Pipewellgate, gateshead durham England

[Mturnergeneology]

Hi!

My name is Mary T. And I am researching my great Grandfather who was a British Home Child. We have hit dead-end after dead-end trying to find anything about his family in England. This is what we know.

Born name:  Michael Benjamin Chambers
Birthdate: August 24, 1890
Registered Certificate:  Oct 15, 1890
Place of birth: No 8. Pipewellgate, gateshead, Durham England
Father's Name: John Chambers on his birth certificate, but we wonder if it was Benjamin
Father is listed as a general laborer
Mother's Name: Ann or Annie Johnson (I think this is NOT her full name)
Siblings name: George (brother), John Willie (brother), Annie (sister), Lizzie (sister). Michael couldn't remember if he had 2 sisters

Tragedy must have fallen on his family as he was placed in a workhome, around the age of 5, 1895/1896. He was later sent to Canada as a Bernardo boy in 1903 and sailed on Dominion. We can trace him in Canada and in England but we can't find anything about his parents or family.

We want to find his mother, father and siblings.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Milliepede]

Have you looked on the 1891 census in England for him?

You can look up births for his siblings and a marriage for his parents then look for them on census records.

Will have a look to start you off. 

[Milliepede]

There's a George born in 1885 and a John William born in 1887 both with mothers maiden name Johnson.  Both Gateshead.

[Ashtone]

1901 census - There's a Michael Chambers (born 1890, Gateshead) at the Village Houses, Primrose Cottage, Shotley Bridge, Benfieldside, Lanchester, Durham.

Appears to be some sort of foster care place?

He's listed on a Canada, Home Children Board Of Guardian Records inspection sheet. Not much info for him except he had 1 inspection in 1904, and 3 annual re-inspections from 1905-07.

[Girl Guide]

This may be the marriage of the parents, although it is Mary not Ann/Annie

Marriages Dec 1883   
CHAMBERS    John William        Gateshead    10a   1313    
JOHNSON    Mary Elizabeth        Gateshead    10a   1313

I can't find an original image of the marriage so not able to check for further details.

[Mturnergeneology]

Hi!

Thank you so much for you help. I am very new to this research. Can you please tell me how to search through census records? Are they government owned? Would anyone know how to search for church records like for baptisms?

And when I do find them on the census... how do I continue to search for more info on his parents?

[MollyC]

This is a large scale map revised 1894, including Pipewellgate running from the top centre south westwards.  They were sandwiched between a string of factories along the south bank of the River Tyne, and the huge North Eastern Railway Works.

https://maps.nls.uk/view/231276258

Added: This is the sheet to the north, showing the start of Pipewellgate and the Tyne bridges.

https://maps.nls.uk/view/231276219

[JenB]

1901 census - There's a Michael Chambers (born 1890, Gateshead) at the Village Houses, Primrose Cottage, Shotley Bridge, Benfieldside, Lanchester, Durham.

Appears to be some sort of foster care place?

Shotley Bridge Cottage Homes were built by Gateshead Council
http://www.formerchildrenshomes.org.uk/shotley_bridge_cottage_homes.html

[MonicaL]

There's a George born in 1885 and a John William born in 1887 both with mothers maiden name Johnson.  Both Gateshead.

There is a baptism for a George Chambers on 25 Mar 1885 in Gateshead, parents Benjamin and Annie Chambers.

Is this one of the reasons you think that John, father, may also have the name of Benjamin?

Monica

PS: Welcome to RootsChat, Mary T