Bermuda Birth - Hamilton (Robert Franklin ?)

[theldb]

Hello Everyone,

I'm based in the UK and have been searching for information about one of my ancestors for a long time. His name was Robert Franklin Wainwright.

He is shrouded a little in mystery and therefore information on him is limited this end (though I do have a picture of him), but the story was that he used to drive a Four-in-Hand (which I believe is some kind of horse and cart) for a Doctor.

One night there was an accident and someone was run over (I believe a child). Fearing he had killed the person, he stowed away on a ship which eventually ended up in the UK. On arrival he changed his surname from Wainwright to Jones (as he settled in Wales), where he lived until he died in 1943.

I have him on records in the U.K from at least 1901 onwards as being born at some point around 1876, in Hamilton, Bermuda. From stories passed down I believe this is Hamilton the capital, not Hamilton the parish however this could be inaccurate.

I do know however that his name was supposedly Robert Franklin Wainwright, which he later changed to Robert Franklin Jones on arrival to Wales. I should also mention that he was Black, as I’ve been lead to believe that this makes a difference as to if and where he will appear.
His marriage certificate states that his father was also called Robert Jones and that he was a Stone Cutter (the occupation I have no reason to doubt at least). In addition he called his only child Jessie. As this name doesn’t appear anywhere in his wife’s family I believe it may be relevant maybe to his own mother or father, however this is purely speculation. He does not appear on any incoming passenger manifests that I have found in the UK.
 
I would be extremely grateful for any help or advice anyone can offer. I did contact the Library in Bermuda but the lady there said that she couldnt find anything. I have NO idea where to even begin with Bermudan records, or what is out there so literally anything will be a bonus.

Thank you in advance for your time

[fairyoevil]

Do you happen to have a approx. birth date for him. I have an index of Bermuda Records from about 1826 - about 1920. I am willing to check for you but a date would help to narrow it down

[fairyoevil]

I checked thru Hallet's 19th Century Church Registers of Bermuda and did not find any entries for a Robert Wainwright. There were alot of Wainwrights on the island and a few were even masons but none seem to have matching names. I did check the whole island, not just Hamilton. I would suggest you also post on ancestry.com's message board. They have quite a few Bermudians who post there and the story may be familiar to one of them. I'm sorry I could not be of more use. If you know any other names he might have used, I would be happy to check for them.  I did find a birth record for Artemisia Gwendoline Wainwright born in 1885 to a Robert Henry Wainwright and wife Martha in Hamilton Parish, and there is a small break in the Hamilton records from 1877- 1881. It is possible that he may have been born in the intervening years.  Sadly that is the only possiblity I could find. I did not even find any records fro Robert and Martha's marriage or deaths. 

[theldb]

Thanks for the reply Fairyoevil, much appreciated after all this time.

As said in the post the names I've gone on are:

Robert Franklin Wainwright (as told by living relatives)
Robert Franklin Jones (as appears on Welsh Records)
and
Robert Franklin (an outside chance if Wainwright was his occupation not his name and there had been some confusion).

I know from his marriage and death that his birth points to a date in 1876, however the day and month have never been found.

The only clues I have to his time in Bermuda is the census, stating his birth to be in the town of Hamilton, not that parish. His marriage stating his father's name as Robert with the Stone Cutter profession and the fact that he called his only child Jessie, a name which appears nowhere else in his wife's family and may have a connection to him.

Any further help/advice would be appreciated as this is a mystery that interests a lot of people yet sadly I know least about

[fairyoevil]

There is an Old Bermuda group on Facebook you could try. One lady in particular, Oda Mallory seems very well informed on older actions on the island. The people on there have an amazing amount of information on life in Bermuda. Someone may have heard the story or know of the family. Good Luck. Sorry I could not be more help.

[theldb]

Thanks for the tip,

Sadly however I think it's one of those mysteries that may never be solved

[Billyblue]

Theldb
I also checked for you, at our FH library.  by
"Index 1784-1914 of BMD in Newspapers, Bermuda"  by C F E Hollis HALLETT
There were 3 male births, both unnamed, for Wainwright c1876. But I don't think they were yours - in fact one wasn't, and the other said father's name was John.  Also, neither said Hamilton, but I don't know the geography in Bermuda so they maybe are near Hamilton? They were

Publ. 2 Feb 1875
John N. Wainwright, birth of a son on Jan 31 at Waterloo Cottage, Pembroke

Publ. 1 Feb 1876
to Willia R S Wainwright, a son on 16 Jan, at Halifax.  However...
Publ.29 Feb 1876 - death of son of Willis R. S Wright's son aged 19 days, on 4 Feb, at Halifax

Also Publ. (forgot to write date) a birth to Willis Riddick Stowe Wainwright, a son on 27 May 1874 at 7 Brenton Place, Spring Gardens, Halifax.

Also searched Hallett's CD of "19th Century records of Bermuda," 2nd ed, both for Franklin and Wainwright - this is probably where fairyoevil looked - and found lots of Wainwright people and some wainwright occupations, but no Robert Franklin.

There is also a book "Early Bermuda wills 1627-1835" compiled by C F E Hollis Hallett, with 3 pages of Wainwright references - wills, executors, witnesses, etc.  but I didn't check any names as I was not sure when there, whether the family had been in Bermuda long enough to have wills there.

Dawn M

[theldb]

Thank you Dawn M,

To be honest I'm starting to become rather sceptical that his name was even Wainwright and am leaning toward the idea that that was his profession, making the surnames Franklin or Jones more likely.

As far as I am aware and given that he was black I would assume that his family went far back in Bermuda, but as for writing a will I couldn't say.

From records here though I think he's definitely from Hamilton the city in Pembroke rather than the Parish. Potentially therefore anywhere in Pembroke could have his birth.