Find Ancestors

I have been browsing on the london gazette and have found various references to my GGG Grandfather Edwin Littlejohns who seemed to be in debt more often than not, as well as bankrupt etc. I am not very clued up on how it all worked in those days. I can't understand how he would get himself into so much problems so often.

He seemed like a sensible chap, he was born in Plymouth Devon and fought in the Crimean War receiving quite a nice payment when he left. He moved to London with his wife, where he became a builder of theatrical contents, to then get himself in no end of trouble.

My gg grandfather William Littlejohns was born in c1869, but it doesnt look like his birth was registered although all his siblings were. Edwin was living at Belgrave Place, Weston - Hill, Upper Norwood at the time of his birth.

Could anyone advise more on these occurences of debt, if you search Edwin Littlejohns on the London Gazette website you will see all the articles.

Also do you think there is anyway of finding a record of my gg grandfather William's birth if it is not on the GRO index.

Thank you in advance,

Siobhan

Siobhan,

Well we meet again. Join the club! My grandfather was probably bankrupted in Plymouth, though have not found his name in the London Gazette! He went the other way, started in Glasgow, went to London then on to Plymouth and had a successful business until it all went sour about 1929 and the Stockmarket Crash. Guess where you will find Business/Company details, yes in the TNA at Kew!! I actually found my grandfather's business in Kew, but it had been destroyed just one year prior to me finding it! So if you want details get on to it as soon as possible and I hope you do not find a D beside them when you find them.

Can't help you with your lost Birth Registration but have you thought that Upper Norwood back in the 1860's might be Surrey and not London. Did Edwin end up in a Debtors Prison somewhere and did mother go back home to Plymouth for birth of William?

I assume that William was born after Edwin left the army?

Janet North London Borders

Thanks everyone for your replies. It did state in one of the articles that Edwin was a prisoner of debt which was around about the time William would of been born, however I doubt his mother would of returned to Devon and all the other children were registered who were born before and after William apart from one who was born in Geneva Switzerland, so it does seem strange that I can not find his birth. Edwin remarried after the death of his wife and had several more children which sadly all dad from the tb outbreak, including his second wife.

It states on all the census' that William was born in either Upper Norwood or Anerley.

I will contact the local records office to see what they suggest.

It comes as no surprise that records in relation to the business would be at the NA, I don't suppose anything would be indexed in the catalogue. I am really going to have arrange a visit there, as I have several things I could do with looking up, it is just sorting out someone to look after a hyperactive 15 month old toddler lol.