RootsChat.Com

General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 08:23 BST (UK)

Title: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 08:23 BST (UK)
Yesterday I had amazing help on RootsChat to find the records of Esther Hunt, later Wilbore, later Watkin. (Post here:  https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=871749.0 )

It seems a rather surprising life story for working class people of the time, because a son, John Watkin, was born in France in about 1844. I wonder if there is any record of this British overseas birth. I am assuming that he was the son of Esther “Watkin” and Thomas Watkin, because when Esther Wilbor eventually married Thomas Watkin, in Leicester in 1872 (after over 20 years living together), Thomas was a bachelor.

(John Watkin was in Creswell, Elmton, near Worksop, in 1871, a blacksmith.)
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 03 April 23 11:14 BST (UK)
In the 1881 census his birthplace is Sutton on Trent.  Does he appear in any other censuses?
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 11:19 BST (UK)
In the 1881 census his birthplace is Sutton on Trent.  Does he appear in any other censuses?

1851 (transcript only, in the linked post) and in 1871, Creswell, Elmton, near Worksop (below).
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 03 April 23 11:52 BST (UK)
Possibly in 1861 in Normanton, household of George Templeman, blacksmith:

John Wadkin, 17, apprentice, born Sutton, Notts.
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: manukarik on Monday 03 April 23 12:04 BST (UK)
Could this be John - registered with French spelling, Jean? Born in Barentin, Seine-Maritime, France on 20 March 1844. Mother's maiden name, Wilbour.

https://www.archivesdepartementales76.net/ark:/50278/19780039261c962a9da326d17da739eb/dao/0/29 (https://www.archivesdepartementales76.net/ark:/50278/19780039261c962a9da326d17da739eb/dao/0/29)

Entry 53 at bottom right of page.
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 03 April 23 12:18 BST (UK)
Well found, Manukarik!

Parents Thomas Watkin, a day labourer, and his wife Esther Wilbour; married in "Lester" in England, 8 March 1840, if I'm reading it right.
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 12:19 BST (UK)
Possibly in 1861 in Normanton, household of George Templeman, blacksmith:

John Wadkin, 17, apprentice, born Sutton, Notts.


Thanks Shaun, I’ll follow this up.

Dave  :)
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 12:24 BST (UK)
Could this be John - registered with French spelling, Jean? Born in Barentin, Seine-Maritime, France on 20 March 1844. Mother's maiden name, Wilbour.

https://www.archivesdepartementales76.net/ark:/50278/19780039261c962a9da326d17da739eb /dao/0/29 (https://www.archivesdepartementales76.net/ark:/50278/19780039261c962a9da326d17da739eb/dao/0/29)

Entry 53 at bottom right of page.

Thanks, yes definitely the right one and interesting to see that she was Wilbour in the record. Unfortunately I don’t know why they were in France. Thomas Watkin was a railway labourer in England. I wonder if he was working rather than a tourist.

Dave  :)
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 12:28 BST (UK)
Yes, it says she married 8 March 1840, but it was actually 24 March 1837. Maybe she’d forgotten the date.

Dave
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Monday 03 April 23 12:35 BST (UK)
One possible explanation for their presence in Barentin could well be the building of the Barentin Viaduct, begun in 1844, built by British contractors, begun in 1844.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barentin_Viaduct
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: klewis on Tuesday 04 April 23 08:56 BST (UK)
One possible explanation for their presence in Barentin could well be the building of the Barentin Viaduct, begun in 1844, built by British contractors, begun in 1844.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barentin_Viaduct

There's a bit more information about British workers on the French railways in the 1840s here:

http://playandlearn.free.fr/article/2013/20130100railwaysDaniel/workersDaniel.html

My 3ggreat-uncle James Turner was one of them.

Kathryn
Title: Re: Is it possible to trace this British birth in France, c. 1844?
Post by: Davedrave on Tuesday 04 April 23 09:12 BST (UK)
Thanks Kathryn, this is interesting.

Dave  :)