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A paternal great great grandfather travelled to Sri Lanka(then Ceylon) in the early 1860's/late 1850's and returned some time between 1871 and 1891. The only census records list him in the UK in 1851 and 1891.Can anyone suggest how I can trace his location during this period?

Would you like to post his name and approx. birth date, so that people can help to find him in travel records ?

Online travel records start from 1890 so you may not find any info

Thanks for the responses - the names you would like are :
Robert Jarvis Cornell born 1830 also
Robert John Cornell born 1863
On the birth certificate R.J. was listed as a hotel keeper, mother Ellen and there is no census listings from 1851 until 1891.

Which Robert isn't on censuses 1851 to 1891, and had mother Ellen ?

Robert Jarvis in 1881, a coffee planter:

Robert Jarvis Cornell
in the 1881 England Census
Name: Robert Jarvis Cornell
Age: 51
Estimated birth year: abt 1830
Relationship to Head: Visitor
Gender: Male
Where born: Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, England
Civil Parish: St Sepulchre
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address: 22 Charterhouse Sq
Marital Status: Widower
Occupation: Coffee Planter (Others)
Registration district: Holborn
Sub registration district: Saffron Hill
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 344
Folio: 23
Page Number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
Elijah Smith 66
Mary Ann Smith 58
Annie Smith 26
Elizabeth Smith 11
Elizabeth Gibbs 63
Emily Fuller 25
Robert Jarvis Cornell 51
Martha King 23
Henry Frederick Herne 22
Arthur Reynolds 29
George Augustus Williams 24
Francis Badham 17
Richard Hargreaves 27

Ah, it must be Robert John whose mother was Ellen.
Robert Jarvis's mother was Sophia:

Robert Jarvis Cornell
in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Name: Robert Jarvis Cornell
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 19 Feb 1830
Baptism Date: 30 Jun 1837
Baptism Place: Saint Peters-Independent,Maldon,Essex,England
Father: John Cornell
Mother: Sophia
FHL Film Number: 0593812 (RG4 1767)

Could this be Robert John in 1871 ?


Robert J Cornwell
in the 1871 England Census
Name: Robert J Cornwell
Age: 7
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Relation: Son
Mother's name: Herriot Barker (no, his mother was Ellen)
Gender: Male
Where born: Brighton, Sussex, England
Civil Parish: Brighton
Town: Brighton
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England
Registration district: Brighton
Sub-registration district: St Peter
ED, institution, or vessel: 23
Household schedule number: 85
Piece: 1079
Folio: 49
Page Number: 15
Household Members:
Name Age
Herriot Barker 56 - head
Ellen Cornwell 30 - niece
Robert J Cornwell 7 - son


But maybe not - in 1891 his birthplace is given as Sri Lanka:

Robert John Cornell
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Robert John Cornell
Age: 28
Estimated birth year: abt 1863
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Phoebe Lydia Cornell
Gender: Male
Where born: Sri Lanka
Civil Parish: Camberwell
Ecclesiastical parish: St Luke
Town: London
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Registration district: Camberwell
Sub registration district: St George
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 490
Folio: 23
Page Number: 40


Robert John's father was Robert John, according to his marriage record.
{I was assuming you meant he was Robert Jarvis's son - but maybe you didn't mean that ?}
AND the father is a painter, deceased - so is this the wrong Robert John?
No, he must be the right one, if born in Sri Lanka.

Robert John Cornell
in the London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
Name: Robert John Cornell
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Age: 21
Spouse: Phoebe Lydia Chitty
Spouse Age: 23
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 25 May 1885
Parish: All Saints, Walworth
Borough: Southwark
Father Name: Robert John Cornell
Spouse Father: William Chitty
Register Type: Parish Register
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert John Cornell 28
Phoebe Lydia Cornell 29
Robert John Cornell 5
Ethel Hila Cornell 2

In 1911 (if this is the right Robert) his birthplace is given as Brighton, so maybe the 1871 is correct:

Robert John Cornell
in the 1911 England Census
Name: Robert John Cornell
Age in 1911: 47
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Brighton, Sussex, England
Civil Parish: Newington St Mary
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address: 49 South St, Walworth S E
Occupation: COACHMAN
Registration district: Southwark
Registration District Number: 23
Sub-registration district: Newington North
ED, institution, or vessel: 23
Piece: 1815
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert John Cornell 47
Phoebe Cornell 49
Robert Cornell 25
Ethel Cornell 22
Ethel Cornell 3


Daughter Ethel's birth:

CORNELL, ETHEL ELLEN EUGENIE mms CHITTY
GRO Reference: 1888 J Quarter in CAMBERWELL Volume 01D Page 945

Remarriage ? of Robert Jarvis...........?


Marriages Mar 1884
Cornell Robert Jarvis............... Holborn 1b 787

Yes, presumably to Jane Rance:

Marriages Mar 1884 (>99%)
Cornell Robert Jarvis Holborn 1b 787
RANCE Jane Holborn 1b 787


Robert Cornell
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Robert Cornell
Age: 61
Estimated birth year: abt 1830
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Jane Cornell
Gender: Male
Where born: Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, England
Civil Parish: St Luke
Ecclesiastical parish: St Barnabus
Town: London
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address:
Registration district: Holborn
Sub registration district: Old Street
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 230
Folio: 90
Page Number: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Cornell 61
Jane Cornell 41


However, re the original query - I can't see any travel records for either of the Roberts.
Likely too early, as Shirley said.

????

Deaths Mar 1900 (>99%)
Cornell Robert 69 Islington 1b 223

This is the Brighton Robert:


CORNELL, ROBERT JOHN mms SHORT
GRO Reference: 1863 S Quarter in BRIGHTON Volume 02B Page 199

Can't see any marriage of a Short to a Cornell or Cornwell.


EDIT:
Just for interest - not relevant to the Cornells;

Ellen's aunt Harriet's marriage:

Marriages Jun 1843 (>99%)
Barker Josiah Southampton 7 260
Short Harriett Southampton 7 260

and husband's death:

Deaths Dec 1860 (>99%)
Barker Josiah Southampton 2c 17

Looking into my papers I made a mistake and I do have the 1881 census details. There is possibly a link through the Cornwell in Brighton and I will look into it. It could be a badly written transcription. I have had the problem with other relatives names who immigrated !
Thanks

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Hight Street, All Saints, ?, Essex, England

Learn more
Print transcription View image
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Gender Age Birth year Birth place
John Cornall Male 50 1791 Essex, England
Transcription
Sophia Cornall Female 50 1791 Essex, England
Transcription
Ann Cornall Female 18 1823 Essex, England
Transcription
Thomas Tansley Male 20 1821 Essex, England
Transcription
Thomas Williams Male 27 1814 -
Transcription
Robert Cornall Male 11 1830 -


john occ looks like miller

There is, potentially, some sort of connection as on the copy of Robert John's birth certificate 1863, mothers maiden name is given as Short ( the same as the aunts maiden name)and the sub district of Brighton is the same , St Peter Brighton.
Will take further investigation methinks!