Help Finding William Brooks – Possibly Died in France Before 1887

[EyreHead18]

Hello everyone,

I’m researching my ancestor William Brooks, a British man who lived in France during the 1800s, and I’m having a hard time locating any death or civil records for him.

What I Know:
   •   Name: William Brooks
   •   Spouse: Eliza Wilson (born approx. 1830, possibly in the UK)
   •   Known Children:
   •   Harry Brooks, born in London around 1864 (we believe his mother Eliza would’ve been ~34 at the time)
   •   Alice Brooks, born in Rocquencourt, France in 1889 (we’ve found her record already in the Yvelines Departmental Archives)
   •   William does not appear in the Rocquencourt or Versailles arrondissement death registers — we believe he may have died in Paris, possibly around the time of the Siege (1870), or sometime between 1864 and 1887.

Where I’ve Searched:
   •   Yvelines Archives: All relevant Rocquencourt & Versailles records from 1827–1912
   •   Naissance, Mariage, Décès collections (4E 2352, 2353, etc.)
   •   10-year Tables Décennales for Rocquencourt and Le Chesnay
   •   No success finding William in these — only possible children

My Theories:
   •   He may have died in Paris proper, not in Rocquencourt
   •   His name may have been mistranscribed as “Brook,” “Broques,” “Broks,” or even “Guillaume” instead of William
   •   Possibly died during the Franco-Prussian War period (1870s)
   •   May have never been properly registered in French civil records

I don’t speak French well and I’m hitting a wall. If anyone could:
   •   Help search the Paris Archives for his death
   •   Advise on name variations to search in 10-year indexes
   •   Offer tips for English families in France during this period
   •   Help me interpret any scanned handwritten documents

…I’d be incredibly grateful. This man is a big missing piece in our family tree.

Thank you so much in advance!

Warm regards,
April
(Researching Brooks Family – England → France)

[joger]

Hi,
There was a William Brooks buried in Saint-Ouen in 1878.

https://www.geneanet.org/registres/view/217088/3?individu_filter=38578638

 This document says :
he was 53 , was buried on the 30 th of december 1878, 32d division , fosse 44 :
https://cdn.paris.fr/paris/2023/04/07/doc-concessions_saint-ouen_a5-4pages_bd-004l.pdf
died in the 8th arrondissement.

Can you give the precise date of birth of Alice ?
Have you checked the censuses of Rocquencourt?

added : his death acte de décès : http://www.rootschat.com/links/01tst/     page 8

does not seem to be him, unless he married twice.

[jorose]

Something seems off with the births of the kids - born 25 years apart?

Harry might be the Harold Brooks born June quarter 1865 St. George Hanover Square (mother's maiden name Wilson)

Did Eliza, Harry, and Alice move back to England? I can't see them in the censuses.

[joger]

Something seems off with the births of the kids - born 25 years apart?

Harry might be the Harold Brooks born June quarter 1865 St. George Hanover Square (mother's maiden name Wilson)

Did Eliza, Harry, and Alice move back to England? I can't see them in the censuses.

Yes , Alice's given year of birth may be something else than 1889. Moreover, William's death before 1887 does not match with daughter Alice born 1889, that's why I asked for a precise date of birth.

[joger]

For translation of scanned documents , we can help you if you post them.

And can you tell why you think he died before 1887 ?

[rosie99]

Yes , Alice's given year of birth may be something else than 1889. Moreover, William's death before 1887 does not match with daughter Alice born 1889, that's why I asked for a precise date of birth.

You say Eliza was 34 when she had Harry in 1864.  If Alice was born in 1889 then Eliza would have been 59 

[teragram31510]

"William Brooks, a British man who lived in France during the 1800s, "

How do you know that? Do you have an address?

" Harry Brooks, born in London around 1864 (we believe his mother Eliza would’ve been ~34 at the time)"

So William was still in London, presumably, in about 1864?
 
   "Alice Brooks, born in Rocquencourt, France in 1889 (we’ve found her record already in the Yvelines Departmental Archives)"

Could she be Harry's child and William's grandchild?

I already noticed that Eliza would have been far too old to be her mother in 1889, never mind that you think William was dead in 1887 .
Presumably tha record you have found names the father, at least ? Please give the details or ask for them to be transcribed/translated.

[amondg]

Harold seems to be the son of Richard John Brooks and Eliza born 4 May 1865  bap 16 July.

Father House Steward. 82 Warwick Street.