Hands family

[Dazhands1971]

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me trace my family tree - the problem being I have hit a brick wall at the 1841 census records.

My Great Great Great Grandfather was James Hands who in 1841 is shown as being 45 and being a Gun Stoker.  He was married to Sarah and had a son - John (also a gun stoker).  The census shows them living at Address: 5 Cout Parish: Birmingham Registration District: Birmingham, Warwickshire.

I have been in touch with a few "Hands" that I know from the Coventry and Birmingham areas but can't see a link between our families and as I say, cannot go any further back.

Can anyone help?

Via the census documents I have managed to work back along my tree from this point to modern day and for some of the branches up to the 1911 census.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[sillgen]

Hi and welcome
In an ideal world you need to find the family in 1851 or later as that will give birth places and a more accurate age as in 1841 ages were generally rounded down to the nearest 5.  Were they all shown as born in the county in 1841?
Regards
Andrea

[nanny jan]

Hi,

Familysearch.org has a possible marriage:

James Hands, 15 March 1824, at Aston Juxta, Birmingham, Warwickshire to Sarah Povey.


I read the 1841 census occupation as  Gun Stocker.


Nanny Jan

[sillgen]

In 1851 they are at 69 Shadwell Street.  HO107 2057 304 40.  James is born Birmingham and Sarah in Worcestershire.  Ages 61 and 63 plus grandaughter Sarah age 9.  Again it is Gun Stocker.
Andrea

[sillgen]

How did you get back to 1841?   Which child are you descended from?  There are two other younger children with them in 1841 but of course that census does not give relationships so we cannot be certain if they are their children, grandchildren or not related.

[Dazhands1971]

What I have found via the census records is as follows...

1841 Census
James Hands (age 45)
Sarah Hands (age 50)
John Hands (age 15)

1861
John Hands (age 36) - Gun Stoker
Ann Hands - wife (37)
James Frederick Hands - son (11) - who I am decended from
Harriet Ann Hands (9)
Rosina Hands (9)
John Hands (4)

1881
(James) Frederick Hands (31)
Martha - wife (27)
James frederick Hands (6) - my Great Grandfather
Annie Hands (5)
Ernest Hands (3)
Harriot (1)

1901 (London)
Martha is head of family aged 49 living in London
Harriet (21)
Ada (13)
Ester (10)

I have found that James was in South Africa in 1901 serving in the Royal Marines

1911 (Plymouth)
James Frederick Hands (37)
Henerritte Eleanor Hands (42)
Frederick John (6)  - my grandfather
Harold James Hands (4)
Hilda eleanor (4)

(Ernest Hands is still living in London and is married to Sarah.  Daughters Rose and Violet and son Ernest are shown)

[sillgen]

Have you got a marriage certificate for John and Ann to confirm his father's name?  I can't find him in 1851 as yet and am slightly concerned that the 1861 gives his place of birth as London which seems a bit off the beaten track for his parents being James and Sarah.   
Andrea

[sillgen]

Ah, now found a baptism for John son of James, gunstocker, and Sarah.  Born 6 June 1826 and baptised 16 July at St Mary's Whitechapel.  Address Chamber Street.
That is much better as there is another John Hands of much the same age born in Birmingham so it would be easy to muddle them.  He marries a Priscilla.
Andrea

[heywood]

1851 shows a John Hames b 1826 London with wife Ann - occupation is gun stocker and also a baby James.

There are two other children  and there are also possible deaths for these children.

It would be worth checking.

heywood