Genealogy Chat

Nell I must have been really lucky....I've got a list of names including birth dates along with baptisms, parents details and place of abode. Lou

Went to Chelmsford last week and very disappointed to find microfiche of parish registers hard to read and hardly any info - my gt gt grandfather is just down as baptisms 1812 (a few names where the filler-in has given actual dates) then John son of John and Elizabeth Smoothy. At least with his brother and sister they give an exact date, a vague address and father's occupation! nell

Brian It's wonderful, thank you! Lou

Lou I've sent you a message with what I hope is the right info.

Lyla These are the 1st 2 remotely interesting ones I've had occupation wise so I plan to milk it! The rest are Ag Labs and Cotton Spinners or Paupers! Must admit the pilot thing baffled me for a while and ended up asking Peter cos I was pretty sure that planes weren't invented in 1852! Irene Unfortunately by 1871 they're all installed in London and died there so I'm assuming, for now, they were buried there too! Love the name of the place though - Thorpe Le Soken - sounds very upmarket! Lou

Hi Lou my brother in law's family all came from Thorpe le Soken near Walton on Naze and he went to the cemetary there and managed to trace most of his ancestors in one visit. What about asking for a cemetary check on the message board. Or write to the vicar of the church. Just a thought. Irene

Hi Brian That would be wonderful! I'll e mail them as well if Lyla can tell me where to find them (!) and if I get anything back before you go I will let you know. No.1 William Stuart born circa 1827 Harwich, Essex, father Henry, occupation Pilot No.2 Elizabeth Martin born circa 1827 Thorpe Le Soken, Essex, father Edward, occupation Fisherman Thanks Lou

Send me details. I might be going to Chelmsford soon and will have a look if I have time.

Lyla How amenable would they be to an email, do you think, asking whether its possible for them to have a look for me? I have both their names, rough years of birth and father's names and occupations from their marriage certs so I'm hoping that matching them to a record wouldn't be a trawl that will take weeks! Lou

Hi Lyla Firstly, no, not seen that one so will take a look. As for WHERE, he gives his birth place as Harwich, hers as Thorpe Le Soken, both circa 1827 Lou

Pre-1837 records for Essex! Coverage on BVRI and IGI seems practically zero. I've had a look at the Essex FHS site but although there's lots of really useful information about post civil registration searching, there's nothing about parish registers. Thanks Lou