Genealogy Chat

Hi, A friend of mine looked at the parish records for me, this was for Wethersfield Essex I have a Susan Smith born there in 1811-1813 but my friend could not find her birth at all. So weren't all parish records recorded. Does anyone know thank you Margaret

You wouldn't find her birth.......only her baptism, and that could have been 'done' any number of years after the birth. Reg

Essex Records Office seems to hold all the baptism records for the period you need: http(:)//seax.essexcc(.)gov(.)uk/ViewCatalogue.asp?ID=186436 Is this where your friend looked? If not, ERO do a search service for a fee.

Have you looked on familysearch for a baptism? Have you got her on censuses where she is a bit more accurate about her age? nell

She may have been nonconformist and the records not survived/not deposited. She may have been baptised where her grandparents lived. She may have been illegitimate: baptised under her mother's maiden name, but assuming that of her stepfather. The family may have moved when she was little, so nobody remembered where she was born.

thank you for all your reploes I can't seem to get the parish records from the Essex office you speak of any help in that department thank you Margaret

Margaret You have to GO to the records office and look them up. I think most of the Essex ones are on microfiche. It's possibe that the local LDS family history centre can get the filmed ones from the Mormons if you order them. But not all registers have been filmed. Alternatively, I think the relevant local family history society probably produces fiche of some parish registers. Either way, if you google, you should be able to find out where to go. As I said earlier, if you can find Susan on a census it might help narrow down her year of birth. nell

I have got Susan on every census up until 1891 on the 1841 census for Wethersfield Essex she was already married to a William Finch she was born about 1811. she married in 1834. Margaret

I have noticed on these boards that several of us are having trouble with people born c.1812, which is just the time when they changed the format for recording baptisms. I have this problem re. a birth c1813. Have you had checked the old and new registers? Have you checked for a multiple baptism with siblings at a later date? Did Susan have a 2nd marriage at a later date and name her father?

Essex Records Office will do a search for £19.50 an hour. It might be an idea to start with her marriage certificate, as her father might be named on it.

If she married in 1834, it won't be possible to obtain a cert............ Reg

How do you know she was born Smith if you havent seen a marriage entry? If this was my rellie, I'd look for the marriage first before trying to find a baptism, because that might give you further identifying info - could be her second marriage for instance. OC

Hi I have seen a marriage entry for her Susan Smith married William Finch 4/4/1834 also one of the witnesses was a George Smith the other one was unreadable, she never remarried at all her husband died and on one census she was living with a daughter. thankyou Margaret