 1871 are the same people.  Sponsors at baptisms may provide clues.

Many thanks.  Our local library does have a disc of Father Anstruther's collection of records which I have used before.

[Churchie]

Hello, yes I still have the disc, and here is your marriage.
I hope this helps - it has some additional names which should confirm what you need to know.
I'll have a look through the indexes for any more references to these names.

Happy New Year,
Caroline.

[hurworth]

Thank you Churchie!   Having the mothers' names as well is an unexpected bonus.

[Churchie]

I've found some more Wickwars - mainly sponsors at  baptisms between 1799 and 1835.
Let me know if you'd like full details for these:
1799 Joan, d of William More and Ann Wickwar
1801 Elizabeth Wickwar sponsor to Anne Moore, d of William and Anne (presumably same as above
1820 William Wickwar sponsor to James Butt (think I'm reading this correctly!)
1821 Joseph and Ann Wickwar sponsors to Joseph Butt
1838 Francis Wickwar sponsor to James Adams

Caroline.

[Churchie]

Oh, and there are lots of Watsons, but if you want me to search them can you narrow it down with some names?