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Hi guys,

I'm looking for info on a Charles Parr, and am really struggling!

I have found what I think might be him, but I can't really say for sure, and am looking for something which links this up with the info I do have. The Charles Parr I have found in censuses appears to be a tailor, married to Margaret Murphy living in Westminster/Golden Square, with sons Henry and John.

All I know for certain is that Charles Parr was a "collector for naturalists" and had a son John, who was born in 1870 in Soho and was also a collector for naturalists and a printer. Charles was deceased by 1909 when John married. I need something which links this up with the Charles Parr from the censuses.

John lived in the Westminster/Soho/Holborn/St Giles area of London, moving house a fair bit in those areas between 1894-1905. I've not been able to find him in any censuses except 1901 and that was tough going as his wife was going by a different name and his occupation wasn't naturalist! I managed to match it up in the end by finding out the address his first child was born at. John finally ended up in Edmonton, London, where he died in the 1920s. Charles may have lived nearby at some point - I'm not sure!

I have access to Ancestry and have my tree on there as well. Apart from the censuses, does anyone have access to other resources which might shed some light on this? Parish records for the relevant areas of London would be really useful, as would electoral rolls.

Someone recommeded that I look in the trade directories, and I had a look on www.historicaldirectories.org and didn't have any luck - but someone else might!

I have been researching this side of my family for going on three years and have made almost no progress with the Parrs! There must be someone out there who can help!

Amy

:-) xx

didn't you have a similar thread on the Parrs a few days ago?


sylvia

Yep but haven't had much luck!

From your thread you have already found this census. Which ones are you missing? Do you have all for Charles or is it only John once he leaves home you are missing? If they are collectors, could they be out of the country?


1871:
Name: Charles Parr
Age: 34
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: Soho, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: St James Westminster
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street address: 32 Rupert St

Occupation: tailor

Registration district: Westminster
Sub-registration district: Berwick Street
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 281
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Parr 34
Margaret Parr 33
Henry Parr 6
John Parr 1

Hi thanks for that - I can trace the Charles above quite easily, but can't definitely say it's mine - as all I know about him is his occupation.

John can only be found in the 1901 census, although the Charles above does have a son called John who is mentioned in some of the census returns.

I did consider that he might have joined the army for a few years? From the stories I've heard, its unlikely they would have been out of the country as it seems more like a hobby collecting insects for London Zoo.

I have the marriage certificate and birth certificate for John for the family in the census above - but none of them refer to naturalists.

Could this be him?

1881:
Name: John Parr
Age: 10
Estimated birth year: abt 1871
Relation: Visitor
Gender: Male
Where born: St Giles, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: Penge
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England

Street address: St Hughe's Rd
Education:

Employment status:

Registration district: Croydon
Sub-registration district: Croydon
ED, institution, or vessel: 58b
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
William Switchen 31 - wire worker
Catherine Switchen 27
Ellen Neil 14 - sister-in-law
Agness Neil 3 - niece
John Parr 10
William P. Davy 24 - visitor

???

Marriages Jun 1863
COYDE Ann Portsea 2b 770
GARNETT John Caplin Portsea 2b 770
...>>>PARR Charles Portsea 2b 770
...>>>SWAN Margaret Portsea 2b 770

Have you bought this marriage certificate to establish his profession?

Marriages Sep 1857

Axworthy Mary Ann Strand 1b 618
Haslett Robert Strand 1b 618
Murphy Margaret Strand 1b 618
Parr Charles Strand 1b 618

The Strand right by Westminster.

Selena

Going by Selena which seems to be far more probable.

1851:
Name: Margaret Murphy
Age: 12
Estimated birth year: abt 1839
Relation: Daughter
Mother's name: Margaret
Gender: Female
Where born: London, England

Civil parish: St Anne Soho
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street address: 19 St Anne's Ct

Occupation:


Registration district: Strand
Sub-registration district: St Anne Soho
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 156
Household Members: Name Age
Margaret Murphy 50 - lodging house keeper
Margaret Murphy 12
Patrick Silas 29
Patrick J Spellan 26
John Davie 26
Peter Duncan 28

All the lodgers are tailors.

Is this your John's birth registration? Have you got the certificate to confirm Margaret Murphy is his mother?

Births Sep 1870

Parr John George Westminster 1a 403

Selena

The brother's birth

Births Dec 1864
PARR Henry Strand 1b 484

Selena

I expect you have this 1881. St James Park is right near Westminster and I am wondering if Charles Junior is actually Henry but has bee copied in correctly

Charles Parr
Age: 44
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1837
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: St James, Middlesex, England

Civil Parish: St James
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street address: 7 South Row
Condition as to marriage: Widow
Education:

Employment status: Subscribe now to see this information.
Occupation: Military Tailor

Registration district: Westminster
Sub-registration district: Golden Square
ED, institution, or vessel: 9
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Parr 44
Charles Parr 16

Amy, have you left us?.....

Ozibird -

1881:
Name: John Parr
Age: 10
Estimated birth year: abt 1871
Relation: Visitor
Gender: Male
Where born: St Giles, Middlesex, England

I did come across this and thought that it was a possibility, although the names of the people he is staying with aren't familiar.

Selena -

Murphy Margaret Strand 1b 618
Parr Charles Strand 1b 618

I have ordered this certificate and it states that Charles is a tailor - and living at the same address as one of the census returns for Charles the tailor.

Parr John George Westminster 1a 403

I ordered this as well and it tallys with the above - parents Margaret Murphy and Charles Parr a tailor.


Maybe I'm getting too hung up on the naturalist thing - this does seem to be pretty close.

Thanks a lot for all of your help so far!

I have ordered a death certificate for a Charles Parr as well in the hope it might shed some light on the matter - the age and date seem about right:

1906 Mar Poplar (To 1965) 1c 375

Possible for Margaret, Charles was a widower on 81

Deaths Mar 1875
PARR Margaret 37 Westminster 1a 385

Selena

Let us know what the outcome is - I'm curious about the naturalist thing too.

Selena

That does look promising - I might give that a go and see what info that has. Thanks!

Will do! Yes the naturalist thing is quite interesting but seems very hard to pin down! I've emailed the Natural History Museum to see if they can point me in the right direction.

Thanks for all your help!

I just looked at the entry for the death you mentioned - the entry directly beneath it is for a Margaret Parr born in the same year - maybe she died in childbirth? The refs are:

Margaret Parr
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838
Year of Registration: 1875
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at Death: 37
District: Westminster (1870-1913)
County: London, Middlesex
Volume: 1a
Page: 385 (click to see others on page)

Name: Margaret Parr
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Year of Registration: 1875
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at Death: 0
District: Westminster (1870-1913)
County: London, Middlesex
Volume: 1a
Page: 386 (click to see others on page)

Well spotted Amy.

Also, just thinking aloud, if they married in 1857 and Margaret died in 1875 they should have had plenty of time for more children other then John and Henry.

Selena