William James Harris b c1827 Brading IOW

[Mr Bish]

My Grt Grt Grt GrandfatherWilliam James Harris was b c 1827 Brading IOW who m Mary Ann Woods b c1826 Yarmouth IOW, they moved with their family to Limehouse London, where they had more children then William died sometime before 1871 the family moved back to IOW. What I want to know is in the census while he was there he was recorded as having being born in Fareham South Hamptonshire.If anyone can explain why this happens ? I would appreciate this.

Regards

Mr Bish       

[haliared]

Hi Mr Bish,
According to Genuki, Brading births were in the Hampshire registration district from 1837 to 1890, then from 1890 onwards became the Isle of Wight registration district.
This maybe a possible explanation.
I have had this situation happen often with my IOW relations who were born on the IOW but would put the Hampshire places of Fareham, Southampton or Portsmouth in censuses as a birthplace when in other parts of the country.
It may also be because they are the more well known places for an enumerator unfamiliar with the Isle of Wight.

[haliared]

I should also say that those places in Hampshire are the mainland destination for IOW ferryboats.

[Little Nell]

Beware - a William James Harris was baptised in Fareham 10 Aug 1834.  The Brading baptisms are not complete on FamilySearch so I cannot confirm that a child of the same name was baptised there around 1827.

Do you have William's father's name?

Nell

[Mr Bish]

Williams Parents were George Harris b c1805 Shanklin IOW and Elizabeth Smith B c1801 Shanklin IOW.

[Little Nell]

The William James Harris baptised in 1834 in Fareham has the parents George and Mary Jane.

There certainly seems to be a real lack of consistency in the places of birth given for the whole family.  They are not the same from one census to the next.  Quite why that should be is strange. 

Your William and Mary married on the Isle of Wight at St John Northwood.  The registration district is shown on FreeBMD as Isle of Wight.  Nowhere can I find him as William James though - just William 

Nell

[janet w]

My grandparents birth certificates of 1890's  show that they were born in "Christchurch in the County of Southampton". Previously Hampshire was also known as Southamptonshire but not sure of the exact dates.

[Mr Bish]

my Grt grt grandfather Edward Harris emigrated to Australia and when he got married his father was recorded as William James Harris in the South Australian marriage records.

Thanks to all the people who replied to this post .

regards

Mr Bish