Cheltenham birth, 1826

[yelkcub]

If someone has access to Cheltenham PR(s) and would be kind enough to undertake a look-up, I'd be most grateful. I'm interested in someone whose Australian documentation reported her birthdate as January 14, 1826, Cheltenham, England.
Her name was Susan Elizabeth Allen - though that may not have been the name under which she was christened (if indeed she was christened). There are strong indications of an 'irregular' birth.
There is also some evidence that she may have had the additional forename Muriel.
The DOB is likely to be accurate, so if no one of the above name is found, I'd be interested to investigate any girl born on that date and christened soon after. There can't have been many girls born in Cheltenham on that particular day ... can there?
Alternatively, can someone tell me if copies of the Cheltenham PRs are purchasable
If you can help, or offer advice, please contact. Best wishes IAN
PLEASE NOTE - this request has already gone out on 'another forum' - with no takers

[emeltee]

Sorry but I cannot find a Susan Allen born anywhere in Gloucestershire within two years of the date given. Therefore it is possible that she wasn't baptised or the info you have is incorrect.

Emeltee

[yelkcub]

Many thanks for your reply - I'm very grateful. This is certainly an individual with an odd background. As you say, it remains possible that she was never in fact christened. A stronger possibility, however, is that attempts were made to disguise her origins. I know this sounds like the stuff of romantic literature, but stories in several branches of her descendant's family have her as either daughter of an aristocrat (Duke seems to be the favourite), or the daughter of an aristocrat's servant. This story goes that the unnamed aristocrat was alarmed that his son and heir was attracted to the girl, so he paid James Page to take her away to Australia. James Page migrated to Adelaide where (though his own family had little money) he soon made good as a shipping merchant. One year later Susan Elizabeth Allen arrived in Adelaide (travelling as 'Mrs Page') and married James Page two days after disembarkation.
I still think the day of birth is likely to be accurate, though her name at christening (if she was, in fact, christened) is likely to be different.
I think I need to see the PRs for Cheltenham, to find those girls whose reported DOB coincides with Susan.
Meanwhile, many thanks again for your efforts to help solve this mystery! Best wishes IAN

[emeltee]

There is no point in you ordering the Glos Births Index CD as it only gives the date of baptism and not the date of birth. I've searched for Allen and also just Susan Elizabeth but nothing fits.

Emeltee

[yelkcub]

Thanks again for the advice. I think that the next time I'm near Cheltenham I'll try to view the original PR. Most PRs record dates of birth as well as baptism - although, as you say, the CD transcripts usually only record dates of baptism. IAN