Author Topic: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s  (Read 1395 times)

Offline KennethDavidson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« on: Thursday 11 October 18 17:22 BST (UK) »
Hi,

I'm trying to find the birth details for William Davidson. He was born around 1820-30 in London (based on Census records for western Glasgow between 1851-1901). I now know that his parents were Robert Davidson (Baker) and Caroline Oliver.

I can see no record of his birth certificate from the Ancestry records and I'm not sure were to look next. I'd appreciate any guidance on this.

Thanks, Kenneth.
Davidson, Gibson, Douglas, Cairns, Robertson, Stanners, Anderson, Edmond, Samuel, and many more!

Offline avm228

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 24,827
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 11 October 18 17:30 BST (UK) »
Hi - there won't be a birth certificate if he was born in London before 1 July 1837, when civil registration was introduced in England.

The closest you'll get is a baptism, if you're lucky.  Do you know what the family's religious denomination was?
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline KennethDavidson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 11 October 18 19:16 BST (UK) »
 - not really, but I'd guess Presbyterian.
Davidson, Gibson, Douglas, Cairns, Robertson, Stanners, Anderson, Edmond, Samuel, and many more!

Offline avm228

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 24,827
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 11 October 18 20:26 BST (UK) »
Do you know whether his parents Robert and Caroline were alive in 1850, when he married in Scotland?

Have you found the family anywhere in 1841?
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)


Offline KennethDavidson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #4 on: Friday 12 October 18 08:53 BST (UK) »
Hi avm,

There is no reference to either parent in William & Elizabeth's marriage (from SP), or any of their census records (1851-1901, see below). Having just re-checked the SP records for 1841, 1851 & 1861, there is is no record of a Robert & Caroline Davidson in Scotland. In the 1841 Census there is a record for a Caroline Davidson (b abt 1807 in Barony, Glasgow), but wrong husband name, and wrong maiden name.

Using Ancestry data, I've tried to find a record of their marriage in England, without success.

In summary, I have:

William Davidson (b. about 1825-30, from SP Census ages)
Wedding 1850   Joiner                       Barony, Glasgow
Census 1851   Joiner         England
Census 1861   House Carpenter   England, London
Census 1871   House Wright      England
Census 1881   House Joiner      London
Census 1891   Patternmaker      England
Census 1901   Joiner House      England
Died 1907

How would I access London parish registers?

Thanks,  Kenneth.
Davidson, Gibson, Douglas, Cairns, Robertson, Stanners, Anderson, Edmond, Samuel, and many more!

Offline avm228

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 24,827
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #5 on: Friday 12 October 18 09:22 BST (UK) »
Is the information as to his parents' names taken from his death certificate?  If so, who was the informant?  Information on death certificates isn't always reliable because (obviously) it isn't provided by the deceased, so it is only as good as the informant's knowledge.

Ancestry has many London parish records- most, but not all, of which are Church of England.

Among them is an 1829 baptism at St Giles-in-the-Fields of the curiously-named Miles Sarah, child of Robert Davidson (a baker) and Sarah, of 1 Market St, St George, Bloomsbury.  I haven't found Miles after this, and Robert's occupation may just be coincidence.

Have you search SP for any other marriage or death records of Davidsons with parents matching William's parents?
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Online ShaunJ

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 24,034
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #6 on: Friday 12 October 18 09:52 BST (UK) »
Robert Davidson, baker of Hart Street, Bloomsbury featured in a very lengthy patent cure advertisement in various papers in 1800.

He (or his son Robert) is listed in directories up to 1825-6 as a baker at 26 Hart Street.

There's an 1834 PCC will for Robert Davidson of Bloomsbury which lists his sister Katherine, his only son Robert, and his grandchildren Robert, Caroline, William, David, Myles, Sarah, Elizabeth and John Davidson, all children of his son Robert.
UK Census info. Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline KennethDavidson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #7 on: Friday 12 October 18 09:56 BST (UK) »
That's interesting. I'd not thought about the informant being mistaken. In this case the informant was his married daughter, (Jane (Jean) Watson, who would have been about 52 at that time. If there was an error of memory, then I'd expect that the name 'Caroline' was more likely correct, as William Davidson (b. 1835-30) had a daughter with that name.

I've checked for marriage records for Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in SP for Parish and Statutory records (1855+) nationally, with no returns (and omitting Oliver from the search).

I've also checked for marriage records for London for Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver through Ancestry with no success.

I'm planning to be in London anyway in 2 weeks time. I was thinking about spending a few hours at  the National Records at Kew. How would I go about investigate parish records within the London area?.
Davidson, Gibson, Douglas, Cairns, Robertson, Stanners, Anderson, Edmond, Samuel, and many more!

Offline KennethDavidson

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 35
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Robert Davidson & Caroline Oliver in London 1830s
« Reply #8 on: Friday 12 October 18 09:58 BST (UK) »
Thanks ShaunJ. Very interesting. I'll look through this line when I go to Kew at the end of the month.

Kenneth.
Davidson, Gibson, Douglas, Cairns, Robertson, Stanners, Anderson, Edmond, Samuel, and many more!