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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Devon => Topic started by: Lesl1e on Sunday 05 June 11 22:37 BST (UK)

Title: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Sunday 05 June 11 22:37 BST (UK)
My gt. gt. grandfather William Henry Harris was born on 5th May 1833 in Plymouth.

He served in the coastguards in Ireland where he died in 1888.

I believe that his wife might have been called Mary, although I do not know her surname.

As I live in Northern Ireland I am unable to visit any Plymouth churches to ascertain his birth records so
can anyone help with how I could trace his family ?

Leslie 
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 05 June 11 23:10 BST (UK)
Hi Leslie the only baptism I could locate, which may need checking out further is:-

Baptism/Christening William Henry Harris 19th May 1833 Saint Saviour, Dartmouth, Devon. Father William Mother Mary Elizabeth.

In case you are unaware on the 1861 census he was  Master in Command of the Royal Navy Vessel "Hesper" aged 27 Married b Plymouth.

Keyboard86
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Monday 06 June 11 07:06 BST (UK)
Hello keyboard86,

Thank you for your reply.

I think that you have found my William Henry Harris. I believe that many Royal Navy personnel joined the coastguard service.

Do you know how I could obtain a birth certificate for him, or would he have been born before such records were kept ?

Leslie
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: keyboard86 on Monday 06 June 11 07:42 BST (UK)
Hi again Leslie, unfortunatley in 1833 their was no form of certification of births etc. The marriage would be a different matter as it is post 1837 when certification began, the only problem is trying to locate it, as the locations of some of the possibles I found were in locations not associated with a sea faring man! But as he was married by 1861 then we are looking at a marriage
1851 to 1861, I could not locate him prior or after 1861, hopefully someone can spot the likely marriage, and the couple on a census.
Best Regards
Keyboard86
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Monday 06 June 11 08:06 BST (UK)
Hello keyboard86,

My William might have married in Ireland which could explain why you were unable to find him.

His five children appear to have been born in Ireland between 1861 and 1867.

Thanks again.

Regards
Leslie
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: DOB7 on Monday 06 June 11 08:54 BST (UK)
A William Henry HARRIS was baptised at Plymouth St Andrew Church 9 Jun 1834, son of John & Rebecca, of Hoe Street, father was a mariner. You can obtain a copy of the baptism entry and his parents' marriage entry from the Devon FHS - http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/shop/parish_register.php
A John HARRIS married a Rebecca TWIDDY at Plymouth Charles 22 Jan 1832.
Tony Daly of Coastguards of Yesteryear may be able to help you. http://www.coastguardsofyesteryear.org/news.php
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: keyboard86 on Monday 06 June 11 09:05 BST (UK)
Thank you so much for helping Leslie out, that is him I'm sure, and for all the other additional info another big thanks!

Keyboard86
Title: Re: William Henry Harris - Plymouth
Post by: z on Monday 06 June 11 09:34 BST (UK)
Hi

I hope that I am not interrupting but had just found this.

HO107 270 4 Folio 6 Pg 7 - Civil Parish St Andrew - living at Hoe St

William Twiddy 60 - Seaman
Susan Twiddy 55
William Twiddy 1
William Harris 7
All born in county

Regards

Z :)
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Monday 06 June 11 09:42 BST (UK)
Thanks DOB7 and Z.

I shall follow up on John and Rebecca (Twiddy).

Is Twiddy a common Devonshire name ?

Z - what does the reference HO107 270 4 Folio 6 Pg7 mean ?

Regards,

Leslie
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: z on Monday 06 June 11 10:22 BST (UK)
Hi Leslie

The reference I have given you is the census reference number and depending on where you are searching you could use this reference together with the year of 1841 and this should give you the exact transcription information that I have posted - alternatively for a more detailed explanation take a look here:-

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/census-returns.htm

or here

http://www.kent-opc.org/census.html

All the best

Z :)
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Monday 06 June 11 10:26 BST (UK)
Hello Z,

Thank you for your reply.

Regards,

Leslie
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: DOB7 on Monday 06 June 11 11:57 BST (UK)
William TWIDDY married Susanna AVERY at Northam 24 Sep 1804.  Rebecca TWIDDY was baptised at Ilfracombe 21 Sep 1806.
In 1851, William TWIDDY is still alive:

4 Hoe St. Cottages, Plymouth St Andrew HO107/1879 Folio 774 page 20
Thomas CREEK Head Marr 32 Waterman b. PLymouth
Sarah CREEK Wife Marr 34 b. Ilfracombe
William CREEK Son 10 b. Plymouth
WIlliam TWIDDY Grandfather Widower 78 Revenue Pensioner b. Ilfracombe

It's possible that John HARRIS died, because a Rebecca HARRIS married 5 Aug 1838 to a Richard PEARSE at Stoke Damerel Church.
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Monday 06 June 11 18:24 BST (UK)
Thank you DOB7 and others for you information.

I am treading on unchartered waters now as I have no prior knowledge of any Twiddy's, Creek's or Pearse's in
my family history.

I think that the first port of call ought to be to the Devon FHS.

Regards,

Leslie
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: Mick McDermott on Friday 10 January 14 19:47 GMT (UK)
Hi - there was a discovery made on a beach in Galway after the last storms which may be of interest to you::

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=540735796033819&set=pcb.540735936033805&type=1&theater

you might also be interested in this:
http://www.coastguardsofyesteryear.org/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=101
Title: Re: William Henry HARRIS - Plymouth
Post by: Lesl1e on Saturday 11 January 14 08:54 GMT (UK)
Hello Mick,
That is very interesting.  William's wife was Mary Real and his mother was Rebecca Twiddy.
I have no information on the two children, Rebecca and Mary.

Thank you for passing this on.

Regards,
Leslie