Robert French - Northamptonshire, and Birmingham

[Nodrogw]

My name is Gordon Wynniatt. My great grandfather was Robert French who was born in 1840 in Northamptonshire. His father James French was a labourer. Robert married Sarah Ann Taylor (also from Northamptonshire) at St. Thomas Church in Birmingham in 1873. Robert is shown on the marriage certificate as being a widower. His occupation is shown as retail brewer. Sarah Ann gave birth to a child in 1871 in Farthinghoe, Northamptonshire, out of wedlock, and then gave birth to my grandfather, George Frederick French in Farthinghoe on 28th February 1874. She had two more children, Daisy May and Minnie. Robert French died on 8th June 1880 in Birmingham General Hospital from Hiemoptysis Pneumonia. At the time he was retail brewer at The Rose and Crown pub in Hingeston Street, Hockley, Birmingham.
I have disocvered a family tree on Ancestry which shows James French, born abt 1813 married to Ann with Children Maria, Elizabeth, Robert and Frances. James died in 1898 and Ann died in 1901.
I want to try to obtain some birth, marriage and death certificates for some of these people if I can tie them in to my own family tree. If anyone can give me any further information which will help, (including Ann's surname) I will be very grateful

[margaretmarch]

Hi Gordon,
Have you got the 1841 census for your Robert to see who is parents are? If they are the same as the ones you have found and the other children match then I would say it's a good possibility the family is yours. If Robert was born 1840 you should be able to find his birth on the BMD index and get his certificate which would show his mother's maiden name.
If you have any census references perhaps you could post them up so we can have a look.
Margaret

[margaretmarch]

Here's the 1851 for the James and Ann you have found in the tree on Ancestry HO107; Piece: 1735; Folio: ; Page: 5; GSU roll: 87690.
Margaret

[Nodrogw]

Thanks for replying. I cannot find anything for 1941 which would tie in the Robert French from my family tree to the one I have some information about. I have a marriage certificate for Robert French, when he married my great grandmother in Birmingham in 1873. It shows his father as James french a labourer. One of the witnesses was Fanny French, who could be his sister, and who could be Frances from the parents James and Ann. I have looked up birth certificates for Robert French, and the only one I can find for 1840 is from Brackley register office Vol 15 page 223 Jan/Feb/Mar quarter. I think I may have to send for this certificate to see if I can tie it in with any other information I have. I wish I could also find out what Robert's first wife's name was, because I may then be able to look up other family trees. Anyway thanks for your interest.
Regards
Gordon

[Nodrogw]

Hi again. As I said earlier, my great grandfather, Robert French was a widower at the time of his marriage to Sarah Ann Taylor in Birmingham in 1873. I have now discovered a marriage between Robert French and Narmi (I think this should be Naomi) Marsh. Naomi was born in Thrapston in about 1845. She married Robert French in Thrapston in 1865, and she died in Thrapston in 1866. I cannot find anything for her in the 1851 or 1861 Census. Anyone any ideas please.