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Re: Parish Records

Hi Mike,

Not sure where you would need to look for confirmation of his birth but would like to add a little.

You stated.

"Richard is my GGGF and reportedly Born at Sea with India, Calcutta and an Indonesian island all being noted. His birth is supposed to have been registered in Middlesex in 1821 but apparently all records lost during WW2."
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There were no "Birth Certificates" prior to JUly 1837 when Civil Registration started.

If his father was in the Army there maybe a way to trace him that way.

The records that were lost in WW2 and are known as the Burnt Documents would have been his Army records. I believe it was something like 60% of Attestation Records were lost.

Having said that I was told way back that my grandfathers records were lost but they turned up about five years ago on Ancestry. So dont give up.
Have you checked on Ancestry?

Elaine in Ottawa.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Re: Parish Records

Mike, if I understand this correctly you have only 2 documents which hint at the origin of Robert and they are a marriage certificate in 1939 on which he says his father was Charles Pryor a grinder and a reference on the 1851 census that he was born at sea and was 30 years old. It is highly unlikely that someone born at sea would be the son of a grinder. His mother must have been present on the boat when he was born, so presumably was on her way back to Uk from foreign climes. I am guessing that Charles was illegitimate and simply invented a father for the purpose of the marriage. That was a very common occurrence.
As Elaine said, there is probably military involvement here and perhaps you should be looking for his mother as being the daughter of a military family abroad.
Dave

Re: Parish Records

Thanks Elaine for your reply. The only thing I know about my GGGF is from 1839 onwards from his marriage to Sarah Lawrence and his father being recorded as Charles Pryor a grinder.
The information that he was born at sea somewhere around India comes from Ancestry.Com. and that his birth was registered in Middlesex. I don't know what records Ancestry had access to to print this info. To date I don't know that any of the living descendants are any wiser than me and there are a few who I have been in contact with previously. Some have checked army records for India and also run into a brick wall.
The first 20 years of Richards life remains a complete mystery. I was hoping to back track through his father Charles but he is more elusive than his son.
I have been working on the idea that Charles may not be the biological father and Richard may have been adopted (legally or otherwise) as the Robinson Pryor name continues to the next generation. My GGM was Amelia Robinson Pryor one of Richards daughters.
The only reference to Richards father is on the marriage certificate where there is no reference to his name being Charles Robinson Pryor.

Will keep on banging the head against the wall in my search.

Regards

Mike Webster

Re: Parish Records

Hi Dave, thanks for your reply. If you read my last reply it will save me writing it again.
Most of the census collections after 1841 state he was born at sea BTW I have all census collections.
I have also come to the conclusion previously that it is highly unlikely that a grinders son would be on a south pacific cruise. I have even checked Australian records for returning convict ships which I believe picked up cargoes on the way back to the UK.
It would be a reasonable assumption I suppose that the mother was present at his birth LOL but there are no records found as yet to say who his mother was.
I also agree that he may have been illegitimate or had lost both parents and was taken in by Charles and wife and added the name Pryor to his Richard Robinson name.
To date I have had absolutely zero results for Charles Pryor, the ones I have traced all turned out to be red herrings.

Regards

Mike Webster

Re: Parish Records

Hi Mike,

Just to explain our database.

"Charles Robinson Pryor baptised in July 1841. There is an entry in the baptism section for him where it says Godparents followed by Page 150 Reg No 1195. I don;t know if this sheds any light on anything of interest."

Our entry.
Pryor, Charles Robinson (of Sheffield, born 1841-05-15).
Baptised July 18, 1841, by T Sutton at Sheffield Parish Church, Church Street, Sheffield.
Parents name(s) are Sarah & Richard (Steelcaster).
Note:
Godparents: ~ :Page No 150 :Reg No 1195


The Tilde ~ notes that their information was not entered.
Page No 150
Register entry no 1195.

Elaine in Ottawa.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Re: Parish Records

Thanks Elaine, I was hoping that it might but did not know what that mark was for, do now.

Mike Webster