Bring back the Birch

...or maybe the Bradbury or the Parker or something but they are giving me a headache...

William Birch born 1815 in Walsall, who seems to have had an occupation of a Brafs Dreper (I know, terrible writing in the various census records...) Living in New Street Walsall in 1851, then in Sandwell Street in 1861. Married to an Ann Birch who was 16 years his junior. They seem to have had 6 children, Alfred (b 1851), Mary Ann (b 1852), Betsey (B 1855), William (b 1857) and Joseph (b 1859). Looked all those up on the GRO and their mother has a maiden name of Parker.

Now comes the difficult bit......there's also a John listed as the son of the head of the household, born 1849 but his mother's maiden name is Bradbury. I cannot find a marriage entry for a Birch and a Bradbury. Or a Parker for that matter on Free BMD.

Just to confuse matters, there was also a William Birch married to a Hannah Birch (Pinner) but that is not the right couple. John, born 1849, is my 2nd GGF but right now, I'd swap him for someone easier to track down.

Please pass the gin. Have I missed something or is John not Ann Parker's child?

 

It's not the right couple. That's the other William and Anna (Hannah) who, if you look at the census records, are only 2 years apart in age and my William and his (possibly 2nd wife) Ann, are 11 ish years apart in age. This family I am looking for are Walsall St Matthew parish. 1851 census below

Name
William Birch
Age
36
Estimated Birth Year
1815
Relation
Head
Spouse's Name
Ann Birch
Gender
Male
Where born
Walsall, Staffordshire, England
Civil parish
Walsall Borough
Town
Walsall
County/Island
Staffordshire
Country
England
Registration district
Walsall
Sub-registration district
Walsall
ED, institution, or vessel
2h
Neighbors
View others on page
Household schedule number
121
Piece
2023
Folio
620
Page number
34
Household Members
Name
William Birch
Age
36
Name
Ann Birch
Age
26
Name
John Birch
Age
2
Name
Alpen Birch
Age
5 Mo

 

1861 census
Name
William Birch
Age
46
Estimated Birth Year
1815
Relation
Head
Spouse's Name
Ann Birch
Gender
Male
Where born
Walsall, Staffordshire, England
Civil parish
Walsall Foreign
Ecclesiastical parish
St Matthew
Town
Walsall
County/Island
Staffordshire
Country
England
Registration district
Walsall
Sub-registration district
Walsall
ED, institution, or vessel
38
Neighbors
View others on page
Household schedule number
41
Piece
2017
Folio
46
Page number
8
Household Members
Name
William Birch
Age
46
Name
Ann Birch
Age
35
Name
John Birch
Age
12
Name
Alfred Birch
Age
10
Name
Mary Ann Birch
Age
9
Name
Betsey Birch
Age
6
Name
William Birch
Age
4
Name
Joseph Birch
Age
2

 

All those kids bar John Birch on the GRO, registered in Walsall have a mother with a maiden name of Parker. But not John.

 

It may be another of those 'errors' of GRO or who ever wrote it down. I have a few the most recent I have found is for my Tolhurst -Cartwright family [which has enough problems on it's own]
Children born are listed as above from 1898 - 1911 with correct mother until the lass in 1907 who has a mother listed as 'Kelly'. Go figure ! [1911 family has taken on wife's maiden name. RG14; Piece: 2768 ] also had that happen in earlier years with another family.

 

I'm ordering the b/cert as I think that's the only way I'm going to get any kind of confirmation. If it says his father is a Brafs Dreper I am going to cry laughing though

 

No luck with any marriages but have you considered this birth for John?

 

I believe he is a definite 1849 birth. It's actually consistent through his life and yes, William and Ann may never have married. Wouldn't be the first couple to have said they were married when they weren't. Or maybe he married John's mother and then went off the idea.......scandal again

 

Having said that........works, spanner and all that. There is a marriage between a William Birch and a Mary Lowbridge in 1849, also a birth for a John Birch in 1850 Q4 with a mother with a maiden name of Lowbridge.....all in Walsall. Has William been a naughty boy?

 

From Family Search: would this work out right for your John?

John Birch
England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944
Name: -John Birch
Event Type: -Baptism
Event Date: -21 May 1848
Event Place:
Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom
Event Place (Original):
St James, Wednesbury, St James, Staffordshire, England
Parish: -St James
Father's Name: -William Birch
Mother's Name: -Anna
Affiliate Image Identifier:
D4518/1/1
.............

John Birch
England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008
Name: -John Birch
Event Type: -Birth Registration
Registration Quarter: -Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration Year: -1849
Registration District: Walsall
County: Staffordshire
Event Place: -Walsall, Staffordshire, England
Volume: -17
Affiliate Line Number: -14
.........
There is a birth-death- burial for a John in 1848 which may have something to do with same family, perhaps a 2nd birth for a son close in age.

.........
It may be worth your having a look on F.Search further down where mariages/ spouses are mentioned to see if he fits.

 

John is definitely a Walsall and not a Wednesbury though. The entire Birch family on my tree were Walsall St Matthew. The 1849 birth date also ties into his marriage record later in his life.

I’m going to dig the lot of them up and shout at them for giving me a headache.

 

I’m going to have another look again tomorrow. I struggle with dates and numbers as often dyscalculia gets the better of me. Is it too early for gin?

 

Ok, I can't let things lie.... I am pretty sure that John was born in 1849 but can someone please check my 'rithmetic here. The 1861 census was taken on 07 April and John was 12. John was married on 25 September 1870 when his marriage certificate lists him as 21 years old. I am pretty confident it is him as his father is listed as William Birch, Brass polisher/finisher. If he was 12 in April 1861, and 21 in September 1870, he surely cannot have been born in 1848.

 

You see, this is why I can't be trusted with numbers. This would make a whole lot of sense. There is ofc the outside possibility that he is not the child of either Ann or William and he's a family member they have taken in. I think it is more likely that he was born beyond the blanket.

I also love you for taking 30 years off my age