Possible birth in Stratford

[tofgem]

It is possible that my ggg grandfather Benjamin Gregory was born in Stratford upon Avon, but I have no evidence (I know nothing about his parentage or siblings). He was a boat builder by trade (I have a record of a boat registered to him in Stratford in 1830) and the first reference I have of a place of abode is Tewkesbury in 1830 where he was married. The boat registration is the only pointer I have to Stratford, but I am clutching at straws. His death certificate in 1842 records his age as 40 giving an approximate date of birth at circa 1802. I have searched records on Family Search, but cannot find a baptism in Stratford. If anyone could throw any light on his possible family I would be extremely grateful. There are references to Gregorys in Stratford, but I cannot find a Benjamin.
Tofgem

[ciderdrinker]

hi
I can't spot a baptism in Warwickshire but there is one at Bridgenorth St Leonards 30.12 1798 to William and Hannah.Possible marriage at Rushall 10.1.1791 for the couple,her surname Busst?But a bit of a long shot.
Bridgenorth  like Tewkesbury is  on the River Severn and it's not beyond possibility that his family where Severn boat men. It looks like his son Phillip worked on the canal boats,so a specialized website or archive would be your best bet,something like the virtual waterways website.
Totatlly left field there is a William Gregory born 1767 Gloucester acquitted at Middlesex assizes 1802 of stealing a bank notes.Could this be the William and Hannah Gregory born 1767/1769 at Great Shurdington Gloucester running the Bell Inn in  1841  and Ben's parents?
Absolutely no proof of course.
Ciderdrinker

[tofgem]

Thanks Ciderdrinker. I had seen that baptism. I'll recheck to see if I can find any link (more online resources may have appeared since I originally checked), but I have been looking for several years without success. Watermen were elusive and left few records. I'll check out the Bell Inn as well. I am prepared to try anything.
I can trace son Philip, my gg grandfather (I have his birth and baptism) from 1855 onwards in quite a lot of detail, but his childhood is a mystery. Both Benjamin and his wife died in 1842 and I have no idea what happened to the children until Philip resurfaces in 1855 and his sister Emma in the 1861 census (I have tracked her from 1861 onwards).

[jim1]

The Bridgnorth Burgess books have a Benjamin Gregory received in 1826.You have to buy credits (which don't cost much) to see the entry which usually gives father's name.
My family of bargemasters came from Bridgnorth moving to Tewkesbury & on to Stratford after the canal was built so the one Ciderdrinker found is a distinct possibility.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0tyi/ 
Moore's Valuations has this auction in Tewkesbury 1833:
Moore's Notebooks
DateRef 1833
-Owner
Benjamin Gregory  And Daniel Ellis
-Property
Boat building materials, Tolls of Market Ho. And weighing machine

[tofgem]

Thanks Jim. I have the entry from Moore's notebooks in 1833. This definitely refers to my ggg grandfather.
I have never heard of the Bridgnorth Burgess Book and will check it out.
Tofgem

[jim1]

Read the Burgess Book notes first as this will explain that sons by right could hold the office so you will almost certainly get other family members.

[jim1]

I'm not sure you have the right Benjamin.
In 1841 he's says born Worcs. aged 36 & his wife is Eliza.
Benjamin Gregory/36/boat builder
Eliza/30
Hannah/7
Philip/5
Eliza/4
Emma/5
This looks like the Christenings:
Hannah/1834/Tewks.
Philip Jesse/1835/Tewks.
Eliza/1836/St.Peter's Worcs
Emma/1838/do
Henry/1840/do
William/1842/do
Marr:
Benjamin Gregory=Eliza Price/21/10/1832/Tewkesbury(maybe a 2nd. Marriage)
There's no evidence this family were ever in Stratford.

[tofgem]

Sorry Jim, I have only just found your last post. Benjamin was definitely not born in Tewkesbury (I have checked all the parish registers, family knowledge confirms this as does Benjamin's son's obituary in the Tewkesbury Register).  His first marriage was in Tewkesbury in 1830 and the second in 1832.The boatyard in Tewkesbury definitely belonged to him. The 1841 census in Worcester is him and his family. However, the Stratford link is the fact that the Gloucester ship's registers have a boat registered in Stratford in 1830 which was built by Benjamin Gregory. Hence the Stratford idea, although I can find no record of a Benjamin Gregory in Stratford. I am looking for his origins as I can trace him from 1830 after his first marriage to Sarah Osborn. I am clutching at straws, but have to explore any possibiity.
Tofgem

[jim1]

Have you looked at the Benjamin from the Burgess Books?