I have hit a brick wall and wonder if anyone can suggest a solution. I have a baptism for William Edgar in 1850 at Lower Machen parents Luke and Hannah Barnes but have been unable to locate a birth certificate from GRO or local offices. In census of 1871 William Barnes is in St. Mary's Barracks Watton Brecon as a Private aged 21 ... perfect age. There is a birth recorded in 1855 at Newport (which would be correct district for Machen) for a William Barnes, but without applying for the certificate I do not know if this is the same William. Could the certificate be applied for if parents forgot to register the birth in 1850?
He is on the 1851 census aged 4 months with parents Luke age 27 & Hannah 28, and a sister Emily 2. at Lower Machen HO107 2453/494/17 so I think you can safely ignore the 1855 birth. What makes you think they forgot to register? They were only allowed so long to do so and I am not sure they would be allowed to so long after the birth.
I cannot find him on the 1861 census at the moment. However I think this is probably the birth you was looking at for 1855 Parents Thomas & Sarah Barnes with 9 children William aged 6. Born Machen. Living at 37, Main Road Aberystruth [Ancestry transcription] so probably wrong. Monmouthshire RG9 3997/55/15
Thank you for this, yes 1851 census is correct family .... but there is no birth registered ... did they just forget! What happened when you wanted to join the army or such ... no proof of who you were or was that not important in the 19th Century? In 1861 William aged 12 was living with an elder brother George and his wife Sohia in Trewithin, Monmouthshire. I can follow him all the way until his death in 1907. It is just that missing birth certificate which is annoying me. I think I may just have to accept that his birth was never registered.
Look for his birth in the 1st quarter of 1851...as he was only 4 months on the 1851 census it is likely he was not registered until 1851...those born at the end of a quarter are mostly registered in the next one......I hope this helps...
Thanks for this suggestion, I have already looked a couple of years later but no luck. I know that nowadays you have so many weeks in which to register birth and I had wondered if this was in force around 1850ish or if it was more relaxed then.
Until 1875, no penalty existed if births were not registered and so there are gaps - for various reasons. However, fines were introduced in 1875 - initially £2, if memory serves me right - and so 99% were registered after this date.
I did look for this chap with all of his Christian names- one at a time- no luck. I wonder if it was left to the Baptising chappie who later forgot or lost his notes? I notice a sister was also not found as registered. Emily aged 2 in 1851. A Family tree also mentions a son George b. 1855. A George is Reg'd 1857 Monmouth 11a-25
Thank you for all these messages and for spending time trying to help me out. I think I am resigning myself to the fact I will never get a birth certificate. Luke and Hannah's children were Emily Amelia Barnes, baptised in Risca 29th Oct 1848 followed by my William, baptised in Risca 12th Dec 1850 and Florence Rebecca, baptised in Risca 19th Feb 1853 and George born 1854 was baptised somewhere in the Newport area but I have yet to find this. By the 1861 census they were not living as a family. Risca is in area of Machen or should I say Machen is in area of Risca near Newport, Monmouthshire for those of you unfamiliar with the area. As William is my direct ancestor I have not applied to get the siblings Certificates. Again thanks.
