Shinfield – Welch / Simmonds / Davis

[lhorosko]

I have been searching for years to find the English family of my 2nd Great-grandfather.  With the help of this forum in a previous post and recent DNA findings I believe I have found the answer.  I started with his name Harry Welch and born in England (from family) and a birthdate of Dec. 10, 1851 from the Canadian census.

I believe he was born Henry Davis Welch, Dec. 10, 1851 in Shinfield, Berkshire to Henry Davis, a soldier, and Jane Welch.  (I have a copy of this birth certificate.) A Jane Welch, daughter of George and Lydia Welch, married George Simmonds in 1854.  Through Ancestry DNA matches, I am related to two descendants of Jane Simmonds.  I have reached out to one of them through the Ancestry message service but have not had a reply.

I am looking for help on a couple of fronts. 

First I cannot find Henry / Harry Welch in the 1861 census – he was born too late for the 1851 census and was likely in Canada by the 1871 census.  I am guessing he was fostered / adopted by relatives or neighbours.  Are there any other records in Shinfield that might prove useful?

Second – can anyone suggest where I might get information on Henry Davis to start a search?  Far too many with that name if I can't find any further information.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Linda from Canada

[Kay99]

Re Henry Davis - given that Harry Welsh must have been conceived about the same date as the 1851 census it is likely that Henry was living in the area when the census was taken

The only Henry Davis I can see in the village of Shinfield is this one - born 1826 in Shapwick, Dorset https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGVY-JC2 He is a farmers son.   Could he have joined up later in the year??

Kay

[rosie99]

What information does the 1851 birth certificate give.

[avm228]

Is the birth reg as Henry Davis DAVIS, no mother’s maiden name, Dec qtr 1851 Wokingham 6 315?

Added - yes, I see this one is alternatively indexed on FreeBMD as Henry Davies [sic] WELCH.

[lhorosko]

Birth certificate has

When and where: Tenth December 1851 Shinfield

Name: Henry David

Sex: Boy

Name of father:  Henry David

Jane,surname and maiden name of mother:  Jane Welch

Occupation: Soldier

Then it has the mark of Jane Welch, date of registration and signature of registrar

Thanks,
Linda from Canada

[lhorosko]

"Davis" not "David"above

[lhorosko]

This is the correct info - fat fingers early in the morning:

Birth certificate has

When and where: Tenth December 1851 Shinfield

Name: Henry Davis

Sex: Boy

Name of father:  Henry Davis

Name, surname and maiden name of mother:  Jane Welch

Occupation: Soldier

Then it has the mark of Jane Welch, date of registration and signature of registrar

Thanks,
Linda from Canada

[rosie99]

Thank you 

It is possible that Henry Davis was stationed in a nearby barracks and not a local to Shinfield.

[lhorosko]

Does anyone have any advice re how to find soldiers in the 1851 census?  Some information on the web indicates that soldiers were to be included in the census in that year.

Regards,
Linda from Winnipeg