stapleton

[ruthstansfield]

if anyone can help id be most grateful.my g grandfather robert stapleton states on his army records that he was born in the parish of greetham near oakham,he says on enlistment that he was 19yrs,i can find no entry for his birth on the bmds.because i have his service record i gained knowledge of his marriage in dublin stating his father was john stapleton occupation a baker.i know from this that his family were catholic.ive found robert on the 1851 census in a workhouse so am asssuming something untoward has happened to his father.im really struggling with this family does anyone know of catholic churches in that area that i could contact someone about parish records,i think that is my only option but not knowing the area makes it difficult.if anyone can offer me some advice,help anything i would be grateful.kindest regards ruth.

[Geoffers]

Welcome to the British Genealogy forums

You mention your chap was 19 when he joined up - but you don't say either when he joined, or an estimated year of birth - which would help in order to give you specific advice.

[ruthstansfield]

of course sorry,he joined the army in 1858 at lincoln,i estimate his birth 1839-1840.regards ruth

[Peter Goodey]

Which workhouse was he in in 1851 and what is the census reference, please?

[Geoffers]

of course sorry,he joined the army in 1858 at lincoln,i estimate his birth 1839-1840.regards ruth

Okedoke - have you:

1. Searched the GRO index of births to see if his birth was registered? (If not sure what this is, please ask)

2. Found him in the 1841 census?

[Peter Goodey]

I've found him for myself in Oakham Union Workhouse.

There is a 1 year old Robert Stapleton in Greetham in the 1841 census. Might this not be your man?

[Geoffers]

Further to my last........


i have his service record i gained knowledge of his marriage in dublin stating his father was john stapleton occupation a baker.i know from this that his family were catholic

Does the service record say that he was Catholic? Is detail of his father include in the service record, or from a different marriage record?

Regarding being in the workhouse, you might look to see if admission and other records survive for the workhouse.

Having looked again at your original posting, I see that you mention there is not trace of a birth in bmd records. That being the case, you will need to turn to parish records to try and locate a baptism.

[Peter Goodey]

Geoffers has already advised turning to the parish registers. The Mormons don't seem to have filmed the registers themselves for that period, so I suggest you start with their film of the Bishop's Transcripts.

FHL BRITISH Film 1999578 Items 4 - 5 looks like the one you want.

[ruthstansfield]

firstly thank you all for your help.i know i shoudnt but im fairly sure he was catholic as roberts children were catholic {my grandfather} as was his children.looking on the 1841 census i would have expected to find a widowed mother for robert given his young age,or was the robert stapleton on the census johns brother?but would still not explain roberts mothers wherabouts,until i find roberts birth record i dont know her name.so i cant be certain that robert on the 1851 census is mine have contacted the local record office theres no surviving records im afraid.so how do i access the fhl film from the mormons?please. i think that is my only option and hope i find something,they really are a difficult family to find. kindest regards ruth

[Peter Goodey]

The 1841 census doesn't show relationships or marital status so we can only guess (not a good idea!). Who, for example, is Mary Stapleton on the 1841 census?

I wouldn't say this is a difficult family..not yet ;). It may turn out to be difficult and you may find that some of the information was misleading but we can't tell until you've got some data out of the parish register.

By the way, weren't you going to tell us more about his marriage?

To get hold of the film...

the catalogue is here:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

the list of their centres is here:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp

I don't use them very often - other people will know more than I do about ordering procedures.

Of course you can also go to Leicester Record Office to see the records or perhaps use their research service.

[Geoffers]

firstly thank you all for your help.i know i shoudnt but im fairly sure he was catholic as roberts children were catholic {my grandfather} as was his children.

In that case, you may find it useful to contact the Catholic FHS (http://www.catholic-history.org.uk/cfhs/index.htm)

[Peter Goodey]

The children may have been RC because the mother was RC and the father either wasn't or converted on marriage. If you're convinced that Robert was born a Catholic, you may feel there's no point looking at the parish registers. However, it isn't a step that I would skip.

[ruthstansfield]

i dont know who mary was am going to see if i can find a marriage at a later date for her,she could be roberts mother?now,the detail of roberts marriage,beware this causes more headaches!!! 17 dec 1867 at st werburghs church dublin,to a martha walshe, minor, her dad nicholas walshe occupation clerk.witnesses r bullock and rosanna brush.i think ive found robert on the 1871 british census with the army at aldershot hampshire.from his record he was discharged from the army at dublin in 1879 intended residence linen hall barracks. the trail goes cold again.ill see what i can dig up about mary,ive tried to find this family on later censuses but cant find them.regards ruth

[Peter Goodey]

i dont know who mary was am going to see if i can find a marriage at a later date for her,she could be roberts mother?

I was only using that as an example of what we don't know. I don't recommend spending time on Mary Stapleton until you've ordered and viewed the Bishop's Transcripts.


17 dec 1867 at st werburghs church dublin,to a martha walshe

In your first message in this thread you said


"because i have his service record i gained knowledge of his marriage in dublin stating his father was john stapleton occupation a baker.i know from this that his family were catholic"
But a quick Google tells me that St Werbergh's, Dublin is a Church of Ireland church.

That seems to add weight to my view that Robert was not born RC and that the Church of England parish registers (Bishop's Transcripts in this case) are the best place to look for his baptism.


ive tried to find this family on later censuses but cant find them

I'm afraid I can't help you there without knowing more about the family - particularly the children - birth dates, birth places etc

I still say that your priority is the Greetham parish registers.

[ruthstansfield]

have contacted latter day via e mail awaiting their advice on access to bishops transcript.will let you know the outcome.kindest regards ruth

[Peter Goodey]

Perhaps they're more hi tech than when I last used them.

A system that works is:

1. Decide which film you want from the catalogue (I gave you the link) and carefully note the details.

2. Look up your nearest place in the list I gave you the link for, phone them during opening hours only and take it from there.

[ruthstansfield]

hi there,hope you dont mind im seeking some advice again.no luck on roberts babtism yet have hired some paid research on that one.now,ive had atrip to dublin and discovered another daughter to robert and martha,it states on her babtism in 1881 that she married a william gamble at st anselms church southall 11th june ? no year.so i contacted the parish priest in southall and found an entry of marriage,on 11th june 1913 fr william wright married william gamble son of william levi gamble and martha stapleton daughter of robert stapleton.bingo i thought a lead at last,but no! no entry for that quarter or year in registration,the only entry i could find was in 1910?william levi gamble to martha josephine {confirmation name} maybe,sent for and have recieved the certificate today williams fathers name matches {levi william} it gives robert as deceased and was a barrack labourer which would fit.my question has to be though if its right why would they have married in 1910 but the parish register say 1913?hope you can help me,kindest regards ruth