Seeking any info (beyond BMD and Census Records) that might help push my family tree back past my Great-Great-Grandfather James Gamble.
Based on Census returns, his year of birth varies from 1812-1820 and he was born in Ireland. According to his marriage certificate, his father was Baptist Gamble, a Factory Master. James Gamble moved to St.Helens, Lancashire, sometime before 1841 and lived there until his death on 31 Oct 1869. He married Hannah Ellis on 17 Dec 1849. James was primarily employed as a boatman on the Sankey Canal.
The 1841 Census lists a nephew, also named James, born abt 1837 in Manchester. The 1861 Census also has a niece, Sahrit (spelling uncertain on that), born in 1845 also in Manchester.
Finally, a Joseph Gamble born abt 1819 in Ireland, is listed as a widower in the 1851 Census living with James the younger. I suspect Joseph is a younger brother to the older James Gamble and that the younger James Gamble was Joseph's son.
I'd welcome any help to find specifics on this family. I've managed to document most of James' children and their families but all attempts to push the family tree back beyond James have failed. I can't find a birth record for him, nor can I find any marriage info that would identify his mother.