What happened to George Derham of Christchurch?

[LizzieL]

George Derham was baptised in Christchurch on 27 Jan 1828. The transcript of baptism record says he was born on 19 Nov 1827. His parents were Walter Derham and his wife Jane nee Gulliver. In 1841 he is in Purewell, Christchurch with his parents  and older sister Lucy.
There is a merchant seaman record dated 1848 for a George Derham born Christchurch but date of birth is 19 Dec 1828 - a year and a month out. But I can't find another George Derham of Christchurch that is even a close match to this.

Can anyone find out any more about him please?

[IgorStrav]

Haven't found out anything else about George Derham - but quite possibly he didn't himself know his date of birth.

If he was baptised in January 1828 then obviously he can't have been born in the December of that year - but the similarities of the quoted dates are interesting

Perhaps he vaguely knew he was born about 1828ish and his birthday was 19th and close to Christmas....

It's been said before here that birth dates weren't very important to many people in 19th Century.

[gerriej]

I'm a direct descendant of his parents Walter James Derham and Jane Gulliver, through George's brother James.  I, too, have been trying to find info about George for many years and have come against a brick wall. There are several George Derhams in Christchurch around the time, but apart from George's birth and baptism records and the 1841 census, I haven't been able to find him in any other censuses or marriage and death records.  The other Georges I've researched are linked to different parents.

Most of the Derhams in Christchurch seemed to have been agricultural labourers or seamen.  So the George, which I've seen as well in the merchant seamen records, might well be him.  Apart from the error in the birthday, there's also the error that he's listed as Durham.  However, there doesn't seem to be a George Durham born in Christchurch in 1828 and the Derham name has been recorded incorrectly as Durham before. 

[LizzieL]

Hello Gerrie, welcome to Rootschat. We corresponded a long time ago and I lost your contact details  when my old laptop died and with it a lot of emails! Since I did a DNA test earlier this year, I've been extending my tree sideways to try and identify the 4th and 5th cousin matches, which I seem to share with known Derham relatives. Hence trying to tie up loose ends and find out whether your George married and had children. The other mystery George b1800-ish (the one who married Sarah Footner) is very likely to be a brother of your Walter and my John, because I have DNA matches with three of his descendants at a level which would strongly indicate that relationship.

[gerriej]

Hi Lizzie

I do remember you - good to be in touch again. 

Regarding my Walter and your John, children of James Derham & Betty Sibley, I have 6 other children in the family, although some have to be verified.  But they are of the correct time line and the years between them is viable to be siblings, but, of course, with so many Derhams in the area they could easily be cousins too unless their connection with James & Betty can be verified.

Mary Ann (bap:  27 Oct 1787 in Holdenhurst, Bournemouth.  James and Betty were married in Holdenhurst, in 1786, so this would seem to be their first child.
It looks like they moved to Christchurch sometime between 1786 and 1795.
James (born c. 1789)
Elizabeth (born c.1793)
Sarah? (born c.1795) in Christchurch
John (bap. 16 Apr 1797) in Christchurch.  Verified father is James
George (born 29  Nov 1799) in Christchurch
Walter James (bap. 1 Aug 1802) in Christchurch. Verified father is James.
Ann Sibley (bap. 2 Nov 1806) in Christchurch. Verified both parents.

Does this tie in with your research?  I am going to spend a few days in Christchurch in a couple of months' time and may be able to research a bit more into the above whilst I'm down there.

[LizzieL]

Sorry for delay in replying, have just come back from a few days in Scotland and Lake District.
I hadn't got Mary Ann or Sarah. I couldn't find George's baptism, but with several DNA matches with his descendants, I'm pretty certain he's a child of James and Betty.

I agree there are quite a number of Derhams in Christchurch, siblings of James and children of John and Mary. One of James siblings - another George left a useful will. He was either unmarried or outlived any wife and children, so left all his possessions to his siblings and their children.  It's on Ancestry if you have access - he died around 1833. He refers to James as his late brother and leaves bequests to his children but doesn't name them. That ties in with James's death in 1822, buried in Littledown - same place as his parents.

[gerriej]

Thanks.

I am on Ancestry, so will look at that.

I have James being buried in Christchurch Priory, ref. 74.

[LizzieL]

Sorry yes, buried Christchurch, his residence was Littledown. Am still using very old Family tree maker, must have read the line below.

[gerriej]

Thanks for the confirmation.  I have found with some Derham family trees that they are going down the wrong route with parents and siblings.  Easy to assume, but you do need the confirmation in records.  When I've come across errors, I have contacted them.