Philpott/Born in boat in New York

[carol59]

My husbands gt gt grandmother Norah Philpott was reportedly born in a boat in New York Harbour in 1853, the story is that the family were hoping to emigrate to the USA.  Apparently her family's papers were not in order so they had to return to England, Kent we think.  Norah eventually settled in Ramsgate Kent but was in London as a young single woman.  Her census records all state that she was born in New York.  Her fathers' name was George (obtained from Norah's marriage certificate).  i would appreciate any advice on whether it would be possible to obtain a birth record for her and how to set about it.
Thanks Carol

[jorose]

I looked in the Marine birth indexes and no sight (it is quite possible that if the family story was true there would be no birth certificate in NY, either; the only trace might be a baptism once they returned to England) There is a George and Jane Philpot arrived in 1853 into Castle Garden, but they and their family seem to have stayed in Ohio.

Given where she was in 1871 (the Lock Hospital/Asylum), and the fact that she appears to have had an illegitimate daughter (the same as the Norah Maria in St. Saviour in 1873?) before marrying rather late in life (to "Thomas James D. Tapley" = the James Tapley they lived with in 1881?), it's hard to know how accurate the information she gave in later censuses/her marriage certificate was.

Do you know the address where her daughter was born (family?) and the witnesses etc, George's occupation, and so on from the marriage certificate? You might be able to do something with those. You also might find Norah in the London workhouse records, either before 1871 or around the time of her daughter's birth, or both (especially if her daughter was born in the infirmary).

[carol59]

I wondered if i might be on a bit of a wild goose chase hoping for a birth registration record.  on the marriage cert it just says father George labourer, the family story is that George ran a bakery at Addington St Ramsgate and sold it to go to America but when the family had to return he committed suicide all this needs to be verified at some point.  Norah's daughter Maria was indeed born in the workhouse do you know of any workhouse records on line?  otherwise i will try and visit the archives.  there are 2 witnesses at Norah's wedding to James Tapley so that angle might be worth pursuing.  Many thanks for checking the indexes for me, i appreciate your advice and will try and follow a few things up that you suggest.

[jorose]

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?StSaviour/StSaviour.shtml
 - if she was b. in the St. Saviour workhouse the records are in the LMA.
You should check first if these are part of the records that have been uploaded to Ancestry.

At Addington St. Ramsgate in 1841 there are:
HO 107/469 6/8 9
Ann Philpott, 40
Eliza, 15
Matilda, 13
George, 9
Ellen, 8
Sarah Clough, 26
Ellen, 4

[coombs]

Have you tried looking for Norah's baptism or birth in the UK in case she was actually born here?

[carol59]

i have searched bmd indexes and baptismal indexes on line with no luck i am afraid.  Will see if the philpotts on addington rd angle leads anywhere, i am open to any suggestions at all.

Thanks for all the help i have received so far.
Carol

[coombs]

She may well have been born in New York then.