why no birth records

[waltonp]

Hi All I have a mystery family, I have them on the 1841,1851 and 1861 census from then on they have disappeared.
I have now put the dissappearance down to the fact that the father stephen john Sewell was made bankrupt in 1863 so I presume they then changed their name.
The problem is I cannot find any of the childrens births listed anywhere.
The children are:-
Mary       - 1836 - clerkenwell
caroline  - 1838 - clerkenwell
stephen or John - 1840 -islington
elizabeth -1843 -  islington
Martha - 1845 - islington (my 2X GGM)
Emily  - 1851 - islington
and on the 1861 census are these :-
Mathew - 1844 - islington
Charles - 1854 - islington
Frederick - 1856 - islington
I have searched high and low and cannot find a single birth record that fits date and location wise
I am now beginning to think that they never registered any birth for whatever reason!


any ideas anyone!

Peter

[stanmapstone]

The first Statistician of the GRO  Dr. William Farr (1807–1883) estimated a 5% non-registration rate for births 1837-76, declining from  6.9% in 1841-50 to 1.8% in 1861-70. I assume he had good access to the statistics on which he based these figures.
See  http://www.rootschat.com/links/092n/   

Stan

[nigelp]

There are baptisms of at least some of the children. For example, Martha (your 2X GGM) was born on 23 Jul 1844 and baptised at St Mary, Islington on 25 Aug 1844. Parents named as John (oilman) and Mary Sewell of Stud Street.

The child you identify as Stephen or John was Stephen John Sewell - born 24 Oct 1839 and baptised at St Mary, Islington on 10 Nov 1839. The baptism record names his parents as Stephen John (oilman) and Mary Sewell of Stud Street. 

Nigel

[waltonp]

thanks for the Nigelp as thats the street they were in on the 1841 census.
Still no help in getting her mother maiden name etc as this is usually given on a birth certificate but not on baptism.

Peter

[nigelp]

thanks for the Nigelp as thats the street they were in on the 1841 census.
Still no help in getting her mother maiden name etc as this is usually given on a birth certificate but not on baptism.

Peter

Stephen John Sewell (bachelor) married Mary Morris (spinster) at St Pancras Parish Chapel on 3 Jul 1836. By banns. Witnesses - Edward Smith and Isabella Keene.

Nigel

[waltonp]

I thank you for that, it answers another of my problem questions

Peter

[nigelp]

For the reasons given by Stan the eldest children do not appear to have had their births registered although they were baptised. The youngest children did, however, have their births registered:

Charles Henry SEWELL - 1b 210 Islington Jun 1853 qtr
Frederick William SEWELL - 1b 245 Islington Dec 1855 qtr

Nigel

[Galium]

Elizabeth Sewell aged 28 born in Islington shows up in 1871 in Linslade, Buckinghamshire.  She is employed as a barmaid at the Elephant and Castle.

On 31 January 1874, Elizabeth Sewell aged 30, daughter of Stephen John Sewell married Charles John Morgan at Linslade. Charles John Morgan, hotel keeper was her employer in 1871. The marriage is in England Marriages 1538-1973 on the familysearch site.

[Galium]

Marriage at St Paul, Canonbury, Islington

24 July 1864
Martha Sewell spinster d/o Stephen John Sewell provision merchant
Edwin Murray bachelor , watchmaker s/o Frederick Murray, watchmaker

both of 13 Twyford Street

witnesses: Caroline Sewell
                   William  Payne