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[maggib]

Hi
I'm visiting Birmingham soon and I don't have much time so I need to locate the most useful place for my family history search.
The Davis/Davies family I'm tracing had a John born in Birmingham 1872 and I know he joined the army in 1890 and I have his records. He says he is C of E religion. He also cites a brother William who libes in Chapel Street, Swan Village, West Bromwich around. 1889/90 So I'm guessing I'll need parish records, electoral/voters lists, maybe schools or orphanages too.
Is there anything else I could usefully look at and could you tell me the best places to go. I tried emailing the archive service but it was returned.
Thanks
Maggib

[CaroleW]

Do you know his parents names?  Have you checked the 1881 census which is free at

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp

[maggib]

Thanks for replying.
No, I have no idea who his parents were. I'm hoping to discover this.
I have checked the 1881 census because he would be about 9.
I found a John Davies as a nephew living in Cardiganshire.
John and a William living at 52, Duke Street but only a question mark for the town in the Staffordshire census transcript.
One aged 8 at Aston.
Then I went to 1891 on the offchance he may have been at home while waiting to go to the army. I found one aged 19 a grandson from Birmingham living at 14 Stanworth Street and the last one aged8  living at 4 Clifton Terrace but no William. Nothing is easy!

[jim1]

You would need to know which Parish he was born in,there were a large number by 1890 & Davis/Davies is a very common name.
The Electoral Rolls only list men of a certain class as ordinary men didn't get the vote until 1912.
The Central Library is were all of the records are kept but this is in the process of being moved so the resources are limited at present.
I take it he cites William as his next of kin meaning he's unmarried & parents deceased.
How do you know you have the right person?
jim

[maggib]

Thanks Jim,
I think it's the right man because my husband had medals from the Boer War and several other wars  with his name on the edge. I then went to Kew and retrieved his records from which I have the information as to his brother, date of birth and birth place.
I also decided that his parents must be dead and William, either his eldest sibling, or only sibling.
Can you advise me of what to do next please?
Getting desperate
Maggi

[jim1]

Did he marry?
What was his Regt?
jim

[maggib]

Hi Jim,
He was in the Somereset Light Infantry. He joined 9th Feb 1890 at Taunton. He was discharged in 1903.
As for his marriage....wll another can of worms!! I have found a John Davies [with an e]  [ born Birmingham ]married to a Margaret with a child called Donald on the 1911 census . He is living in Manchester at Sanitary St. However the ages of both him and his wife are wrong. Now I know that the John Davies, whose death notice I've read and whose grave deed I have, died at Sanitary St. in 1923 aged 51 which fits with his age on the army record but on the census he is 31 [maybe 36 , because there's a crease on the page ] I also know that his 'wife' was called Margaret and she died in 1955 aged 69. AND there's another problem!! He isn't listed on the birth certiicate of Donald who was my husbands father. Do you still want to help??? !

[jim1]

OK. on the 1911 census it definitely looks like age 36.They only appear to be a couple of years out which is pretty good for the census.
Is Donald listed as Davies on the birth cert & what's his mothers maiden name.?

jim

[Bojalu]

Hi

Birmingham Archives are closed Monday and Tuesdays due to forthcoming relocation.

Bo