James Terry. B1849 in Brightling, Sussex. GRO birth record.

[Little Nell]

You may have to consider the possibility that there may not have been a birth registration.  It was not compulsory to inform the local registrar, but this changed in 1875 - well after the period you are looking at.  It is estimated that in some areas, up to 15% of births were not registered between 1837 and 1875 and Sussex was one county known to be lacking.

One of my 2x great grandfathers does not appear to have been registered: he was born in 1848.  His wife's birth registration has proved equally elusive.  I only have baptism records for them.

Nell

[0ctavia]

Octavia reply 14

I got the mother's name from the baptism record at Bexhill.
Born 16 August 1854 bap. 8 October 1854 mother Charlotte Terry - spinster

Ah. That makes sense. Thank you.

[0ctavia]

There's an older Thomas Terry in the 1841 census at Arundel who is a carpenter. Perhaps he is the grandfather. Might be worth looking into if he had any children who could be parent to James?

Leaning towards thinking it's probably not him as there seems to be some indication that he died in 1843. - but you have to try these things :-)  Thank you for the suggestion.

[0ctavia]

You may have to consider the possibility that there may not have been a birth registration.  It was not compulsory to inform the local registrar, but this changed in 1875 - well after the period you are looking at.  It is estimated that in some areas, up to 15% of births were not registered between 1837 and 1875 and Sussex was one county known to be lacking.

One of my 2x great grandfathers does not appear to have been registered: he was born in 1848.  His wife's birth registration has proved equally elusive.  I only have baptism records for them.

Nell

I did not realise that. Thank you! I may be on a wild goose chase then! Thank you for the heads up 

[familydar]

Can you confirm please that the census sightings you have match these?  Just in case I'm chasing after the wrong man!
1881 RG11/1049 fol 58 (age 35)
1891 RG12/0781 fol 51 (age 42)
1901 RG13/0753 fol 86 (age 52)

Since birthplace is consistent, I'd be trying to identify his bap.  Brightling PRs are on Ancestry https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62125/, whilst he's not indexed under any obvious variant he may be badly mistranscribed, or his mother subsequently married a TERRY.  A long job that will involve a trawl for (I'd suggest) quite a few years either side of 1849, try to account for each and every James going forward.  How much time you dedicate to it will depend on how desperately you want to know who his mother was.

Regarding supposed father Thomas TERRY, the name may have been a complete fabrication or James's mother may have told him his deceased father's name was Thomas.  He may even have been a carpenter.  However although young James had presumably been brought up as a TERRY that doesn't necessarily mean that was his father's surname too.  Have you managed to identify the witnesses to the 1888 marriage?

In all three censuses where he's been found, he admits to being significantly older than his wife.  I'd be inclined to think he may have been older still, and that could put the Arundel Thomas back in the frame.  If I'm looking at the correct census pages, who is William age 7 in 1881/17 in 1891?  Might there be another marriage prior to 1876?

Have fun
Jane :-)

[0ctavia]

Can you confirm please that the census sightings you have match these?  Just in case I'm chasing after the wrong man!
1881 RG11/1049 fol 58 (age 35)
1891 RG12/0781 fol 51 (age 42)
1901 RG13/0753 fol 86 (age 52)

Since birthplace is consistent, I'd be trying to identify his bap.  Brightling PRs are on Ancestry https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62125/, whilst he's not indexed under any obvious variant he may be badly mistranscribed, or his mother subsequently married a TERRY.  A long job that will involve a trawl for (I'd suggest) quite a few years either side of 1849, try to account for each and every James going forward.  How much time you dedicate to it will depend on how desperately you want to know who his mother was.

Regarding supposed father Thomas TERRY, the name may have been a complete fabrication or James's mother may have told him his deceased father's name was Thomas.  He may even have been a carpenter.  However although young James had presumably been brought up as a TERRY that doesn't necessarily mean that was his father's surname too.  Have you managed to identify the witnesses to the 1888 marriage?

In all three censuses where he's been found, he admits to being significantly older than his wife.  I'd be inclined to think he may have been older still, and that could put the Arundel Thomas back in the frame.  If I'm looking at the correct census pages, who is William age 7 in 1881/17 in 1891?  Might there be another marriage prior to 1876?

Have fun
Jane :-)

Hi Jane

Yes, all three census records are the correct ones.

Thank you for your insights - some things for me to consider.

Re witnesses to the 1888 marriage. No, I haven't identified them although I would assume one is James' wife's brother or cousin because the surname matches the maiden name. It's another avenue for me to follow up.

Re William - I hadn't picked up that he was born a couple of years before the first marriage so some more things to investigate!

Thanks for the tips - and yes, I will have fun :-)

[softly softly]

Must admit I did spot that William was born prior to 1st marriage. Bit of a problem though. Believe he is William Henry Butcher born

BUTCHER, WILLIAM  HENRY     - 
GRO Reference: 1873  D Quarter in TUNBRIDGE  Volume 02A  Page 573

Baptism image on FindMyPast. Parents William & Jane Ellen Butcher. Date 30th November 1873 Tunbridge Wells, father occupation Fly Driver (single horse cab)

SS

[0ctavia]

Must admit I did spot that William was born prior to 1st marriage. Bit of a problem though. Believe he is William Henry Butcher born

BUTCHER, WILLIAM  HENRY     - 
GRO Reference: 1873  D Quarter in TUNBRIDGE  Volume 02A  Page 573

Baptism image on FindMyPast. Parents William & Jane Ellen Butcher. Date 30th November 1873 Tunbridge Wells, father occupation Fly Driver (single horse cab)

SS

Oh! Thank you. If that’s so, then Butcher is not Jane Ellen’s maiden name meaning quite a few ancestors are incorrect!!     Off to bed now but will take a look tomorrow evening.

[softly softly]

Jane Ellen was "Butcher", believe she made up a husband at baptism.

BUTCHER, JANE  ELLEN     mmn PEERLESS 
GRO Reference: 1851  S Quarter in TUNBRIDGE  Volume 05  Page 577

SS