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Smith - this might be the end of the road

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  • Smith - this might be the end of the road

    Hi with some great help from the users of the forum I have managed to get back to my great great great grandfather James Smith but no appear that I may have gone as far as I can.

    With help from Elaine I managed to obtain his marriage certificate in which he marries Hannah Clarke on 3/3/1845 in Wolverhampton. Unfortunately my plan was to try to locate him on early censuses through his father but his father is only listed as W Smith (occupation gardner). I have James on the 1881 census aged 60 with place of birth as Sharnton, Warwick (occuption boatman) and a place of residence as Canal Grain Boat, Coventry Holy Trinity, Warwick. In 1871 he is aged 53 (occupation Canal boat steerer) with a place of birth as Sharntone Staffordshire and living in Darlaston near the Birmingham canal. In 1861 he is aged 40 (occupation boatman) with a place of birth as Sharntone, Warwickshire and living in Tipton (I think) at 2 Tipton Wharf. I couldn't find him in the 1851 or 1841 censuses and unfortunately no longer have the ancestry membership to look further.

    Basically I am looking to see if I can take the line any further eg James birth or death or whether that is pretty much as far as I could expect to go. It was a little easier with James son and grandson who were called Solomon as the name was a little rarer but with James I always felt that this would complicate matters.

    Thanks

    Steven

  • #2
    Have you seen this list of Boat People on Wolverhampton Canal? Might help.

    GENUKI: Boatpeople of the Wolverhampton Canal System
    Wendy



    PLEASE SCAN AT 300-600 DPI FOR RESTORATION PURPOSES. THANK YOU!

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    • #3
      Thanks Wendy this is probably the last thread I can go with James and perhaps find out some information about his life as a boatman or canal steerer. Will check it out later.

      Steven

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      • #4
        Was looking at this lastnight but couldn't find them.

        The correct spelling of his birthplace is Shenstone.

        There's quite a few Smith's in Shenstone in 1841 & 1851, but no James.

        I would suggest looking at the parish regiiters for Shenstone for a possible baptism.

        Who were the witnesses to his marriage, they might help with searching if they are relatives.
        Jay

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        • #5
          Hi Jay the witnesses don't seem to give any clues. They are

          George Jones and J Biddulph Jnr.

          Re place of birth on censuses it looked like Sharnton or Sharntone but my English geography isn't good.

          Thanks

          Steven

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          • #6
            There is a Shenstone near Lichfield, which would probably be the Staffordshire one. From the modern Google map it appears to have been on the Wyrley and Essington Canal or one of its branches.
            Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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            • #7
              Thanks John for your help as I said before my English geography is poor so any help is fantastic

              Steven

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              • #8
                Just one last question re James (I promise!!). Is there a date that birth certificates began in England? I was ordering another certificate last week for another line and put the date in as as early 1800 instead of around 1890 through GRO and it came up with a warning about the date ("year of event for E&W birth, marriage, and death cannot be before 1837").

                Does this mean that James who I think would be born about 1820-1825 (he married in 1845) would not have a birth certificate that could be ordered via GRO.

                To find his birth would I then have to visit actual parishes to check their records or are they available on line?

                The last post by Uncle John stated that Shenstone is near Lichfied would anyone know who I would have to contact to see if there are any records. As I said previously I looked to me like it said Sharntone but coming from Scotland I don't have a clue on English geography so having someone confirming the name is a help.

                Steven

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                • #9
                  Yes, GRO registration started July 1837.

                  For anything earlier you'd need to look at baptism records from local churches - usually found in the local records office. Some are online at various sites - this is a good starting place FamilySearch.org - Family History and Genealogy Records - and check the wiki (in the blue bar at the top of this page) for other suggestions.

                  Good luck!

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                  • #10
                    Thanks Lindsay I think thats the end of this line I feel although I never thought I would get this far with a surname Smith!!!

                    Steven

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