Genealogy Chat

Ellen Cree, born 1853 in Beighton, Derbyshire, had a daughter in 1873-4 who is shown as Ellen Cree on 1881 census (aged 7)born in Bolton, Lancs. She then had another daughter, Amy Lillian Cree born in Manchester in 1880. In 1881, Ellen had a lodger, Patrick Duffy, whom she later married and had 7 more children. I have the birth cert for Amy, no father named, but I assume Patrick is her father. My problem is I cannot locate a birth record for young Ellen in either the name of Cree or Duffy. (In 1891, she is shown as Ellen Duffy). I have applied to Southport GRO giving all the details I have, but they have said they cannot find a record. I telephoned Bolton Register Office this morning as I had found a record on FreeBMD for an Ellen Duffy - it was not the right one. So, where do I go from here? Could the child have been registered with a different christian name? (Amy is on the 1881 census as Lillian Mary). Does anyone know if the GRO will search for a birth record for a child born to Ellen Cree? This brick wall has been driving me mad for months now so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Lynne Sale CHS

Lynne, i dont think they will do that type of search, but you could phone and ask - freebmd is due to be updated shortly (mid month someone said due to servers) and there may be en entry there that you can relate to, have you search 1837 i have some credits let which i think run out on sunday so if you let me all relevant info then i'll have a look for you hevi

Hi, have had similar probs with not finding registration for grandmother. Have you checked parish regs for a baptism? Also you could check in Record Office to see if papers were served against the suspected father. Of course none of this would necessarily PROVE who the father was, but you can't be worse off than you are now!! Maz. XX

Hevi Thanks for the advice and the offer. I have a printout from FreeBMD of every Ellen born in Bolton between 1873 and 1876. I have searched under Cree and Duffy on FreeBMD, leaving the area blank. I have just bought 330 more credits for 1837online and searched Cree. I am now going to try searching for Duffy. Apart from that I think I'm completely stuck with this one and maybe it is going to remain a mystery!! Thanks again, I let you know if I ever find her. Lynne

theres a letter in a magazine i was reading yesterday and the gentleman said that he found that although his rellie was born in 1916 the birth was not registered until 1926! so bang goes the theory that everyone registered almost within the time limits hevi

Maz Thanks for the advice. I can't check parish registers for Bolton as I live too far away. However, where will I look for information on papers served against the father? Lynne

They would be held at the County Record Office. Again if you can't get there - maybe someone else is going??? Maz. XX

Lynne, If you cant visit most local history libraries and CROs will do a postal search. You could write to or phone the Bolton Local History library to see if they can look up the parish registers, some are even indexed so it could be fairly simple for them to do it. I have had mixed results though doing this some have been brilliant and helpful and sent me stuff for the cost of the potage and copying, others have charged £16 an hour and wasted time checking IGI entries which I had already done. It isnt as good as going to look yourself, but can be helpful though it has been a bit pot lick for me. Pam

Pam Thanks for that, maybe I'll give them a ring on Monday. Hope you enjoyed 'licking the pot' -LOL - just my silly sense of humour!! Lynne