Birkenhead information please?

[Yvonne the Sandgrounder]

I have birth certs for two gt uncles/and 1 aunt.

Born Dock Cottages and Vine Street, Birkenhead 1858-1861.

They were of Catholic parents (from Ireland) so assuming they were brought up Catholic themselves, can anyone give me a clue as to where they may have been baptised?


Just hoping that the Catholic registers may provide where parents came from as I know they had more info in them than Cof E. as I have had some where they give god parents names too.

[Anne Brown]

Found this from Genuki

Cheshire Parishes : Birkenhead

These are the RC Churches
Birkenhead, St. Werburgh (Roman Catholic), Grange Road. Founded 1834.
Birkenhead, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and St. Edward the Confessor (Roman Catholic), Cavendish Street. Founded 1854.

Birkenhead, St. Laurence (Roman Catholic), Beckwith Street. Founded 1864.
Birkenhead, St. Joseph (Roman Catholic), North Road. Founded 1900.
Birkenhead, Holy Cross (Roman Catholic), Hoylake Road. Founded 1928.

So you can rule out the last three as they`re too late unless of course any child was bapt. as a toddler or older. I`m not RC so not sure as to what`s the `done thing` as far as baptisms go in the Catholic Church.

Anne

[Yvonne the Sandgrounder]

Thanks Ann, I was under the impression that RC births were baptised pretty quickly after they were born. May be wrong though

[Anne Brown]

Yes Yvonne I was under the same impression too, that RCs prefer their infants baptised asap after birth.
I googled St Werburgh`s Church and Cavendish St on Google maps to see if the churches anywhere near the docks.......as Docks Cottages suggest the occupants likely rented from dock company and worked in a close proximity. St Werbugh`s now is situated near dock area of the Mersey and Cavendish St although still near the river is slightly further away. Couldn`t find anything to say the Cavendish St church is still going , but could have missed something. So could be either or both.

Anne

[Yvonne the Sandgrounder]

Again Thanks Ann.

[vikki brace]

Hi Yvonne

I will try and speak to my nan tomorrow and ask her, she grew up in Birkenhead and her mother lived in the Dock Cottages as a child so she might have some idea.

Failing that if Cheshire Cat is around she might be able to help

[garstonite]

hi yvonne...have you tried the CPRDb site...cheshire parish records...google CPRDb then a site will come up [url=http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/...click on this...then go to database.....then babtism(they also have marriages and burials)....type in the surname you require....and a list of all those babtised with that surname will appear from the earliest to the latest....if you get a little confused,pm me...i use this site all the time...good luck...allan:D

[Yvonne the Sandgrounder]

Thanks all.

[Lovettpod]

Hi Yvonne,
prctising Catholics in theory ought to have their children baptised in the first 6 weeks (at least that was the case in the 1950's and 60's).
The nearest Catholic Church I can think of to the old Dock Cottages site is Our Lady's in Cavendish Street.
Best place to look might be on Wirral Archives site - or better give them a ring.....you will catch them today - only open Thurs and Friday, they will probably be able to give you the nearest churches at the time. I can look there some weeks give me a shout if you want me to go and look - Most parish records are held in Chester though.

(Our Lady's is still there)

[Yvonne the Sandgrounder]

Thanks Helen, had a look at Wirral and it says

Researchers requiring parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials should contact Cheshire Records Office or Birkenhead Reference Library; and those requiring birth, marriage and death certificates should contact the Superintendent Registrar's Office.

Think I will have to get in touch with Chester RO

[Lovettpod]

Hi Yvonne,
I thought as much - but the archivists at Wirral are quite good at the areas and relevant churches, to narrow your choices, if Birkenhead Library can help I can search there for you, (sorry but can't do Chester)