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Hi guys,
I've hit a brick wall and for about the last year don't seem to really be getting anywhere with this one, and was wondering if anyone might be able to help?
I have been researching my father's paternal line (the Parrs) who appear to be from London. The person who I am stuck on is my great great grandfather, John George Parr (b. c1870 d. 1921).
He was married to Eliza Edwards (b.c1870 d.1919) and they had 7 children. John is listed on the 1901 census as being born in Soho, and Eliza lists her birthplace as Drury Lane, London.
According to their marriage certificate, John's father was called Charles, and Eliza's father was called John (a labourer).
The one bit of unusual information I have is that on all of John Parr's children's birth certificates, his occupation is listed as "naturalist" as is his father's on their wedding certificate. I have a great story about him catching frogs for London Zoo, and would love to somehow find out more about this.
When I have looked up John and Eliza Parr on the census returns for 1901 shortly after their first two children were born, I have found them listed as married with Eliza being called Annie, and his occupation being printer. I know it is them because the address matches the address their first child was born at a year before the census. It is worth noting that although listed as married, I know their marriage took place some years after the 1901 census (although they had had a number of children before this with all of the records suggesting they were already married). Their children were born at various places in Holborn, London, and also in Edmonton, London.
How can I take this a step further? I can't seem to find John in any earlier censuses, as I think the "naturalist" thing seems to only appear on official certificates rather than census returns - I suspect this was his hobby rather than occupation. I have a couple of birth certificates for a John and an Eliza which I think may be them, but I have no way of confirming it. Can anyone suggest a way forward?
Thanks a lot!
Amy
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1901 just for info
Name: John Parr
Age: 29
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1872
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Annie
Gender: Male
Where born: Sohe, London, England
Civil Parish: St Andrew Holborn Above The Bars and St George The Martyr
Ecclesiastical parish: St John the Evangelist
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Education:
Employment status: View Image
Registration district: Holborn
Sub-registration district: Holborn
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 242
Household Members: Name Age
Annie Parr 26 Drury Law (Lane)
James Parr 2
John Parr 29
John Parr 7
Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 246; Folio: 112; Page: 33.
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Hi
Thanks for that, that's the information I had as well, but I can't seem to trace them any further back.
Any tips on where to go next? The 1901 census is my only source at the moment of their birthplaces.
Would the local register office have information? I currently work in Holborn so would quite easily be able to get the relevant place, I just don't know where to look to find the info I need! What kind of documents would take me further?
Amy
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Births Sep 1870 (>99%)
Parr John George
Westminster 1a 403
Just wondering about this birth as Westminster includes St Anne Soho.
Maureen
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1871 just wondering about this entry??
Name: John Parr
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Charles
Mother's Name: Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: St James
Civil Parish: St James Westminster
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Disability: View Image
Registration district: Westminster
Sub-registration district: Berwick Street
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Parr 34 - tailor, born Soho
Henry Parr 6 Soho
John Parr 1
Margaret Parr 33 Southwark
Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 140; Folio: 18; Page: 33; GSU roll: 823292.
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Any clues from the witnesses on John and Eliza's marriage certificate?
Were any, possible, siblings witnesses...That would help in searching through the censuses.
Chris
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Hi,
In relation to this:
Births Sep 1870 (>99%)
Parr John George
Westminster 1a 403
I actually ordered this certificate as it looked promising, and it confirmed that the father was Charles (a tailor) and mother was Margaret Murphy, living at Rupert Street.
The 1871 census entry is for the same people living at Rupert Street. How can I be sure that this is the right person though? Would there be anything else I can cross-reference it to?
In relation to John and Eliza's wedding, there is a W. Edwards (possibly a brother or cousin of Eliza's) who was a witness, as well as a Frances Roberts. By the date of the wedding, both of their fathers had passed away.
I also ordered a birth certificate for what I thought might have been Eliza and I got the following information:
Born 6th December 1870 at 14 Princes Row, St Anne Soho, Westminster, Middlesex. Father John Edwards (bricklayer's labourer) and mother Sarah Brennan (apparently a big Irish name and apparently lots of Irish immigrants in Soho - I do remember my grandad saying one of the Parr wives had Irish roots).
Again though I have the same problem as the John Parr birth certificate - how can I prove it's the right one?
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Would parish records hold more details? I actually live near Holborn so would be able to look these up relatively easily...
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