40 +years finding William Aston Born 1839

[LaytonLily]

I wonder if someone on this impressive family history website can help me find the birth of my GGF, William Aston born 1839 in Birmingham.    I have noted births of 2 in 1838 and 4 in 1839 but cannot afford to be sending for all those birth certificates to find if 'my' William Aston is one of them.   It would need to say his mother was Emma.    I have spent 40 years and more working out the history of this man, who changed his name when committing bigamy, which meant the searching took longer and longer !   It may be I will just have to accept I will not find him prior to the 1851 census, as I haven't found him or his mother, or his brother John born 1837, on the 1841 census.   For his brother John there are 4 birth entries on BMD in 1838 and 1 in 1837.      Taking one last chance to track him down !

[rosie99]

Could you please give details of the family in 1851.   It is possible that his birth was not registered.

[LaytonLily]

That was an impressively quick reply !   I know from past experience though how excellent the help is here.
I can give you the 1851 details but then he was William Twist (you really don't want to know the long story behind it all !).    He is shown as age 12yrs.  with his older brother John 14yrs. His mother is Emma but although she is shown as being Twist and the 'wife' of Joseph Twist, they were not married.
I just wondered if anyone had easy access to the birth records in London and the time and inclination to take a look at the possible birth entries.   Wish it was possible to go myself to the Birmingham offices to search.   I did have a good relationship with the people in Broad Street years ago but it seems to have changed and be less 'user friendly'.

[philipsearching]

William's mother Emma - do you know her maiden surname or his father's name?  If we can find out Emma's surname we can check the General Register Office Index to locate family births.

Philip

[avm228]

Looking at birth entries in London is not a thing anyone can do, other than looking online for index details which can be done from anywhere.  Birth registrations can’t be looked up; certificates or pdfs have to be ordered.

However there’s lots of experience in the latter on here, which can be brought to bear if you provide the details you do know.  We really do want to know why he’s William Twist, and how and when he became Aston or any other name.

Whom did he marry - is he the one to be found later with a wife called Ann Dora?

[rosie99]

Joseph Twists birth reg gives mmn as Aston
TWIST, JOSEPH       mmn ASTON     
1849  March Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 338

[philipsearching]

Joseph Twists birth reg gives mmn as Aston
TWIST, JOSEPH       mmn ASTON     
1849  March Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 338

Ah.  In that case the most likely birth would be:
Jun qtr 1838 Birmingham vol 16 p337 ASTON William - no mmn.


Philip

[rosie99]

There are some other posts on the Astons / Twists -
just for a start http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=746474.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=719507.0

[LaytonLily]

This is the proverbial can of worms for me !
rosie99   -  yes those previous entries you will see for LaytonLily are me.  Still looking!
avm228  -  yes he married Anndora in 1868.   He gives his father's name as William Aston, Gun maker.    (so many twists (!) and turns though I don't know what to believe about him)
philipsearching  -   Emma died 1859 and her father is on death certificate as William Aston, watercarrier and it is under her name of Emma Aston.    Joseph Twist, who she appeared to be married to in 1851 census gives this in his Will of 1883 -  'To each of my reputed children born to me by my late housekeeper,  Emma Aston....'   and John and William are not named, but the other children shown on the 1851 census are.

The fact of him changing his name on marriage in 1868 was a case of bigamy.  So he presumably went back to his birth surname?  his mother's surname of Aston.   

As I say, 40 years of getting here little by little, piece by piece, by frustrating piece !   But I know I am not alone in this.

Lot more info on my search in the previous entries on Rootschat.