RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Europe => Topic started by: ukfreddybear on Wednesday 11 August 10 03:12 BST (UK)
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Hello, I live in Southampton in the UK, and have traced my paternal line back to the early 1800's. My G-G-G-Grandfather Francis Frederick was German. On UK censuses 1851 and 1871 he is listed as being born in Germany, but in the 1861 census he specifies Frankfurt.
However, in the 1881 and 1891 census he is listed as a Naturalised British Subject from Nassau, Germany, but I do not know if this means the town or the Duchy/State.
I obtained his marriage certificate from November 9th 1846, when he married a widow by the name of Jane Traynor in Plymouth, England in a church of England. On the wedding certificate, he is listed as being a Mariner, and his father Joseph Frederick is also listed as a Mariner. It would appear however that Francis never sailed again once he reached England. Francis was born around 1820/21.
In the 1851 UK census he was listed as a cigar manufacturer in Bristol.
In 1852 the couple moved to the new bustling port of Southampton, where he became a docks labourer, and our family has been here ever since.
Francis died here in 1891. Other than that I do not know anything more about my German side.
I have tried searching the NA online catalogue for signs of his Naturalization but have had little success. The German spelling of the surname would be Friedrich I believe but that doesn't really throw anything up either.
His surname Frederick also evolved and grew an 's' on the end to become Fredericks over the course of his lifetime which also helps to confuse matters.
When ships came over from Europe I know the passengers were recorded as aliens, but what about the crew?
I would like to find out more about why he came over to England, whether it was planned to escape the political unrest in Germany at that time, or if he just decided to stay during one of his voyages after meeting a girl, although I may never know that for sure. At this stage I'd settle for a confirmed place and date of birth! Then perhaps I could trace what ship he came over on via a crewlist?
When I googled Nassau and Frankfurt I got this url, but as I don't understand German I don't know how helpful it could be.
http://www.genealogy.net/vereine/fgnff/
Any assistance or tips would be most welcome.
Dave Fredericks