Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to trace one of my ancestors who is listed on the 1901 census as being born at Drury Lane, London (Soho crossed out). I think I may have found her birth certificate, with her listed as being born in Soho.

Does anyone know if Drury Lane was used to refer to anywhere specific (e.g the Soho area generally) or whether I should be looking for a birth certificate which states "Drury Lane" as the address?

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Amy x

Hiya yep sorry I didn't really make it clear - I know that Drury Lane is now commonly recognised as a street in Soho (actually I go past it everyday on my way to work - weird how these things work out!), but in the 1870s does anyone know if it had the same meaning, or whether it referred to a general area?

My bet is that the Soho birth certificate I have is the right one, but I can't be sure!

Thanks,

Amy

See what you mean. Drury lane was a general area I think. I seem to remember it given as a birth place for one of mine but the actual cert was something Row.

If you give us the details we could all have a look for a suitable birth reg? Do you have her marriage cert for dads name?

Just seen your last posting! I would say its a safe bet if there is no others in that area - you can always specify pointers for the cert to save the whole £7 being wasted by asking for mum and dads names to be checked?

one of my great grandfathers brothers has born drury lane on the 1851 census.

Use the Smith trick. ;)

At Ancestry, e.g., search all censuses at once for Smiths with birthplace Drury Lane. There are a dozen plus in 71, 81 and 91. I tried it with Hill (my own common as dirt ancestral name), and there are two of them in 1901 (the two people not of the same age or in the same place).

Seems like it's probably an area!

-- also google "drury lane area" (in quotation marks) and there are a couple of dozen results.

"This account is virtually indistinguishable from her fictional representation of the slums of the Drury Lane area of London in her novel, Marcella. ..."

Thanks guys, I think from the sounds of it the birth certificate I ordered is probably the right one - the fathers match (John) and the address is close to Drury Lane (off the top of my head I can't remember the name).

I'll post the details of the birth and marriage certs on here tonight and you guys can give me your verdict!

Thanks!

Hey everyone,

As promised here are the details, what do you think?

Although the name is Annie on the census, her actual name is Eliza on the wedding certificate.

1901 Census:

Name: Annie Parr
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: John
Gender: Female
Where born: Drury Law, 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

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Marriage Certificate:

Register Office, St Giles, London
10th November 1909

John Parr (37) - Collector for naturalists - 4 Tenants Buildings St Giles - Father Charles Parr (deceased) - Collector for Naturalists

Eliza Edwards (36) - 65 Betterton Street, St Giles, John Edwards (deceased) - General Labourer

I know however that they probably weren't living at those addresses at the time as they had had a number of children by 1909 all at different addresses.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
The birth certificate:

1871 - Westminster, St Anne Soho, Middlesex
6th December 1870 - 14 Princes Row
Name: Eliza Edwards
Father - John Edwards
Mother - Sarah Edwards formerly Brennan
Occ of Father - Bricklayer's labourer

Sounds like it - blimey she went up in the world, didnt she. If she is annie on the census though, how did you connect her to Eliza?

Hiya,

I have some birth certificates of some of their children (occupation naturalist makes it quite easy to confirm!) and they were living at 28 Eagle Street, Holborn in 1899, and the 1901 census address is the same. Their children's names are also the same, although John Parr's occupation is listed as "printer" on the census and I haven't come across naturalist anywhere except birth and marriage certificates.

I have to say, the name change made it quite hard going though!

I just googled Princes Row:

"The police will tell you that Princes’ Row is remarkable for having more apprehensions than any other spot of the same size in London. Not only is it a resort for street gamblers, but it is also a favourite rendevous for fights...No strangers make this road a thoroughfare, - women from the neigh­bouring streets are afraid of going round Princes’ Row, and policemen do not like to come there alone, as they have often met with rough treatment when endeavouring to stop a fight."

Nice eh!