Re: Possible adoption in 1880s

From: Hugh Watkins <hugh.watkins@xxxxxxxxx>

Roy Stockdill wrote:
From: "Paul U" <pju@xxxxxxxxxx>

In 1891, James William UNDERWOOD was recorded as aged 6 living > in
Tottenham, Middlesex, birthplace Bristol (RG12/1077 F62 P28). I
can't find him in 1901, but in 1911 he was aged 26, married and
living in Swindon, birthplace Bristol.

I cannot find a GRO birth reference, and both Bristol and South
Gloucestershire Councils have no record of an entry.

Adoption seems a possibility (?) but will it be possible to locate
with no known GRO reference? <

Further to my earlier reply, have you noticed that FreeBMD has a
James UNDERDOWN whose birth was registered at Barton Regis RD -
which would appear to have covered a slice of Bristol until 1905 -
in the December quarter of 1884 (vol 6a page 92)?

Could this possibly have been him and his surname was somehow
misheard or written down wrongly by the registrar? Just a thought.

Barton Regis is basically Clifton and the high town around the Bristol
Downs

a fanciful name from an old GLO Hundred
http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10185660

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/Reg/districts/barton%20regis.html

BARTON REGIS REGISTRATION DISTRICT

Registration County : Gloucestershire.
Created : 1.4.1877 (out of Clifton district).

Abolished : 1.1.1905 (succeded by Bristol, Chipping Sodbury and
Thornbury districts).

Sub-districts : Ashley; Clifton; St. George; St. Phillip & Jacob;
Stapleton; Westbury; Winterborne. GRO volumes : 6a (1877-1904).>

I don't follow your point, Hugh, or are you just being your usual pedantic
and somewhat blinkered self?

I said that Barton Regis RD in 1884 covered a "slice" of Bristol, which
indeed it does. It included, as you say yourself, Bristol St George, Bristol
St James and St Paul Out and Bristol St Philip and St Jacob Out. I am
just as capable of looking at the area of coverage of any given
registration district and I know precisely how to do it by clicking on the
appropriate link at FreeBMD.

You also know as well as I do - or should - that given birthplaces in
censuses are very often highly debateable or dubious! Someone born at
Clifton or on the outskirts of Bristol could very easily just put "Bristol"
down as their place of birth, indeed they are very likely to do so. It
happened all the time.

I was merely pointing out to the OP that there was a child called James
with a surname pretty close to the one he is interested in who was
registered at the right time in the Bristol AREA. Are you suggesting that I
am wrong in doing so? Who knows, registrars have been known to make
mistakes and so has the GRO?

I was simply drawing the OP's attention to the fact and suggesting he
might consider it. Why do you have to be so picky and narrow-bloody-
minded when you know perfectly well that in genealogy all things are
possible?

--
Roy Stockdill
Professional genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer
Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History:
www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about,
and that is not being talked about."
OSCAR WILDE


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: 1871 census help reqd on name pls
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  • Re: Possible adoption in 1880s
    ... I cannot find a GRO birth reference, and both Bristol and South Gloucestershire Councils have no record of an entry. ... have you noticed that FreeBMD has a James UNDERDOWN whose birth was registered at Barton Regis RD - which would appear to have covered a slice of Bristol until 1905 - in the ... 1.4.1877 (out of Clifton district). ...
    (soc.genealogy.britain)
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