Baptisms, Weymouth - HOLLAND

[Nicola Norton]

Trying to find any baptism/christening record of my relative - Francis Holland born in Weymouth c1811. He was a ship rigger and moved to London to marry and live. I am stuck and can't find any record of his family on the dorset websites. Any information would be great!

Thanks

[Paco]

Hi,

Couldn't find Francis Holland on the Dorsetopc, but there is a John Holland, possibly a brother baptised in Weymouth 18th January 1807. Parents George and Jane Holland.
regards.

[Richard Knott]

In 1871 Francis is calling himself a stevedore.

28 Feb 1876
Francis Holland, widower, stevedore, son of John Holland, dec'd m Eleanor Davis

27 May 1878
Francis Holland, wid., stevedore, son of John Holland, stonemason, m Sarah Ellen Childs

I think his bad luck is your good fortune. I can give you more details if you want., although it may be difficult tracing John: Weymouth is full of stonemasons with Portland nearby.

Richard

[Richard Knott]

I haven't been able to find a Francis Holland baptised in Weymouth, but the following may be linked.

Francis' eldest daughter was called Eliza Rebecca Holland (she married in 1859). The Eliza was after her mother, but the Rebecca may have been after Francis' mother, making his parents John and Rebecca.

A John and Rebecca Holland are recorded as having several children in Wyke Regis, which is only a mile or so from Weymouth. John dies there in 1821 aged 68, and Rebecca in 1844 aged 76 (she is in the 1841 census with her son John).

The baptismal records have some of their children:
John (1799), William (1806) and Priscilla (1815). James, who dies in 1819 aged 11 may also be theirs, but there is clearly space for several more who have not been found. In 1815 John was described as a labourer rather than stonemason.

A Mary Holland marries Thomas Bussell in 1825 and Rebecca is mentioned in the banns (which fits as John has died by then) so she is another daughter; later censuses suggest she was born in about 1800. (Another Rebecca, bc1804, marries James Bussell in 1826 but there is no other evidence that she is connected).

Even if all of these are theirs (1799, c1800, 1804, 1806, 1808, 1815) there is still a gap around 1811 when Francis was born.

Nothing proved of course...

Richard

[Richard Knott]

One more small piece of evidence:

John Holland married Rebecca Bussell in 1790 Wyke Regis (John is described as of Portland where most of the men are connected with the stone trade)

Francis and Rebecca Bussell were baptised on 2 Apr 1770 s/d of William and Mary Bussell in Wyke Regis.

Rebecca may well have called a son after her (twin?) brother.

Richard

[Richard Knott]

There are four public trees on ancestry.co that mention Francis (Benjamin) Holland. One thinks much the same as I do above; the other three each have Francis' parents as John Holland and Elizabeth Reed. They may all come from the same source (two copied the tree from the third) and may be wrong; but I don't know where they get the information.

Richard

[Nicola Norton]

Richard,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I have only just read your messages today and have been amazed at the information you have unearthed!

I just renewed my ancestry.co.uk membership and have upgraded to Parish records so have only just been able to see the Marriage and Banns sections.

I too had seen the Dorset OPC site and I had John Holland and Rebecca Bussell tentatively as his parents on my ancestry tree. I agree with you that this "seems" correct, although I now have to set about proving that!

Isn't it strange that he was widowed for most of his life and lived with his wife's sister for all of these years. Then in his 60s he decides to get married again - twice!! I think maybe he was either waiting for his sister-in-law to pass or his children to be off his hands, or maybe he had a relationship with his sister-in-law? Who knows!

Thanks again for the info - another big piece of the puzzle added,

Nicola

[leeholland27]

Glad I found this. Francis Holland is my grandfathers great grandfather I think. Also to let you know, Francis son Francis, my grandfathers grandad committed suicide by wrapping himself up and sailcloth and throwing himself oer the side in the Thames. suicide or murder we know not....... all of my family on the male side worked on the limehouse cut and docklands running goods along the canal system and were canal managers, engineers,stevedores and labourer's. this site is really interesting along with ancestry.com. Any updates on john Holland? would like to go back further.
Thanks
Lee Holland

[Nicola Norton]

Lee,

glad you found the Holland line! I did hear a rumour that Francis Benjamin Jnr died in a suspicious manner. Do you have a newspaper clipping or death certificate?

My line is from George Alfred Holland - Francis Benjamin's son. How are you connected?

I do have a private tree on ancestry that I am willing to share with you. You can send me an email - *

Nicola

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