Joseph Harford and family

[wharf42]

Birmingham area c 1861-1891 Joseph, wife Emma (born Pontypool), sons Thomas and Joseph. 1871 Joseph Sr. worked as a toolmaker in an umbrella manufacturing company where son Thomas, age 16, also worked making umbrellas. Joseph Jr., age 12, was in school. Emma was a housewife. Both Joseph Sr and Emma died in 1891, Joseph in May, Emma in July at Powick Asylum.

Does anyone know if there were burials at Powick Asylum, if there are any records still available on these, does the graveyard still exist.

Unable to find birth records for any of them. Of course, I don't know Emma's birth surname. From military records completed by Joseph he lists his birthplace as Aston Warwickshire in March 1879. Is this part of Birmingham or a nearby town?

Planning a trip to immerse myself at Birmingham Library later this year, but I don't have much to start with.

So many records, so little time ...

Thanks.

[christanel]

Welcome to British-Genealogy wharf42

I have moved your post from Surname Interests to the Warwickshire forum as you are wanting help with finding info on this family. The surname forum is just for posting names you are researching and is then locked.
I also added to the title so it is now Joseph Harford and family.

It won't be long before you receive some replies I am sure.

Christina

[christanel]

Emma Harford's record for Powick Asylum is here.I haven't read it all.
https://medicalmuseum.org.uk/archive.aspx?q=emma harford&t=all&p=12&id=5860&s=n

After entering her name in the search box the results are for all Emma's. Yours is the first one on page 12.

Christina

[christanel]

I went looking in the census for this couple to get some background and first found them in 1891
1891 RG12 Piece 2355 Folio 102 Page 33
Joseph 49 snr a millwright with wife Emma 51 born Wales, Thomas 18 an umbrellas maker and Joseph 12 a scholar.
They took some finding on the 1881 census because the transcription says surname Stradford and the original image does look like Stradford.
1881 RG11 Piece 2973 Folio 31 Page 16
Joseph 43 a stationary engine driver born Birmingham,
Emma 40 born Pontypool
Thomas 7 and Joseph 2 both born Birmingham'

So following them back may have to search for Harford or Stradford

[gasser]

Emma Harford's record for Powick Asylum is here.I haven't read it all.
https://medicalmuseum.org.uk/archive.aspx?q=emma harford&t=all&p=12&id=5860&s=n

After entering her name in the search box the results are for all Emma's. Yours is the first one on page 12.

Christina

Well done for finding this, Christina. She didn't survive long there....just 5 days!

[christanel]

Possible birth for your Joseph Harford

June 1/4 1878 Birmingham vol 6d page 138

and Thomas Harford
Sept 1/4 1876 Wst Bromwich vol 6b page 814

I can't see a marriage for them as yet.
Looking at Joseph's ages on the 1881 and 1891 census he only aged 1 year between 1881 and1891! And his death reg in June1/4 1891 has his age as 46 so he loses 3 years between the 1891 census and his death! No help at all.

[christanel]

Well done for finding this, Christina. She didn't survive long there....just 5 days!

Thanks gasser.

Oh the poor woman. As I said I didn't read it all but I was amazed when these records came up in a google search. I thought it would be The National Archives that would give the info on the records but they weren't much help at all.

Christina

[Peter Goodey]

I thought it would be The National Archives that would give the info on the records but they weren't much help at all.

The National Archives - specifically, the Hospital Records Database - does tell you where the surviving records are.

[christanel]

The National Archives - specifically, the Hospital Records Database - does tell you where the surviving records are.

Thanks Peter for this. I knew it would be there somewhere but I was in a rush and impatient which is not a good thing when searching TNA.

wharf42 - I spent an awful lot of time yesterday looking for your Joseph Harford prior to his appearance in 1881 and got myself in to a bit of a tizz chasing another Joseph Harford born c1828 and also a mill wright.
Your Joseph born between 1833 and 1842 according to censuses 1881 and 1891 gave his occupation in those censuses as stationary engine driver and Millwright respectively.
The Joseph born c 1828 wasn't with his wife Eliza in 1871, 1881, and 1891 so I was considering a scenario of a man with two families but this Joseph is with his wife Eliza and dau Eliza A in 1901 RG13 piece 2866 folio 96 page 4 so can't be your Joseph who died 1891. I note that a tree on ancestry has the death certificate for your Joseph Harford with the informant a nurse so no clues there.

Christina

[wharf42]

Thanks, Christina. Hopefully I'll soon find my way around the website. Wendy