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babygirl101
28-11-2008, 9:18 AM
Here we go again ???. I'm trying to trace an Azey Birch as he was shown on census returns from 1871 onwards.

Prior to this understand he was Azar or Azey Smith. From what I have gathered so far his parents were Edward Smith and Folentine. He was baptized on 20.3.1830 at Nailstone Leicestershire, but so far I can't find any trace of him or his parents on 1841 to 1861 census returns, can anyone help with this please?

Many thanks

BG :)

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 9:44 AM
Possible sibling from the freereg site:

Baptism at Cottingham, Northamptonshire - Jeremiah, son of Edward and Valentine Smith of Cottingham, gipsy - born 11th Feb 1835, bapt 12 Feb 1835.

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 10:57 AM
Do you have his marriage?

This looks like it from the Lincolnshire Marriage Indexes:

Navenby - 28th Dec 1857 - Aisy BIRCH son of Edward SMITH to Caroline Smith daughter of Ashley(?)

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 12:03 PM
Working sideways, there's two more baptisms to Edward and Valentine Smith on the IGI.

Selina, 1st Oct 1826 at Stoney Stanton, Leics
Riley, 17th Aug 1823, Thorney, Cambs

This Riley can be found on the 1871 at Little Gonerby and Manthorpe, Lincs:
Riley Smith Birch head wdr 53 hawker Cambs Thorney
William Birch son 16 hawker Leic Swaton
Charlotte Birch dau 15 housekeeper Leics Syston

He's on the 1891 as a boarder at Heckington, Lincs:
Riley Smith boarder wdr 73 general dealer Cambs Thorney

On freebmd there is a marriage in 1846, Grantham district for Riley Birch to either Emily or Maria Smith (can't find this marriage on the Lincolnshire 1837+ Marriage Indexes at the moment).

freereg has two baptisms for Riley and Maria Birch.

Swaton, Lincs, 24th Jun 1852, William s/o Riley and Maria Birch of Swaton, travelling potter
Newark, Notts, 5th Apr 1857, Charles s/o Riley and Maria Birch, of Tenter Bldgs, besom seller

I've come across 'Tenter Bldgs' in Newark before but can't remember where off the top of my head.

Jo.

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 12:26 PM
Do you have his marriage?

This looks like it from the Lincolnshire Marriage Indexes:

Navenby - 28th Dec 1857 - Aisy BIRCH son of Edward SMITH to Caroline Smith daughter of Ashley(?)

That matches the date I have for the marriage. I didn't know that Caroline was also a Smith - eeek - more Smiths

BG :)

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 12:30 PM
Possible sibling from the freereg site:

Baptism at Cottingham, Northamptonshire - Jeremiah, son of Edward and Valentine Smith of Cottingham, gipsy - born 11th Feb 1835, bapt 12 Feb 1835.

Presumably read Valentine where Folentine has been recorded??? typo, do you think Joanne??

BG

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 12:36 PM
Presumably read Valentine where Folentine has been recorded??? typo, do you think Joanne??

BG

Typo, or just what was heard at the time - Folentine and Valentine sound very similar.

They do all seem to have vanished from the census before 1871 though, don't they?

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 12:39 PM
By the way, I'll check the Navenby marriage for Aisy Birch for you next time I'm at the Archives, but I've got friends staying next week, so can't see myself going till mid December at the earliest. Obviously the brides fathers name is hard to read with it having the question mark after it, so I'll see if I can decipher it.

Jo.

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 12:54 PM
By the way, I'll check the Navenby marriage for Aisy Birch for you next time I'm at the Archives, but I've got friends staying next week, so can't see myself going till mid December at the earliest. Obviously the brides fathers name is hard to read with it having the question mark after it, so I'll see if I can decipher it.

Jo.


Thanks Jo, there's certainly no rush for that, as I've only just made the connection this morning via someone else who's researching her family.

BG

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 12:56 PM
I've come across 'Tenter Bldgs' in Newark before but can't remember where off the top of my head.

Jo.


I'm now going back through my records as I am 100% certain part of my family lived there at one time, just can't remember who and when |banghead|

BG :)

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 2:43 PM
Is Azey's wife, Caroline, in the Lincoln Union Workhouse in 1861?

Caroline Birch, pauper, mar, 23, hawker of glass, Harmston Lincs
Hanna, 2, Navenby Lincs
M. Ann, 1 month, Lincoln St. Peter Eastgate (presumably born in the workhouse?)

No sign of Azey though.

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 3:29 PM
Yes she is, but as you say no sign of Azey at that point - gone awol seemingly as he was still alive until 1901!

Tenter Buildings - I've done some digging and it seems I had a relative living at 27 Tenter Buildings on 1861 census (knew I'd come across it somewhere).

BG :)

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 7:05 PM
Tenter Buildings - I've done some digging and it seems I had a relative living at 27 Tenter Buildings on 1861 census (knew I'd come across it somewhere).

I can't find where I've come across that place before, just know I've seen it somewhere.

Have you realised that there's a 'Hasy' Smith on the 1841 Wymondham census entry? He's 15, but could be that his age is rounded, and born Leicestershire. You don't suppose that could be Azey, do you?

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 7:30 PM
Think I've found him on the 1851, but it doesn't really help to give any more information on him.

At the Police Station, East Street, New Sleaford, Lincs there's an Azer Smith, prisoner, age 21, travelling sweep, born Leicester Ibstock.

Ibstock is less than 2 miles from Nailstone.

However, there are no other prisoners, just the constable and his family.

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 8:15 PM
I can't find where I've come across that place before, just know I've seen it somewhere.

Have you realised that there's a 'Hasy' Smith on the 1841 Wymondham census entry? He's 15, but could be that his age is rounded, and born Leicestershire. You don't suppose that could be Azey, do you?

It could be, but who's he with? It looks like a family unit with Seliva being the mother which doesn't add up. Oh why couldn't the 1841 census have more info arghhh!!!

BG

babygirl101
28-11-2008, 8:20 PM
Think I've found him on the 1851, but it doesn't really help to give any more information on him.

At the Police Station, East Street, New Sleaford, Lincs there's an Azer Smith, prisoner, age 21, travelling sweep, born Leicester Ibstock.

Ibstock is less than 2 miles from Nailstone.

However, there are no other prisoners, just the constable and his family.

Well done you, that certainly looks like him. Wonder why he's in there???

BG

JoanneM
28-11-2008, 9:45 PM
Working sideways, there's two more baptisms to Edward and Valentine Smith on the IGI.

Selina, 1st Oct 1826 at Stoney Stanton, Leics
Riley, 17th Aug 1823, Thorney, Cambs

This Riley can be found on the 1871 at Little Gonerby and Manthorpe, Lincs:
Riley Smith Birch head wdr 53 hawker Cambs Thorney
William Birch son 16 hawker Leic Swaton
Charlotte Birch dau 15 housekeeper Leics Syston

He's on the 1891 as a boarder at Heckington, Lincs:
Riley Smith boarder wdr 73 general dealer Cambs Thorney

On freebmd there is a marriage in 1846, Grantham district for Riley Birch to either Emily or Maria Smith (can't find this marriage on the Lincolnshire 1837+ Marriage Indexes at the moment).

freereg has two baptisms for Riley and Maria Birch.

Swaton, Lincs, 24th Jun 1852, William s/o Riley and Maria Birch of Swaton, travelling potter
Newark, Notts, 5th Apr 1857, Charles s/o Riley and Maria Birch, of Tenter Bldgs, besom seller

I've come across 'Tenter Bldgs' in Newark before but can't remember where off the top of my head.

Jo.

Just found a post from Ann on rootschat where whe says that the Maria Smith who married Riley Smith Birch was the daughter of Wisdom Smith and Maria Ellet/Elliott (Maria born 1826).

Wisdom had a brother named Edward. If this Smith/Birch family is connected to the Wisdom Smith family then the Hasy on 1841 could be your man, perhaps a nephew or cousin? As you say, if only there was more information on the 1841...........

Jo.

babygirl101
29-11-2008, 8:29 AM
Just found a post from Ann on rootschat where whe says that the Maria Smith who married Riley Smith Birch was the daughter of Wisdom Smith and Maria Ellet/Elliott (Maria born 1826).

Wisdom had a brother named Edward. If this Smith/Birch family is connected to the Wisdom Smith family then the Hasy on 1841 could be your man, perhaps a nephew or cousin? As you say, if only there was more information on the 1841...........

Jo.

Maria - I'd just found that connection with Wisdom, but that confirms my assumption.

As for Edward being Wisdom's brother, hmmm, it's possible but I have Wisdom's brother Edward (c.1786) married to a Mary Ann, who was half his age. He appears with her on the 1851 census, then on the 1861 census without her. The only possible answer could be if it is him, that he was married before, but I can't prove it. It would make sense though.

BG :)

JoanneM
29-11-2008, 9:27 AM
Or one of these 'multiple wives' shenanigans.

Have you any idea where the Birch surname comes into it? I've been looking a lot a Elijah Boswell and his many wives who do seem to be travelling with these Smiths and Grays. The children from his first marriage seem to use Boswell as a surname, but the children from his subsequent liaisons with Charlotte and Alice Smith use their mothers surname.

I'm wondering if the Lincoln Archives holds any records of the workhouse that Azeys wife was in on the 1861 census - even though he's not there it might say where he was. I've never looked at workhouse records before but I'll ask as I imagine they'd be quite interesting to have a look at.

Also, I'm thinking that if Azey was in the police station on the 1851 census then he must have only been arrested a short time before that, so I could have a look at the newspapers of the time for a week or two either side of the date of the census and see if there was any mention of him, and who he was travelling with. I know the library has copies of the Lincoln area newspapers on microfilm.

Jo.

babygirl101
29-11-2008, 11:48 AM
Or one of these 'multiple wives' shenanigans.

Have you any idea where the Birch surname comes into it?
Jo.

The Birch surname was used by Azey/Azar or whatever he called himself. The 1861 census shows him married to Caroline Birch and among their children was a Mary Birch (b 1861). Caroline was also a Birch when she was in the workhouse, as was baby Mary.

Also what appears to be Azey's brother Riley was named as Riley Smith Birch on the 1871 census. Also Azey calls himself Birch on 1871 census.

Edward & Valentine/Folentine definitely had a son as I've found his baptism record 20.3.1830 at Nailstone Leicestershire.

I must admit I hadn't come across the name Birch amongst travellers before, but clearly they were, with some seemingly definite links to Wisdom Smith, so we're definitely on the right track, but it's mightily confusing.

BG :)

babygirl101
04-12-2008, 6:23 PM
Think I've found him on the 1851, but it doesn't really help to give any more information on him.

At the Police Station, East Street, New Sleaford, Lincs there's an Azer Smith, prisoner, age 21, travelling sweep, born Leicester Ibstock.

Ibstock is less than 2 miles from Nailstone.

However, there are no other prisoners, just the constable and his family.


I've just been given some more info on Azer, it looks as if he as a career criminal, rather than a chimney sweep. Apparently, he was arrested for poaching rabbits and sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment at the Lincs Winter Assizes.

BG :)

JoanneM
05-12-2008, 9:43 AM
Just found a newspaper report on it from the Derby Mercury, Dec 19th 1860.

The report says:

THE GAME LAWS – At Lincoln, last week, before Mr Baron Bramwell, George Gilbert, 40, labourer, John Graham, 40, labourer, and Aisy Smith, chimney sweep, were charged with night poaching and being armed with guns and bludgeons, on land in the occupation of Mr Edward Howard, at Nocton. On the night in question, while the keepers and watchers of the Earl de Grey and Ripon were on duty at Nocton they heard the cry of rabbits on land occupied by Mr Howard and on going to the cover side they found the three prisoners and several other poachers, all armed with bludgeons. A regular fight ensued, and a dog belonging to the poachers, which flew at one of the keepers, was shot dead on the spot. The poachers, especially Smith, fought desperately, and each side received considerable injury, but ultimately the poachers effected their escape, only the three prisoners being known. After their departure, two caps, some bludgeons and two bags, containing 23 couples of rabbits were found. One of the caps was proved to belong to Smith. On the day following the affray the three prisoners were apprehended on a warrant, and Smith’s scalp was found to be cut clean through in several places. The jury found the prisoners guilty. It was proved that Smith had six years ago been convicted of a similar offence, and two years ago of an assault; Graham had several times figured before the city magistrates, and had been imprisoned; Gilbert had also been convicted of night poaching, and all three were well-known as notorious poachers.

His Lordship, in passing sentence on the prisoners, told them that when they committed the offence of which they had been found guilty they knew perfectly well that they were engaged in an unlawful act. He wished them to understand that the law did not punish them for stealing the game, but for illegally trespassing upon other people’s property. They had no more right to go upon a gentleman’s grounds and take game or rabbits, birds or what not, than they had to go in to anybody’s garden and take tulips or roses therefrom. If they did not like the law as it stood, what they had to do was to get it altered. It was not in his province to praise or condemn the game law, but whilst that law existed they must conform to it. It might be that they were fond of sport, or, what was far more likely, of a lazy vagabond life, but not only did they go out for the purpose of entrapping game, but they were armed in such a way, with bludgeons, and stones, and a pistol, so as to place the lives of the men set to watch and defend their master’s property in extreme peril. On the present occasion Smith appeared to have been the worst of the lot of vagabonds, who being worsted skulked away as cowards generally do. It was well for Smith that the pistol or other firearm he had was discharged at a dog, and not at a man. As it was he should make this poaching a bad business for him, for he seemed to be a most unmistakeable ruffian, and his conduct showed that he had very little compunction about knocking a man’s brains out. Gilbert, too, was an old offender, and would have to undergo a long term of imprisonment, as would Graham, who appeared, however, to have taken a less active part in the affray. The learned Baron then sentenced Smith to four years penal servitude; Gilbert to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour; and Graham to twelve months imprisonment with hard labour.

Ann65
05-12-2008, 5:48 PM
Hi guys - the person to ask about the Birch family is CathayB Ill see if I can get hold of her.

The Hasy/Azey Smith link sounds good to me.

Havent been on in a while I can see have some catching up to do!!!

babygirl101
06-12-2008, 7:30 AM
Jo

Thank you so much for the newspaper report, how interesting. So much for being a chimney sweep - it looks as if he had other interests too hehe!!!

BG :)

babygirl101
06-12-2008, 7:46 AM
Do you have his marriage?

This looks like it from the Lincolnshire Marriage Indexes:

Navenby - 28th Dec 1857 - Aisy BIRCH son of Edward SMITH to Caroline Smith daughter of Ashley(?)

I've found a Caroline Smith, christened 1.3.1840, d/o Smith family and Hannah, I'm presuming that's the one, the birthplace matches the info given by her on 1861 census.

BG:)

JoanneM
06-12-2008, 10:36 AM
Jo

Thank you so much for the newspaper report, how interesting. So much for being a chimney sweep - it looks as if he had other interests too hehe!!!

BG :)

I wonder what he'd been doing the night before the 1851 census - pound to a penny he was poaching then too.

JoanneM
06-12-2008, 10:38 AM
I've found a Caroline Smith, christened 1.3.1840, d/o Smith family and Hannah, I'm presuming that's the one, the birthplace matches the info given by her on 1861 census.

BG:)
This baptism is on freereg. There's no father listed, just the mother as Hannah Smith, of Harmston Lane, gipsy.

JoanneM
06-12-2008, 10:39 AM
Hi guys - the person to ask about the Birch family is CathayB Ill see if I can get hold of her.

The Hasy/Azey Smith link sounds good to me.

Havent been on in a while I can see have some catching up to do!!!

Hi Ann,

Nice to see you again.

Jo.

babygirl101
06-12-2008, 10:51 AM
I wonder what he'd been doing the night before the 1851 census - pound to a penny he was poaching then too.


You might think that Joanne, I couldn't possibly comment hehe!!!

BG

JoanneM
29-01-2009, 7:50 PM
Do you have his marriage?

This looks like it from the Lincolnshire Marriage Indexes:

Navenby - 28th Dec 1857 - Aisy BIRCH son of Edward SMITH to Caroline Smith daughter of Ashley(?)

Finally made it to the archives today, and checked this out. Caroline's father is not Ashley, but it's not easy to read. It does start 'A' and end in 'ley', I think it looks like Arkley Smith. He is deceased at the time of the marriage, as is Aisy's father Edward. The witnesses are Benjamin Bellhouse and Mary Murphey, so no clues there. Aisy is a chimney sweeper, they are both of full age and from Navenby.

Caroline's baptism at Harmston on 1 Mar 1840 - there is a line where the fathers name should be '----- and Hannah Smith'. The rest of the entries state if the child is illegitimate, and this one doesn't. It looks like the vicar was absolutely defeated by the fathers name, and couldn't even have a guess at how to spell it. |banghead|

However, Caroline does seem to be linked to the family of Charles and Lydia Gray, as they seem to be following the same travelling patterns.

Harmston baptisms:
23 Jun 1839 Charles s/o Charles and Elizabeth (really Lydia I think) Gray
1 Mar 1840 Caroline d/o --- and Hannah Smith
3 Apr 1842 Phonix s/o Charles and Lydia Gray

Navenby marriages:
28 Dec 1857 - Aisy Birch to Caroline Smith
25 Nov 1862 - Phenix Gray (s/o Charles and Lydia) to Lydia Newborough (Newberry)

Navenby baptisms:
4 Mar 1860 William s/o Azay and Caroline Birch
17 Feb 1862 William s/o Abraham and Harriet Gray (Abraham son of Charles and Lydia)
24 May 1863 Henry s/o Clarke and Mary Ann Gray (Clark son of Charles and Lydia)
12 Mar 1865 John s/o Aisy and Caroline Birch

Same places, same time of year.

Aisy and Caroline Birch end up in Manthorpe cum Little Gonerby. Also there at the same time is Clark Gray and his family.

Lastly, if you look on pages 3/4 of the 'more on travelling families' thread there is an Artleys/Arkless/Hercules Smith mentioned, and Ann mentions remembering seeing a 'Hartley' mentioned somewhere in relation to the Grays. Wonder if this is it?

Jo. :)

babygirl101
17-02-2009, 8:14 PM
Jo

Apologies for not responding sooner, work seems to get in the way of this. Thank you so much for all the information you've found, you're a star.

I've just been looking at Azey again, and Ann had suggested that maybe he was the one on the 1841 census Hasy, now I thought he was the one who became Easy Smith on the 1881 census. The 1881 census shows both an Easy and our Azey(Aisy or whatever he called himself), so I'm really confused now. |banghead|

BG

JoanneM
18-02-2009, 8:32 AM
Hi, BG.

No need to apologise.

I'd not connected Easy Smith to Azey, although I had come across that entry before. There are more travellers on the next two census pages, including Mary A. Charlotte, who I think is the daughter of Sistance/Cystance Charlotte and Lemontina Boswell (and therefore connected in to my Charlotte's), and 'Barnett' Carter who is Violet Smith, baptised at Nettleham Feb 10th 1844 to the elusive Robert and Bythwell Smith of Wymondham Leicester. Also Samuel Elliott who is the son of John Elliott and Jemima Smith.

A little snippet I found that might interest you. I checked the marriage of Wisdom Smith to Amy Haywood at Bourne in 1853 - did you know that one of the witnesses was Matilda Price? I think this is Matilda Smith, born 1828 at Skillington, daughter of Richard Smith, who married Hiram Price in 1846, brother of the Richard who married Alicia Key.

Jo. :)

babygirl101
18-02-2009, 9:47 AM
What a tangled web. I know there's someone else who's interested in Azey/Hasy/Easy or whatever name he went by, so I suggested they read all of this, another person to add to the hunt lol.

1871 = Azey Birch c 1831, Nelson Leic
1881 = Agey Birch c 1816, Nelson Leic
1891 = Ayeh Birch c 1824, Nelson Leic

Deaths Mar 1901
Birch Azey 85 Grantham 7a 309

He's only consistent with his PoB, but given his 'occupation' and I don't mean the chimney sweep bit, I'm not surprised!!!


Hmm Matilda - I have her as Hirams wife and as a Smith, but hadn't made the connection to Wisdom.

She seems to have liked being involved in weddings from the looks of it, as she was also present at John Bowers (my great, great, great grandfather) second wedding. He was married to Ann Holland (Newark), then when she died he seems to have married a Sarah Beard(er), possible a rellie of Mark Beard.

I think they just all married each other - talk about 'keep it in the family'!!! they seem to have made a career from it.

BG :)

JoanneM
09-06-2009, 3:47 PM
Finally made it to the archives today, and checked this out. Caroline's father is not Ashley, but it's not easy to read. It does start 'A' and end in 'ley', I think it looks like Arkley Smith. He is deceased at the time of the marriage, as is Aisy's father Edward. The witnesses are Benjamin Bellhouse and Mary Murphey, so no clues there. Aisy is a chimney sweeper, they are both of full age and from Navenby.

Caroline's baptism at Harmston on 1 Mar 1840 - there is a line where the fathers name should be '----- and Hannah Smith'. The rest of the entries state if the child is illegitimate, and this one doesn't. It looks like the vicar was absolutely defeated by the fathers name, and couldn't even have a guess at how to spell it. |banghead|

I came across this burial today in the Carlton le Moorland, Lincs, parish registers:

Arkliss Smith, a Travelling Pauper, buried 3 Jun 1840 aged 19 years.

He's got to be a candidate for Caroline's father - there's under 6 miles between Harmston where Caroline was baptised 1 March and Carlton le Moorland where Arkliss was buried 3 June.

Age is slightly out but there's a baptism on the IGI for Archilaus Smith s/o Amy and Mary Smith, 27 Jan 1823 at Ashby Folville Leics.

Jo.

babygirl101
10-06-2009, 10:53 AM
That's certainly a possibility, Jo, given that I've already looked everywhere I could think of for Archilaus, this would certainly explain why I haven't found him, but as you say the dates look a bit tight, but not impossible for him to be Carolines father and if it was him then if gives a definite link to my family, which with Caroline's track record I'd really rather it hadn't :D

BG :)

JoanneM
10-06-2009, 6:12 PM
.......and if it was him then if gives a definite link to my family, which with Caroline's track record I'd really rather it hadn't :D

Do you know, I just knew you'd be pleased with that bit of info. ;) Still, who knows, if Arkliss had lived maybe things would have turned out differently. I found a burial in the Navenby registers for William Birch aged 2 months buried 25 Mar 1860. :(

Jo.

babygirl101
11-06-2009, 5:15 AM
if Arkliss had lived maybe things would have turned out differently. I found a burial in the Navenby registers for William Birch aged 2 months buried 25 Mar 1860. :(

Do you really think so. I suspect that Caroline might have benefitted from some sort of parenting skills classes, given how incredibly "careless" she was with her children!!! I would put money on William Birch being one of hers! I think that brings the total to around 15 children.

BG :)