Portsmouth/ Portsea 1800+ CHENEY

[Fire Fox]

Hi

First post, so apologies if I am not using correct protocol. This is a hunt for the branch of our family tree we began working on 25 years ago when I was just 11 years old!

I am searching for baptisms of the children of Thomas CHAINEY/ CHINEY/ CHENEY of the Berkshire Militia and his wife Elizabeth (nee HATSWELL) from Tiverton, Devon. The couple married in 1800 and their first child was baptised the same day; we know from a letter written by Elizabeth that they had four more children surviving by 1816. We have not located the baptisms of any later child in Devon nor in Thomas' Berkshire parish (Abingdon).

I have found the following two references and wonder if they might be 'ours', as the Berkshire Militia were posted all along the south coast. I wonder if someone would be kind enough to them look up in case there is any additional information? Any other bundles of joy would also be gratefully received!

Baptised at St. Thomas Portsmouth, 13 May 1807 James s/o Thomas & Elizabeth Cheney

Buried at St. Mary Portsea, 8 November 1814 Henry Cheney, Portsea Barracks, age 12 months

[gortonboy]

HI,,FOUND A RECORD ON FAMILYSEARCH.ORG OF A CHRISTENING OF A JAMES CHENEY ON THE 13 OCT 1811 AT SHINFIELD,BERKSHIRE.  FATHER THOMAS-MOTHER ELIZABETH.

[Fire Fox]

Thanks for your reply!

According to a letter written by Elizabeth CHINEY in 1816 to the overseer of Abingdon parish, her children were Elizabeth age 16 (c. 1800, Tiverton), twin boys age 10 and born in April (we think named William and Thomas), James age 8 and born in May, and another boy "in his third year" (not sure if this means age 2 or 3). I think she must have lost another child at least, as Thomas would have been home when the militia disembodied in 1802 until they re-embodied in 1803.

I don't think the James you mention is 'ours' as I can't see why they would wait several years to have him baptised in Berkshire, but not in the family's parish of settlement - Abingdon in North Berks. as far as I know they have no connection to Shinfield/ Reading and there are certainly other CHENEY/ CHEYNEYs in that area.

The age of the James baptised in Portsmouth is about right, and there are no other CHENEY/ CHAINEYs on the IGI in this area at this time. I hope someone will have easy access to the transcripts for Portsmouth and Portsea and find some conclusive evidence in the parish registers to connect or disprove the link!

[Little Nell]

Welcome to RootsChat. 

I can't immediately see any other candidates for children of this couple and I cannot enlighten you as to whether he was a Militia man. 

I've looked for Henry's baptism to see who he belonged to but not found him yet.

Nell

[Fire Fox]

Thanks for both the welcome and for your time! So there is no other information for James' baptism in the PRs other than what is on the IGI?

Even finding out there are no other obvious CHENEY children in Portsmouth/ Portsea is helpful. This makes it slightly more likely to be our James, and worth us keep looking for other baptisms at places Thomas CHAINEY might have been stationed at, and Elizabeth was able to travel to.

The ages of the children we do know about from her letters tie in with times Thomas would have been on the south coast. The large gap between James and the last unnamed boy fits with the Berkshire Militia going to Ireland and the East and North of England.

[Little Nell]

There may be some more in the original register, but I was looking as a transcript.  However, knowing this register, it is unlikely that there is anything extra.  1807 pre-dates the introduction of the pre-printed registers and it does just read like a long list of names and dates.

Nell

[Fire Fox]

I found another that I missed the first time - must not read transcriptions at silly o-clock!!
Buried at St. Mary Portsea, January 26 1813 Mary CHANEY, Portsea Barracks, age 4 years.

Two children (Henry and Mary) of the same surname a year and a half apart, and the many other barracks children in the Portsea registers, makes me think that wives were living in the barracks with the militia men. I had thought Elizabeth would have remained in Devon, visiting and receiving visits from Thomas when he was stationed near enough to travel.

[Little Nell]

I still can't find a baptism for either Henry or Mary in Hampshire    Sorry. 

The transcriptions you have found are as much information as you are going to get for the burials.

Nell

[Fire Fox]

Thanks very much for looking. If they are all 'ours' then the family looks like this:

1799 Elizabeth (bap. 1800)
April 1806 Thomas & William
May 1807 James
1808 Mary (d. Jan 1813)
End 1813 Henry (d. Dec 1814)
1814 Male

I've tried to work backwards to conception (!) and each fit in with when we think Thomas CHAINEY was posted on the south coast, going by the book on the history of the Berkshire Militia. I am thinking it's worthwhile employing professionals in each county for an hour or so to see we can root out any child baptised in barracks towns.