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lesleyl
26-11-2007, 2:52 PM
I am looking for a Henry Biggerline who appears on the 1861 census, living in Lincolnshire, born in Thorney, Cambs and married to Rebecca. Rebecca had two daughters neither of whom were Henry's children. Sarah Allen who was 13 (my g-grandmother) and Elizabeth Mears who was 17 in 1861 (she I think was illegitimate).

I only entry I can find on any census is the one for 1861 and I can find no birth, marriage or death certificates for either Henry or Rebecca.

Can anyone help?

MarkJ
26-11-2007, 3:05 PM
I wonder if the surname is incorrect. Have you looked at the actual census, or a transcription of it? I cannot find a single Biggerline marriage, birth or death at all, which makes me a little suspicious about the surname. No hits on search engines either, apart from an earlier thread on this forum where Mike_E has mentioned the name in connection with this family.

Mark

lesleyl
26-11-2007, 3:14 PM
I am looking at the census printout ref RG 9/2326 and it looks like Biggerline but any alternatives would be helpful.

Lesley

janbooth
27-11-2007, 12:13 PM
The 1861 census entry certainly looks like BIGGERLINE, but how about this candidate in the 1851 census of Thorney:

HO107/1747, folio 980, page 19
Green Drove

Henry BIGLIN Lodger Widr 36 (but could be 34) Ag Lab Cambsh Thorney

He is in the household of a John MARRIOTT, aged 47, Ag Lab.

I can't find him in the 1841 at the moment because Ancestry is playing up, but I will have a look later.

Janet

Geoffers
27-11-2007, 12:54 PM
I only entry I can find on any census is the one for 1861 and I can find no birth, marriage or death certificates for either Henry or Rebecca.

IF he was married in 1861, being 43 then he may just have been old enough to have married prior to civil registration.

His birth would certainly have been prior to civil registration.

You may have to refer to parish registers for Thorney to trace recrods relating to him. Do bear in mind that for most surnames there are many variant spellings up to the end of the 19th century. BIGLIN has been mentioned, others that spring to mind being BIGLANE, BIGLAND - there may well be more.

lesleyl
27-11-2007, 1:34 PM
Thanks for your help. The 1851 census does show a Biglin as you said but with no info regarding parents etc its difficult.

Henry, I suppose, is not the issue more what happened to the family. Rebecca whom he was married to by 1861 and her children. Elizabeth Mears I can find a marriage record to a David Preston and my g-gmother to William Burchnell but Rebecca and her first daughter and Henry do seem to disappear.

The census from 1841 and going forward are of no help for what appears to be an derivation of the name.

Perhaps I have to accept that I have to draw a line under that one!!!

Thanks again.

Lesley

janbooth
27-11-2007, 4:12 PM
Lesley,

I think his surname could actually be BIGLEY. I tried looking at the census records after 1861 and came up with the following in the 1871 of Gedney Hill, Lincs:

RG10/3266, folio 47, page 17
Green Drove

Edwin COOK Head Mar 58? Farmer of 10 acres Lincs Holbeach Drove
Ann do Wife Mar 60 Farmer's wife do Gedney Hill
John do Son Unm 20 do son do do
Henry BIGLEY Boarder Widr 54 Ag Lab Cambs Thorney Fen
John Edwin MEARS Nephew 4 Lincs Gedney Hill

Note the surname of the nephew which made me think this could be your Henry.

Also note the top entry on the same page:

William BURCHNELL Head Mar 30 Ag Lab Lincs Holbeach Drove
Sarah do Wife Mar 24 do Gedney Hill
Lilla Allen do Daur 4 mo do do

Henry is still in Gedney Hill in the 1881 census (RG11/3207, folio 45, page 7).

Elizabeth A PRESTON is in the 1871 census of Gedney Hill with husband David and children Rebecca and Joseph (RG10/2236, folio 84, page 35), in the 1881 census of Sawtry St Andrew, Hunts with David and children John, Rebecca, Joseph, Eliza Ann, Mary Ann and Elizabeth (RG11/1601, folio 28, page 8), in the 1891 census of Whittlesey, Cambs with David and children Joseph, Eliza A, Henry, Sarah A and grandson John G (RG12/1302, folio 15, page 4) and in the 1901 census of Whittlesey (RG13/1552, folio 59, page 27), where she is shown as married but no David with children Joseph, Henry, Sarah and grandson George.

There is a death registration for Henry BIGLEY in the September qtr 1885 at Holbeach registration district, vol 7a, page 229, aged 68 and there is also a death registration for Rebecca BIGLEY in the June qtr of 1869 again at Holbeach reg district, vol 7a, page 215, aged 51. However, so far I have been unable to find the marriage of Henry & Rebecca.

Another thought: I have just searched on Rebecca born c1818 in Gedney Hill in the 1851 census and have come up with the following which looks as if it could be your Rebecca:

HO107/2097, folio 68, page 21
West Drove, Gedney Hill

Rebecca COOKE Head Wid 34 Formerly a Dressmaker Lincs Gedney Hill
Elizabeth Ann do Daur 7 do do
Sarah do Daur 3 do do

The names and ages of the children are correct - what do you think??

This looks like your Rebecca in the 1841 census of Gedney:

HO107/607/9, folio 17, page 18
Gedney Hill

John MEARES 30 (cant read his occupation) Born in county yes
Ann do 30 Dress m yes
Elizabeth do 25 F S yes
Rebecca do 20 Dress m yes
John do 5 yes
William do 2 yes

And there is a marriage on FreeBMD in the June qtr 1848 at Holbeach reg district of a Rebecca MEARES vol 14 page 655 and the 2 names of the groom on that page are - wait for it - John ALLEN and John COOK. I reckon you need a degree in puzzle solving to work this lady out!!!!

I can't find an Elizabeth Ann MEARS/MEARES in the 1851 nor a Sarah ALLEN born at the approximate dates and correct place apart from the entry above.

I think I would send for the marriage certificate for Rebecca in 1848 just quoting her name and see what that turns up plus the death certificate if you feel like splashing out some more money. Hope this has helped a little anyway and good luck.

Janet

lesleyl
01-12-2007, 5:40 PM
Jan

I think you cracked it. I'm just about to sit down and analyse what you have found out but you certainly seem to be on the right track.

Thank you very much. I am always surprised by how much other people seem to find out and I don't!!!!

Thank you again.


Lesley

janbooth
02-12-2007, 11:47 AM
Lesley,

I am pretty sure I have found Henry & Rebecca's marriage for you - how does this sound:

December qtr 1855 at Holbeach registration district, vol 7a, page 725 Henry BIGLEY married Rebecca Allen COOK. It is on FreeBMD, so have a look and see what you think. From this it looks as though Rebecca could have been married to Mr ALLEN before she married Mr COOK or perhaps her first husband was a John Allen COOK - no wonder it has taken ages to unravel her history!!!

I'm glad to be of help and I sometimes think it is easier for someone who is not involved in a search to think "outside the box". I have certainly been guilty in the past of being so involved in a particular aspect of my research that I have developed tunnel vision and been unable to see the wood for the trees!

Hope this helps further and good luck!!

Janet