Jane Bryan, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1866-67

[kent scoot]

I also want to mention to Ken, there are two articles available that might interest you;  the first being the magnificent military funeral of Robert, and the second on his son William when he was taken prisoner during the Boer war (and that part of his military records appears to be missing!).

I would be very interested in those, if you could point me their way, thank you.

What will not be immediately apparent from the family documents is that William John adopted my grandmother Winifred McAllister and a couple of her cousins, so became my adoptive great grandfather. Selina is my bio great grandmother but we do not know who Winifred's father was, hence her adoption by Winifred. That is a whole other project for later.

[kent scoot]

I also want to mention to Ken, there are two articles available that might interest you;  the first being the magnificent military funeral of Robert, and the second on his son William when he was taken prisoner during the Boer war (and that part of his military records appears to be missing!).

For bbart: I've found those articles. Thank you. Interesting that Robert is named as Robert Thomas, not Robert James in the Northampton Mercury. Another inconsistency to check out ...   

[bbart]

For bbart: I've found those articles. Thank you. Interesting that Robert is named as Robert Thomas, not Robert James in the Northampton Mercury. Another inconsistency to check out ...

Glad you found them!  I blame the reporter for the "Thomas" middle name!
In the very same paper, on page 8, in the deaths column, he is listed as R J McAllister.  I'll attach a clip below to save you looking.

As my laptop was having issues when I last posted, I just wanted to add a bit about the Jane of Ann Cox, for no other reason than to show that her mother "Mary" was an Ann.  It may help you sort things out down the road.

Here they are in the 1851 and 1861 census.  The "Nottingham Court" matches son Edward's birth reg. (attached), although one is "15" and the other "5".   It was not uncommon for people to move around the same area, depending on their needs for more or less room.  Note that her most recent children are listed wrong for the ages given (Edward would be Richards age).  I had gone through the GRO to get them in the right order, but didn't manage to save the work in time before bad computer things happened. All of them had surnames with the spelling of "Bryan".

1851 Piece 1508, Folio 92, Page 47,  -   5 Nottingham Court, St. Giles, Middlesex
Mary BRYAN, age 26, washerwoman,
Mary BRYAN, age 10
Jane BRYAN, age 7
Eliza BRYAN, age 1
All above stated as born St. Giles.


1861  Piece 168, Folio 59, Page 47   -  5 Nottingham Court, St Giles, Middlesex

Mary BRINE, age 39, charwoman,
Jane BRINE, age 15
Lizey BRINE, age 12
Ann BRINE, age 19
Richard BRINE, age 9
Emily BRINE, age 7
Thomas BRINE, age 4
All were stated as being born St Giles.

Good luck in your hunt!  If you find any good clues down the road, post them on this same thread, so the folks here can see what has already been discussed! 

[Cas (stallc)]

I did come across this birth reg after locating baptism. Would be interesting to see if birthdates match.

BRIAN, JANE    mmn   COX 
GRO Reference: 1845  M Quarter in ST. GILES IN THE FIELDS & ST GEORGE BLOOMSBURY  Volume 01  Page 66

Would agree that DNA testing would maybe help sort out family.

Cas

[seahall]

In case of any use.

Northampton Billing Road Cemetery.

Robert James McAllister aged 58, of 76, Derby Road, Northampton, died 14 April 1899 and buried on 20th April 1899 in Grave No. A2 3438. sadly there are no headstones in that area any more.

Sandy

[kent scoot]

Thank you everybody for a level of interest and contribution I hadn't anticipated. I am very appreciative.

I am going to follow up on the Edward Bryan and Ann (Cox) route because I agree it seems the most plausible, alongside Edward and Sophia Ann. The variety of spellings in this is a challenge – Bryan, Brian, Bryon, Brayon, Brine ... I guess that is mainly down to mishearings at the time and later transcriptions compounding themselves, but it seems to be commonplace.

If I can button down Jane's birth and early history, there is more chance to discover how she came to be in Nova Scotia.

Many thanks
... Ken

[kent scoot]

In case of any use.

Northampton Billing Road Cemetery.

Robert James McAllister aged 58, of 76, Derby Road, Northampton, died 14 April 1899 and buried on 20th April 1899 in Grave No. A2 3438. sadly there are no headstones in that area any more.

Sandy

Thanks Sandy

[kent scoot]

Going by census POB for Jane, this looks a possible baptism to consider

Name   Jane Bryan
Baptism Age   0
Record Type   Baptism
Birth Date   18 Feb 1845
Baptism Date   23 Mar 1845
Baptism Place   St Giles in the Fields, England
Father   Edward Bryan - occ. Carman
Mother   Ann Bryan
Address - Monmouth Street

Cas

Possibly a red herring but mentioning it anyway…
Westminster, Church of England
Edward Bryan, bachelor, residing Broad Street, occupation Lath _______?
Marriage Age: Full Age
Marriage Date: 24 August 1840
Marriage Place:  St Anne, Soho, London, Westminster, England
Father: Edward Bryan, Carman[?].     (Did he possibly have the same occupation as his father?)
Spouse: Ann Cox, spinster, full age, residing Old Compton[?] Street
Father:  William Cox, Labourer
In the presence of Thomas Perkins and Elizabeth Perkins

Bryan was written on the page, with a t added “later”.  Edward did sign his name Bryant.

Looking at a current map, St. Giles in the Field appears to be near St. Anne.  Apologies if I am incorrrect, I know very little about that part of England.

An update on this after some on-the-ground geographical research. Monmouth Street (1845 address on the Baptism record) is now Shaftesbury Avenue, London and within a stone throw of both Old Compton Street and Broad Street. St. Anne's Soho and St. Giles in the Fields are very close by. This is a tight-knit district of central London, and I would be very surprised if these two records are not linked.

Since Jane McAllister (Bryan) is cited on the 1891 Census (in Northampton) as born in St. Giles, I'm close to sure now that this is the one to follow through in more detail.

We're no closer to knowing how she came to be in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but it is progress.

Cheers
... Ken

[J.J.]

Just adding food for thought...but ( sadly) nothing to the finds on the thread...(well done, BTW)
   (I do hope you can eventually find solid proof of Jane's ancestry, Ken!)

On first reading of this thread I agreed with bbart etal who said pianoforte-tuner was likely bogus.
Especially after finding a blind man on a workhouse census who said he was a piano tuner...
although, of course, his work could have snapped something into his eyes.
But then I found some earlier blind tuners...some who did it on their own, some with partners.
If someone only had  a good tuning ear, but no mechanical skills, they'd ALSO need a partner.
I've also changed my mind somewhat, after having read some online articles:
   Exposing the London Piano Industry Workforce (c1765-1914)
 Says labourers were worked hard, paid little, and laid off immediately if/when the market faltered.
 This would explain why some may not have been enumerated as being in the trade.
 They employed leather-workers, cabinet makers, carpenters and lathe turners
 hatters, hosiers, silk weavers, linen drapers, stationers, builders, bricklayers
 furriers and curriers; watchmakers; locksmiths, coal merchants, artists & more
 https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/7399/1/603079_Vol1.pdf

The proximity of piano makers, within blocks of their home...makes me wonder...
Did the family joke about it or actually have some involvement within the trade?
  William Cooper  piano maker - 101 Dean Street, Soho, London -1839
  bottom of page 318 to top of page 319 lists Thomas Thomkison
  & other Piano forte makers betw. 62 to 77 Dean St. early half of 1800s
 https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/7399/2/603079_Vol2.pdf

Note: church in which they married-St. Anne is now "55 DEAN St, London"
 MAP - with Soho streets (some have new names) mentioned in this thread
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/FkbM97gFyXtmxLer7

Little Compton Street on map 1868, intersecting with Crown St. & Dean St.
  https://greatwen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/map1868.jpg

An old map of Soho
https://greatwen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/map1868.jpg


 BTW, A William Cox of Crown St was on the first "burial board" of London 1854
PETTITT AND   COX, 22 & 23  FRITH  ST &  50  OLD  COMPTON  ST
a Circulating Library & Stationery business that later added a printing office
https://archive.org/stream/twocenturiesofso00cardiala/twocenturiesofso00cardiala_djvu.txt