baptisms help

[showmen1800]

I have found one of my ancestors in the 1911 census - Frances Mary Lawrence married to John Herbert Lawrence (though he doesn't appear to use Herbert) - and it states that they had 11 children, of which 5 had died.

I have found the births of the 6 surviving children, and the birth, baptism and death of one of the unfortunate 5, but I'm at a loss as to where to go next to find the remaining 4 as the family appeared to move around quite a bit as the births so far have been: 1884 Bournemouth, 1886 Middlesex, 1888 Somerset, 1890 Yorkshire, 1892 Northumberland, 1894 Cornwall (baptised and died in London - father is down as a circus proprietor) and 1896 Devon - they had links with fairgrounds hence the travelling.

Could anyone give me some clues as to where to start please?

Thanks

[josey]

The births you show have regular 2 year intervals so the 4 'missing' children are likely to have been born before 1884 or after 1896 or multiple births with one who survived which you should be able to identify from baptism records or GRO birth indexes as they will be on the same page, then cross reference to the GRO death indexes. Always assuming that they registered all the births & deaths. You would be looking for gaps of 3 years or more between the childrens' ages. When did they marry?

Josey

[showmen1800]

thanks Josey - they married in 1881, and as far as I can tell (thought receiving the certificate) the mother, Frances Mary dies in 1915, and the father John died in 1931 - both in Plymouth

[josey]

Marriage in 1881 & first known child in 1884 suggests that there may have been a child [or two] born & died before 1884. Not having a stable place of residence makes quite a challenge - but I am sure rootschatters will come to your aid!! To find multiple births, look for the quarter of the known children's births [without forename in the search] on freebmd & you will be able to see if there is another Lawrence registered on the same register volume & page. Don't forget too that it's just possible to have babies less that a year apart so even the 2 year gaps may be deceptive.

Josey

[[Ray]]

Hi

1881 puts John as 34 and Frances as 30, so Frances (age) may have had children before she married John and included them (rightly/wrongly) in the 1911 total.

Ray