Genealogy Chat

Does anyone know under what circumstances a child might have been baptised at the British Chaplaincy in Hamburg, Germany?

A couple of years back a wonderful GR researcher found a record of my Gt x 2 Grandfather's christening there. His name is William Robert Heath Clayton, b. 04 May 1824 and christened 02 June 1825 British Chaplaincy, Hamburg, Germany. Son of Robert and Catharina Elizabeth Clayton.

The spelling of the mother's name seems it could be of German origin (unless a poor transcipt of Catherine). I have searched FreeBMD for a possible death of the parents in the UK, but no luck.

I already have Birth & Marriage, plus 1871 census details for Wm. Robert Heath Clayton.

Thanks
Liz

could Robert have been a diplomat in the British Embassy?

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WILLIAM ROBERT HEATH CLAYTON Pedigree
Male


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Event(s):
Birth: 04 MAY 1824

Christening: 02 JAN 1825 British Chaplaincy,Hamburg, , Hamburg, Germany

Death:
Burial:


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Parents:
Father: ROBERT CLAYTON Family
Mother: CATHARINA ELIZABETH

Liz,

Presumably his parents, being British, wanted him to be baptised as an Anglican as opposed to, say, a Lutheran.

Peter

Hi Ann and Peter,

Sorry for delay in replying ...

Thank you both for your help - and for correcting the date of baptism!

I like the idea of Robert Clayton being a diplomat! Do you think there's any way of finding out?

Best wishes
Liz

there must be a way of finding out but canlt think what - hang on and someone may come up with something

I mean what else would he have been in Germany for, unless of course his wife was German but then he would have had to have been there already to have met her!!!

Seeing as Hamburg is a major port, I would have thought sailor much more likely than diplomat.

Owwww! I so like the idea of his being a diplomat!

Mind you, it probably is more likely. His son William RH Clayton was a 'seaman' before he became a 'victualler' in Deal, Kent, where family rumour has it he was a part-time smuggler.

Or he could have been a tradesman of some kind, it was a big trade centre I believe.

I have googled the British Chaplaincy in Hamburg, and they do have a website so I will try emailing them. I'm wondering whether there would be more details of Robert and Catharina there.

They might even have been married there, if she is German.

Thanks, everyone, for continuing to send suggestions!
Liz

In case anyone else is interested, I found an interesting website for the German Historical Institute London, which lists Diplomatic representatives at the British missions in Germany.

My Robert Clayton isn't among them. Perhaps he was a servant to a diplomat.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how I can find out anything at all about Robert Clayton and his wife Catharina, I would love to hear from them!

Many thanks
Liz

I wonder if there would be any more detail re. the father's occupation if you viewed the actual film of the entry of the baptism?
You can order them and view the films at family history centres near you.

Gwyn

Thanks Gwyn, I will try that!

Liz

we're all interested so keep us posted if you find anything!!!! Not that I'm nosey!!!!

Of course I will keep everyone updated!

I think there's a fine line between interest and 'nosiness' ... I actually regard 'nosiness' as a virtue where genealogy is concerned - after all, if we weren't so curious, we wouldn't be so involved with our blooming ancestors (not to mention other people's), would we?!!

If any snippet of info that I can provide about my rellies helps the GR community a little bit, then I will be happy. I don't think I could ever repay all the help I have received over the past 5 months.

If you don't hear anything from me for a while, it's because my GR membership expires end of July, and I plan to renew in the late autumn. That way I won't be distracted from outdoor things like gardening!

Presumably my threads will still be here when I get back.

Liz

I promised to keep people updated on the occupation of Robert Clayton, who had his son, William Robert Heath Clayton, baptised in the British Chaplaincy in Hamburg.

Sorry this has taken so long, but I recently discovered that WRH Clayton remarried in 1873. So I sent for the marriage certificate, which records his father's occupation as "Merchant". This does make sense, bearing in mind the importance of Hamburg as a trading centre.

The marriage cert. uncovered another fact about WRH Clayton - that he remarried in June 1873 but, according to the death cert. of his first wife, she didn't die until November 1873.

I've recently discovered on IGI a marriage for a Sarah Heath Clayton to Edwin Bentley on 28 Jan 1826 - again at the British Chaplaincy. The 'Heath' name is distinctive, and has been handed down through Robert's family for generations. So I wonder if she is related to Robert - possibly a sister.

thanks for your interest,

Liz