Genealogy Chat

According to the 1881 census, my g. g. g. grandmother was born 1824, in Birmingham, Warwick, England!? I thought Birmingham itself was a main city, so could somebody please explain?

Towns that fit under Birmingham today used to come under Warwick or Stafford. I have family from Tipton, now in West Brom, that were from Staffordshire.

Thanks!!!

I get very confused with Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire as nearly all my lot came these area, one minute a place is in Warwickshire next it gets swallowed up by Staffs, I have been reading all about the Growth of Birmingham and the decline of Aston, it's amazing I found loads of interesting stuff on Genuki links etc., Pat x

It's very sad isn't it Pat, I've done quite a bit of reading about the Aston & Handsworth areas. It's weird driving through today and seeing just a few of the very old buildings standing between bland / monstrous new buildings. My Gt Gt Gt Gt Grandfather was the last town crier of Birmingham and many of his family lived and worked in Aston. Sioux

Wow Souix that's brilliant!!! I am looking forward to going around the area with my Mum as I have never been. We have some marriages ie. In Dale End and Aston Juxta as well as West Bromwich, maybe that's all that is left of these areas are some of the Churches, although I know the Church my grandparents married in has gone already. Pat x

I think 'Warwick' is an abbreviation of Warwickshire rather than a reference to the city itself.

Yes. it means Birmingham Warwickshire....most of my family come from there The records are kept in Birmingham Central library though and not in Warwick records office. Good hunting. Joan

Hi It is very frustrating trying to figure out what district they came under. The most obvious to to go by todays clasification. It is also very annoying when they move boundries on one census and then somewhere else on another. I have rellies born in Balsall Heath. This sometimes comes under Worc parts have come under Staffs and sometimes B'ham. I find the best way is to check under Worc, Warwickshire and Staffs then at least you've covered your basis. There are lots of records in B'ham Library and the ones at Warwick Record office tend to be for places like Hampton Lucy, Kineton, etc the more rural place of Warwickshire. Karen

Birmingham is England's second largest city, it was in Warwickshire and the census forms often give that as just Warwick. Birmingham is now part of the West Midlands together with Coventry, Wolverhampton,Solihull and Dudley etc. Olive.

Birmingham was historically in the county of Warwickshire, usually shortened to Warwick. But in the 1970's the counties were re-organised. London became a separate country (or metropolitan area) instead of being split up between four counties. Birmingham became the centre of the new West Midlands conurbation.