Finally ordered my gg grandparent's marraige cert

[BendyCowgirl]

Hi again guys, after my hiatus from this board and family history research I'm back on the horse and ordered my gg grandparent's marraige cert. Can't wait until it gets here now. I'm guessing that once I have that and I get their parent's names I will need to go look at parish records? I mean my gg grandfather was born in 1858 so that put his parents in the 1830s for birth I'm guessing. He was born in London so I'm guessing it's London I'd be looking in? My gg grandmother was Canadian however so that might be a little tricker.

[Phoenix]

Armed with his father's name, you can hopefully find your gg grandfather on the 1861 census in London with his family, which should give birth places for his parents.

Ancestry will be bringing out digital images for many London parish registers, this will be extremely useful for marriages, but baptisms do not give as much information as birth certificates and you can go very seriously wrong if you just rely on baptisms and marriages in London as there are often several people with similar names in the same area - and if they are distant relations, they may well be using similar names for their children as well.

[Little Nell]

Once you've got his parents' names you can look for their marriage, which will give their father's names which will make tracing baptisms easier.

[BendyCowgirl]

OK so I guess I'll wait until the cert gets here to see wher I can go from there

[KiteRunner]

Some parts of London are missing from the 1861 census, though, so you might have to hope he's still with his family in 1871.

[BendyCowgirl]

OK it's here, it arrived today. I can't make much sense of it all as it's a teensy tiny bit faded but it says as follows as far as I can read:

date of marraige: 5th July 1884 John William Gardiner age 25 , bachelor, seaman residence: AM Revenue, Cutter Chance, Portland Roads. Father: William Gardiner (deceased): bricklayer. Lavinia Snow, age 22, spinster, residence: Sailors Return, Casteltown, Portland. Father Joseph Snow, Fisherman. This was in the registry office of Weymouth in Dorset. He met her (so my uncle says) on his travels in Cananda and brought her home so they must have got married straight awaywhen they hit the shore by the looks of it.

Incidentally, no mother's names are named on there.

[KiteRunner]

Sorry, but I can't remember if you've posted about this couple before, so need a few reminders - have you found them on any censuses after their marriage? And who were the witnesses at their wedding, please?

English marriage certificates don't normally give details of the mothers, unfortunately.

[Darksecretz]

hiya bendy,

you wont get mothers name on an English marriage cert sorry.

who were the witness' their names might help.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I have to go out now, but wondered if you have John and Lavinia in 1891/1901?

[BendyCowgirl]

I haven't mentioned these grandparents in much detail before no. Only briefly. I have been away for a few months though so don't worry if you forgot anything. I can't understand the witnsses names unfort the photocopy isn't too clear. I guess them as being writen something like this: .... the ...of Robert Therman
Clara Therman
Edward Fooks Registrar and Alf Rayner Senior (?) Registrar.

John and Lavinia are on the 1901 census. They moved to Cardiff by then and had two boys. I haven't seen them on the 1891.

I just looked up sailors return online and it looks like a hotel so I guess he as at the Navy HQ and she was in this hotel. Hmm.

[KiteRunner]

.... the ...of Robert Therman

That will be X the mark of Robert Therman.

[BendyCowgirl]

That will be X the mark of Robert Therman.

Yes that would make sense, thanks for that.

[KiteRunner]

So this is the 1901 census entry, which should help with birthplaces etc to look for them in earlier censuses:

29 Wyndham Cres., Canton, Cardiff, Glamorgan
John Gardiner Head M 45 Fitter's Helper(?) Chelsea London
Levina Do Wife M 38 Newfoundland St John's
Fredk. Gardiner Son 14 Glam Cardiff
Joseph Gardiner Do 13 Do

[BendyCowgirl]

So this is the 1901 census entry, which should help with birthplaces etc to look for them in earlier censuses:

29 Wyndham Cres., Canton, Cardiff, Glamorgan
John Gardiner Head M 45 Fitter's Helper(?) Chelsea London
Levina Do Wife M 38 Newfoundland St John's
Fredk. Gardiner Son 14 Glam Cardiff
Joseph Gardiner Do 13 Do

Yup I saw that one but couldn't find them in an earlier one.

[Phoenix]

The National Archives have a John William Gardiner born 4 April 1855 Pimlico. I realise the age is a bit out, but I wonder if that is just an error? If he were on an HM vessel, he probably had a naval record.

[BendyCowgirl]

The National Archives have a John William Gardiner born 4 April 1855 Pimlico. I realise the age is a bit out, but I wonder if that is just an error? If he were on an HM vessel, he probably had a naval record.

Grandad John was born in Chelsea but I guess I could try checking his naval record?

[JudithM]

Grandad John was born in Chelsea but I guess I could try checking his naval record?

Chelsea and Pimlico are right next door to each other so don't rule this birth out.

[BendyCowgirl]

Oh ok, does it say anything else Pheonix?

[KiteRunner]

Born in 1855 would match his age on the 1901 census.

Is this Fred?
Frederick William Gardiner birth registered Apr-Jun 1887 Cardiff 11a 361

I can't see Joseph's birth reg, though - I was hoping that finding the births might help in tracking the family down in 1891.

[BendyCowgirl]

Born in 1855 would match his age on the 1901 census.

Is this Fred?
Frederick William Gardiner birth registered Apr-Jun 1887 Cardiff 11a 361

I can't see Joseph's birth reg, though - I was hoping that finding the births might help in tracking the family down in 1891.

Thanks Kate and yes that looks like my gg uncle Fred.