Birmingham, or maybe Bermingham

[Genie McK]

Dear Henry7,
I've been updating my research on the Birminghams today and I couldn't believe my luck when I came across your posts on this site.
My husband shares the same Birminghams as you in his family tree.  We have a Walter Birmingham born about 1851 in Ireland, who was married to Robina Walker.  Their son Richard Birmingham is my husbands great grandfather.
Id be happy to share what information we have.
I'd love to hear whether you managed to find out more about Walter and Hannah.

Regards
Genie

[Henry7]

Dear Genie -

Delighted to hear from you!  And welcome to Rootschat, which I've found to be a very useful and interesting website.  We seem to be second-cousins x-times removed (or some such thing).

Your husband's great-grandfather, Richard Birmingham, was an older brother of my grandmother, Catherine.  As a boy I used to hear my father talk about his much-liked "Uncle Dick", but I only met him once, at my grandparents' golden wedding celebration in January 1949.  I think he died shortly afterwards.

Sadly I got nowhere trying to trace the origins of his father Walter Robert, who remains a mystery to me.  But I have a few bits & pieces about him which may be new to you and I'll gladly pass on.  The best way to do this will be (initially) by the Rootschat PM system, which you'll be able to use after you post a few (three?) messages on these boards.  (We can exchange email addresses that way, rather than publicly on here - to avoid spam!)

Very best wishes -

Harry (a.k.a. "Henry7")   

[Genie McK]

Hello again, we are so glad to hear back from you.
Richard Birmingham died in May 1949 of stomach cancer, just after Catherine and George's golden wedding celebrations.  Richard had been a witness at their wedding on 2nd Jan 1899.
I don't have a date of marriage for Walter and Robina. I thought Walter's full name was Walter Henry Birmingham - I got this from a transcription of their daughter's (Robina Ellen Birmingham born 3 April 1885 baptised 13 April 1885) birth & baptism record from The British India Office Ecclesiastical Returns.
I have information of the following children for Walter and Robina:-
Walter Robert Birmingham born  1874 India,
Richard Birmingham born 1876 Yorkshire,
Catherine H Birmingham born 1878 India,
Bridget Isabella Birmingham born 1879 India,
John T Birmingham born 1882 India,
Jane Birmingham born 1883 India,
Robina Ellen Birmingham born 1885 India

We have a few bits and pieces on the Birminghams, including at least on photograph of "Uncle Dick" we'd be happy to share.   We'd love to solve a few mysteries around the Birminghams
and look forward to corresponding.

Yours sincerely
Genie

[Henry7]

Thank you Genie, this is fascinating stuff!

There's a mistype in my first Rootschat posting on this thread, back in 2008 - I said that Walter was my great-great-grandfather but (of course!) he was my great-grandfather.

In 1950 I quizzed my grandma about her family, which I'm very glad I did, for she died in 1955.  Her version of her brothers & sisters was slightly different from your list, but I suppose that's to be expected in this family-tree research.  I have one photo of her father, Walter (head & shoulders, c1880 in uniform) and two of Richard - one pre-WW1 sitting in a photographer's studio "motor car" with his brother Jack and their wives, and one in a group photo at the golden wedding dinner in January 1949.  If you haven't already got them I'll scan and send them after we get the PM system set up and can use our email addresses. 

Also I have several photos of Jack (1882-1917), Walter (1874-1950) and Robina Ellen (1885-1904). 

I hadn't heard Walter's middle name given as Henry before; I can only suppose he might have had two middle names.

But there's such a lot to discuss, and I'm sure we'll sort out some of the problems, eventually!

All the best -

Harry.         

[Genie McK]

Hi Henry, just been looking through our photograph collection.  We have a few of Richard (Dick) Birmingham and his wife Margaret Christie.  There are a few people in some of the photos we haven't been able to identify - so here is hoping that you can help  when we get to sharing the photos.  We'd also love to know if you have any information about Richard and Margaret's daughter Jeanie Weir Birmingham.  Looking forward to getting the PM set up.

Genie