James NELSON - COMPLETED

[dalek39]

Help please....does Ireland have any kind of census around 1841..trying to track James Nelson background...born Belfast .1841..father publican..mother unknown at this stage.

[aghadowey]

First complete census for Ireland is 1901.

[Glamis]

Oh Dear, Thanks  Aghadowey (I'm just helping Dalek39  too- my cousin from the Hankins) Any ideas where to go next to search?

[dalek39]

Thanks Aghadowey....I've just come onboard..... want to establish where abouts in Ireland he came from..and I know his father was also a James Nelson ...fathers occupation was a publican, but I dont know if it was in Ireland or England...thats why I wanted the census..but..there must be other means...have you any suggestions please.

[aghadowey]

If England is a possiblity it might be wise to check the census records there 1st for James the publican.

[dalek39]

aghadowey...I sent details of his birthdate and origin..did you get that...It came across that there was some sort of disconnection with my reply..if you didn't I'll repeat..
He was born Belfast Ireland 1841...he died in Adelaide South Australia 28 Jul.1924..age 83..his profession was Saddler..and is buried with his wife Mary Jane Nelson at West Terrace Cemetery..Adelaide... I received this information from the Adelaide Archives...

[dalek39]

Thanks for that..I will look into English census...

[aghadowey]

Civil registration of births in Ireland started in 1864 so there will be no birth certificate for James Nelson born c1841. The normal procedure is to search for church records of a baptism but even if you did know the family's religion there are numerous possible churches in Belfast (not sure if all of them would have records for that period and baptismal registers for that period sometimes list only minimal details like date of baptism, name of child, names of father so at the moment I don't think church records is a practical option).
One thing you can try is old Belfast directories (see www.proni.gov.uk) as father James might be listed- this is assuming he was the proprietor of a pub rather than merely working in a pub.

[dalek39]

I thank you for that info...will check it out, had a look on the English census 1851....only one there..thats a possibility.. is James snr..accountant..with all the family born in Ireland....James jnr. 10.. The next 1861, James Jnr, is in Australia..think I picked a hard one this time..but who knows.