Charles Harris Highworth Swindon Wiltshire

[Kay99]

In all the census years you have Charles is working as a coachman.  In 1881 there is a Charles Harris age 1862 born Bristol, Gloucestershire living in Kensington with a coachman as below and in area predominantly populated by coachmen.  Whilst this is yet another birthplace it could be worth considering?

George Reid 31 Coachman - Dom Servant b Scotland
Honora Reid 27 b Middlesex St Margarets London
Katharine M. J. Reid 2
Charles Harris 19 Visitor Dom Servant b Bristol
Charles Bateman 22 Visitor Dom Servant b Bristol

Kay

[ranger50]

Hi Kay. Thank you for the information concerning Charles Harris in the 1881 census. Yes it could be a possibility. I have also found two other 1881 census records which could relate to Charles Harris. One of them a person called Charles Harris is born 1860 Cheltenham and he is listed as a Bill Inspector (whatever that is). He is living with a person who is called Jonah Ball who is a Groom. So did Charles learn the trade from him?

The other 1881 census record lists a person called Charles Harris who is born 1862 at Chalford. Chalford is near Stroud which is in between Cheltenham and Cirencester. Charles is living at Cirencester, but as a Militia Man which is not the regular army. Interestingly, this 1881 census records links the 1901 Census record for Charles Harris. The problem with the 1881 census record is that all three does not link Charles with any member of his family.

I have found an 1871 census record which is interesting.  A person called Charles Harris is living with his mother called Sarah Harris. He was born 1866 (which is 4 years older than I like),  but I am pretty sure that Sarah Harris claims she is unmarried.  The same record states that Charles is born at Stroud which is very close to Chalford in between Cheltenham and Cirencester. Thus does this 1871 census record links in with the 1881 census record for Charles Harris when he is listed as a Militia Man?

The other thing is that I cannot find any other census record for Sarah Harris which fits her details in the 1871 census record. Also on the next page of the census record there is a neighbour who is a groom.

Thus I have to ask the question was Charles illegitimate and had no other siblings? Did his mother died when he was young and hence he could not really remember where he was born except somewhere around the Cheltenham and Cirencester area?

Kind Regards

Luke

[youngtug]

Stroud, and Chalford are not between Cirencester & Cheltenham, rather they form three points of a triangle.

[Coco2101]

Hi Luke

Sorry can't help with the search for Charles Harris but you may be interested in these entries from the Highworth register...

10 Apr 1892 Chr  Bernard George Charles Harris s/o Charles and Elizabeth of Highworth

12 Nov 1893 Chr  Rawley Harris s/o Charles and Elizabeth of Highworth

18 Dec 1895 Chr  Ernest Frederick Harris s/o of Charles and Elizabeth of Highworth

17 Aug 1900 Chr (Bn 28 Jul)  Reginald Kenneth Harris s/o Charles and Elizabeth of Highworth

Charles' occupation is Groom except for Bernard's record which has been left blank.

Regards
Coco

[ranger50]

Good morning: Yes Stroud and Chalford do form three points of a triangle. I had a look at a map again of Gloucestershire last night so thank you.

Thanks Coco: The information was helpful, because I only had the month and year of the 4 Harris boys birth not the full date so it was good to receive this information. In the 1911 census Elizabeth Harris nee Austin claims she had 5 children so there is one child missing which I have never found I suspect that the child died very young.

Kind Regards

Luke

[Victor Harvey]

Hi,
I have personally checked the baptism records (PRs) for St Mary, Magdalene, Boddington, St John the Baptist, Cirencester & St Laurence, Stroud, 1860-1864 and there is NO record of a baptism for Charles HARRIS c.1862. The ONLY HARRIS baptism I found is as follows:-
8th May 1862, Elizabeth of Martha HARRIS, single woman.
The Christ Church, Chalford PRs are NOT available on microfiche, so I have pre-ordered the PR for a lookup next week (Ref: P73 IN 1/1) and will get back to you.
Victor

[Victor Harvey]

Hi,
I forgot to mention that Highworth PRs are not available at Glos Archives (GA).
Victor

[youngtug]

Highworth is in Wiltshire, the Records will be at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre at Chippenham, http://www.wshc.eu/visiting-the-centre/opening-times.html
 Also, Swindon Library have a microfiche copy of them. 

[ranger50]

Thank you Victor and youngtug for your information concerning Charles Harris. Sometimes I have found to find somebody it is a process of eliminating other possibilities. As mentioned, in a previous reply, I think Charles Harris may have been illegitimate, or his perents died when he was young, so he was not sure where he was born except somewhere between Cheltenham and Cirencester.

Kind Regards

Luke