Burden family St. George in the East

[heathgirl]

I am confused as now that I view the actual page I do see Martha Burden with James Wooldridge born 1816 (age 25) baker, same page, in 1841, but also there is a different page 1841 with Elizabeth and James Wooldridge (age 29) baker, and their two children. Martha is on Charles square, and Elizabeth and James Wooldridge at Gloucester st.

[heathgirl]

Sorry, I think it was Broad street for the latter James.

[heathgirl]

A further piece of information that may relate to William Burden: I did find a baptism to Thomas and Martha Burden 12 Sept 1796 at St. Anne Limehouse. I do not know if these were his parents, the father was a caulker.
However Limehouse was the site of some Ship Biscuit Works and bakers for this cause. I learned this today - perhaps making it a little more likely.

[Valda]

Hi

William Burden junior, no evidence on his marriages he had a middle name, married first 3rd February 1850 St Mark's Goodman Fields, Maria Elizabeth Allen.
He married secondly 20th August 1854 St James the Great Bethnal Green to Sarah Thwaites. Both wives were spinsters on their marriages. On both marriages William junior was a blacksmith and William senior was a biscuit baker on the first marriage and just recorded as deceased on the second.

William junior was baptised St George in the East 28th November 1819 born 3rd August, parents William and Martha, Jones'? Rents, father's occupation biscuit maker.

There is no evidence William senior was alive at the time of any of his children's marriages. Once civil registration started 1st July 1837 there was no question on the certificate that requested information on whether a father was living or deceased just his name and occupation. Some officials included this additional information but many did not as it wasn't a requirement. In 1854 the information was included on William junior's second marriage but by then his father could have been dead for many years.

The 1841 census usually rounded down adult ages, those over 15, to the nearest 5, so if accurate the age of the Martha Burden found living in the parish of St George in the East in 1841 would be anywhere between 40 and 44, giving a birth possibility as early as circa 1796/7. Martha is with William Wooldridge aged 25 a baker on this census, not James. Enumeration was supposed to be where you were census night and bakers who were night workers could be enumerated at their place of work so the lack of a William Burden does not mean necessarily he was dead by 1841.

A William Robert Wooldridge of 17 Charles Square, a biscuit baker, married at St George in the East 13th June 1841, father James a biscuit baker. There is a marriage of a James Wooldridge and a Mary Great in 1808 at St George in the East. Robert William Wooldridge was baptised in the same parish in 1818 with the same parents, father's occupation biscuit baker.


There is an earlier baptism in the St George in the East registers
11th October 1812 born 18th September
Martha Sarah Burden parents William and Martha, Silver Street, father's occupation baker



Regards

Valda

[heathgirl]

Thank you Valda for such a complete answer and for clearing up my question about that late baptism of their son. I was aware of the first birth you mention but thought Martha was too young, now I realize she is quite possibly their daughter. no doubt there were other children who died before baptism.
I did make a mistake about the first name of Wooldridge with Martha and i am still surprised I didn't see him initially. It has occurred to me that Martha might have been a relation of the Wooldridges herself. It goes to show a new set of eyes can make all the difference. The death cert of Martha Burden may at least tell me if she was a widow, which I think may have been the case many years. I have not found their marriage though. Thanks to everyone who has replied. Janice

[heathgirl]

I am still looking for the 1861 census for relatives and wonder if the records for Old Gravel Lane St. George in the East are simply missing. Based on earlier and later censuses I would expect to find William Burden, born 1819, Martha Burden born 1796-1800, Elizabeth Wooldridge (nee Burden and William Burden's sister) born 1817, and her family, and possibly William Burden's son William Michael Burden, born 1850, all at St. George in the East. The other explanation is that there was some trouble in the family and they have changed location, possibly Kent, or Cornwall temporarily. William Burden born 1850 is working as a footman in Cornwall in 1871, while The Burdens and Wooldridges are back at Old Gravel Lane by then. Anyone know if this might be a case of a missing census. I have also been trying to check Old Bailey online records for Wooldridge and Burden in the 1860's but can't get through to the search point so a link might be helpful.

[keyboard86]

Hi again, their are known problems in 1861 in areas of London of "Missing pages" I can only assume your family are amongst the lost pages or badly transcribed?

Keyboard86

[Valda]

Hi

A part of Old Gravel Lane on the 1861 census is missing but it looks like most of the census for the lane exists.

http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Place:St_George_in_the_East_Registration_District,_1861_Census_Street_Index_M-O


Regards

Valda

[heathgirl]

Thank you both. I wish I had been smart enough to figure this out before! they were probably all living between 40 and 47 Old Gravel Lane in 1861. Bullseye! missing. Much better than thinking they were in prison! J