Immigrants in london

[scarlettkate]

Does anyone know the best way to tackle tracing information about people who have emigrated to London. I have two people in my tree who seem to have settled in London - one from Canada and one from Germany.

Bertrand John Watson is my great grandfather, and is shown on the 1891 census as living in Tottenham with his wife Sarah Emily (nee Westlake) and children Leonard, Jessie and Edith. He is listed as having been born in Canada. He married Sarah in 1882 in Lambeth but does not show up in the 1881 census, so must have emigrated during this year. Is there any way I can trace this, because I do not know where abouts in Canada he has come from?

Also, on another side of my tree, I have a Peter Buch, born in Germany, and living in 1861 in St Giles Cripplegate with wife Jane Lucy (nee Carr) and children Mary, Louisa, Annie Maria and Jane. Similarly, although he married Jane Lucy in 1852 in St John's Church Islington, he does not show up in the 1851 census, so may have emigrated to london during this year.

Can anyone point me in the right direction??

Thanks

Kate

[bekahsgran]

Hi
What year was Bertrand Watson born?
also a birth year for Peter Buch?
Anne

[scarlettkate]

Bertrand was born in abt 1858, and Peter Buch in abt 1822.

[jorose]

Does Peter Buch mention in the censuses anything about his nationality?  There might be something like 'German Subject', 'British Subject' or 'Naturalised British Subject' on there.

[scarlettkate]

On both the 1861 and 1871 censuses it states that he was 'born in Germany'. In the 1861 census he is shown living with his family and two servants Herman Frank, 18, and Peter Fox, 22 - both also born in Germany. To see these please follow RG9/213/99/30 for 1961 and RG10/419/28/49 for 1971.

I cannot find him after 1971, and I cannot find a death record for him between 1971 and 81. I do know though, that his wife Jane Lucy Buch died in 1876 in London City.

[scarlettkate]

Please read 1861 and 1871 for my dumb-ass mistakes above!!

[jorose]

Have you got the marriage certificates?  With Bertrand's father's name and occupation you might be able to spot his family on the 1881 Canadian census.

It appears that Peter probably didn't naturalise, which is unfortunate.  Where was he married? Was it a Church of England marriage or a nonconformist marriage - that would be a hint.  (Also a hint for Bertrand's family - Canadian censuses list religion so knowing that will help you quite a bit.)

[scarlettkate]

His fathers name was Philip and he was a builder. Don't know about the churches yet, will have to check the certficates and get back.
Thanks for the hints tho,

[colinjohn]

...
Also, on another side of my tree, I have a Peter Buch, born in Germany, and living in 1861 in St Giles Cripplegate with wife Jane Lucy (nee Carr) and children Mary, Louisa, Annie Maria and Jane. Similarly, although he married Jane Lucy in 1852 in St John's Church Islington, he does not show up in the 1851 census, so may have emigrated to london during this year. ...

Have you tried the naturalisation records at TNA? They have all been indexed - even those applications that were turned down. Just enter the surname in the TNA catalogue search engine: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/default.asp?j=1

Immigration from Europe is very poorly recorded - or at least survival of records is poor, depending on the date. You will find a summary of the situation here: http://www.anglo-italianfhs.org.uk/docs/uk_records.html#intro, click on the Immigration records in the UK link.

Good luck

Colin