Look up request

[cuffie81]

I don't use the BNA website, so I can't give you direct links. However, if you're using the BNA website then it's probably simplest to first filter the search by newspaper then drill down into the date. Once you've drilled down into the day who should be presented with a list of pages for that day's paper, so select the relevant page and locate the item in the appropriate column.


As for what's best for Oxfordshire records, I find it's a case of some records are on Ancestry (eg parish registers) and others are on FindMyPast (eg some wills, newspapers). With parish registers being on Anc you're probably best as you are but you could make use of FindMyPast whenever they have free weekends. And make use of any other sources (eg FreeReg, FamilySearch, OXFHS, FindAGrave).


As for Charles Foster, I'm not convinced he was the son of your William and Elizabeth, for a number of reasons:

1) According to census record Charles Foster was born in Bucknell and there's a likely baptism in Bucknell 1809.

The 4 known children of William and Elizabeth were (likely) born and baptised in Oxford (3 in St Aldate; 1 in St Mary the Virgin). According to census records Sarah and Catharine were born in St Aldate and William in St Mary.

If Charles was the son of William Forster and Elizabeth Collcutt why was he born and baptised in Bucknell? It doesn't tally.

2) Charles Foster names his father as William Foster, a farmer, on his 1871 marriage.
William Forster seems to be a livery stable keeper in all records. The stables he occupied in 1822 were up for auction and the details state he had been the proprietor for upwards of 30 years. He doesn't appear to have been a farmer at any point.

3) In almost all records Charles Foster has the surname Foster. The only record I can find that he has the surname Forster is on the 1841 census.

Whereas the family of William and Elizabeth are generally known as Forster, with some records naming them as Foster.

4) In the will of Mary Collcutt, Elizabeth's mother, she names her daughter Elizabeth Forster, her husband William, and their children William, Catharine and Sarah. She does not name Charles.
http://wills.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk/az/wtext/calcott_089.html

If Charles Foster was the son of William Forster and Elizabeth Collcutt why did Mary not name him?

5) In the will of John Collcutt, Elizabeth's uncle, he names his niece Elizabeth Forster, her husband William, and their children William, Catharine and Sarah. He does not name Charles.
http://wills.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk/az/wtext/calcott_052.html



One other thing, previously I included a newspaper item from 1825, re. a petitions of insolvent debtors for a William Forster. I had presumed this was William senior but given the newspaper item below, which appears to be for William junior, it's possible that 1825 item may have been for William junior.

This doesn't help at all with determining the parent of William senior but thought it may be of interest.

Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette
06 Feb 1841
page 1, column 4
Insolvent Debtors
- William Forster (sued as William Foster)
- formerly of Penson's Gardens, Oxford; milkman;
- then a prisoner of debt in Oxford city gaol;
- then of Blackfriars Road, City; milkman;
- then of Observatory Street, Oxford; retailer of beer;
- then of Thompson's Buildings, St Aldate's Street, Oxford; out of business;
- since of Quarterman's Yard, St Aldate's Street, Oxford; coal merchant;
- afterwards of St Aldate's Street, Oxford; shopkeeper;
- during part of that time, and afterwards, of Clarke's Row, St Aldate's Street, Oxford;
- livery stable keeper in Magdalen Street, Oxford;
- late of Clarke's Row, St Aldate's Street, Oxford
- John Looker, Insolvents' Attorney, 20 Queen Street, Oxford

[Mandy Forster]

Thank you again, the last newspaper clipping is very interesting and informative. I agree, I think this all relates to William Forster (younger). It sounds like he was quite a lad. I tried to search for prison records for Oxford but with no luck. It would have been interesting to see how long he served! As to William (elder), born about 1766 and married to Elizabeth Collcutt, did you have access to the Baptisms at St Mary The Virgin when you kindly did a search for him? I am considering purchacing the OFH disc for that parish but if you have already looked at it then there is little point. Thanks again.

[cuffie81]

As to William (elder), born about 1766 and married to Elizabeth Collcutt, did you have access to the Baptisms at St Mary The Virgin when you kindly did a search for him? I am considering purchacing the OFH disc for that parish but if you have already looked at it then there is little point..

I do have some of the OXFHS parish transcript CDs for Oxford but not the one that includes St Mary the Virgin, so I was using the parish registers on Anc. I'm not entirely trustful of their transcripts though (I've come across too many errors) so I often resort to browsing the parish register images. And if I have them, using the OXFHS transcripts for cross checking; the OXFHS transcripts have proved to be very reliable.

If you have an Anc. subscription though then there's probably not too much benefit of getting the OXFHS CD, as good as they are.