Record Office: Does anyone have access to PR's for Manchester?

[Holly]

I've never been able to find a Birth Entry for my Grandfather, William James Wilson, apparantly born in Manchester, Lancs in Approx 1860/61.

I'm guessing that his Birth wasn't registered.

Does anyone on here have access to the Parish Registers for Manchester in 1860/61? And if so, - could they possibly do a Look-up for me please?

Failing that...could anyone advise me where the best place to access Parish Records for Manchester is?

Any help gratefully recieved,

Holly.

[Audrey H]

This is the nearest I could find

Baptisms: 30 Sep 1857 St Mark, Hulme, Lancashire, England
William James Wilson - Son of Joseph Wilson & Ann
Abode: 4, Flora St, City Road, Hulme
Occupation: Stonemason
Notes: B Received into the Church Nov 22nd 1857
Baptised by: A. W. Archer
Register: Baptisms 1847 - 1874, Page 72, Entry 568
Source: LDS Film 2357302

You might find a look around the LOPC site helpful:-

http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/indexp.html

Good luck with it.

[Elaine ..Spain]

There are some parish records for Mancester available on the IGI. Do you have the names of his parents?

[Holly]

Many Thanks for your replies, Audrey H and Elaine.

Unfortunately I have very little info to go on for my late Grandfather, William James Wilson. This is mainly due to the fact that my father, (WJ Wilson's son) died when I was five, and hence I know very little about the family.

The only info that I do have is from his Marriage Cert to my Grandmother, (Margaret Rees) in Swansea in June 1893. On this Cert, William James Wilson gives his own Occupation as 'House Painter', age: 32yrs. He gives his father as 'William Wilson, deceased', Occupation: Mason. I have found him on the 1901 and 1911 Censuses for Wales, living in Swansea with his wife and children, and he gives his place of birth as 'Manchester, Lancs.'

I've never been able to find a Birth Cert that fits with this, - although I have ordered many:-(

Its quite possible that he wasn't registered/made up the details about his father/was older than he says...

I thought that PR's were the only route left to try(!)

Audrey, the Manchester one that you've found does sound promising...its just that the father's name isn't William...

Or am I pinning too much on the Wedding Cert info??

Holly.

[PhotoFamily]

Sorry to ask questions that may be down the wrong track, but:

Sounds like you haven't located his death cert? You don't know when/where he died?

What about your father - do you have his birth and death certificates, and an obituary and/or will for him? If his father(your g'father) were still alive at the time of his death, an obit or will might mention that?

Manchester's a big place, with many parishes. That also makes a search of PRs difficult.

[Holly]

Hi PhotoFamily,

Yes, I have my late Grandfather's Death Cert. He died in a Nursing Home in Hendon, (Redhill House) in December 1937. He was buried in St Andrew's, Kingsbury in Jan 1938. His age on his Death Cert is given as 77yrs.

I also have my late father's Birth, Marriage and Death Certs. He was Evan Douglas Wilson, born Swansea, May 1896, married London 1946, died Wembley, Middx 1957.

There do not seem to be any Obituaries which give any further information. Anyone who might have been able to tell me more is long dead.

That is why I am seriously stuck with this...

Holly.

[Audrey H]

Sorry Holly I hadn't paid sufficient attention to your post - didn't mean to confuse you. Although there can be mistakes on certs. it's the info to go by unless it can be proved otherwise.
I'm hoping to go to LRO soon (they are closing for refurbishment July - Oct) and I'll note your details to see what I can find. As mentioned, there are many parishes.
Looking through Lancs BMD site

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/cgi/marrind.cgi?county=lancashire

I only found one William James Wilson in year range 1857/1862 inclusive, mother's maiden name Nesbit and, cross referenced the marriage turned out to be a Thomas Wilson. There are a number of William Wilsons for Manchester (mostly Salford area). You might like to "play around" the site Holly to see what you think yourself.

Audrey

[Holly]

Many Thanks Audrey H,

Yes, I've had a look around on the LancsBMD Site and found the William James Wilson that you mention. The Nesbit's seem to have come over from Ireland. It's the father being Thomas Wilson that deflected me from following that one further...

Working on the assumption that my Grandfather was just 'William Wilson' and added the James at a later stage, - I did order a lot of Birth Certs for 'William Wilsons'...but none of them seemed to fit:-(

Several years back, a researcher told me that most of the Wilsons in Manchester had come there via Liverpool via Ireland...but I don't know how accurate this observation is.

This is terribly frustrating...I would so much like to find him!!

Holly.