Horton/burchell

[billdog]

Hi, can anyone help me track down William Horton, a jeweller who was born in England and married Scottish born Charlotte Burchell before emigrating to Australia pre 1883. Their son, William, was supposed to have been born in England too. This information is from memoirs of family members who are now deceased - I have no supporting documentation at this stage. Cheers, Bernadette

[Pam Downes]

Hi Bernadette,
First of all it's important to establish that the line you have been given back to William and Charlotte is correct - presumably by use of Australian BMD records. Yes, it might cost you a few quid, but not spending money at this stage might well be a false economy if in two or three years time someone comes along and proves you've been following the wrong people.
I know that Australian BMD certificates have much more info on them than English ones, so if there were children born in Oz, it might be worth buying one of their birth certificates.
Once you've established the line, then you can start searching for the family on the 1881 and earlier census, and looking for BMD certificates in England and Scotland.
Pam

[Wirral]

Hi Bernadette
As Pam says, you are best getting any Oz certificates first just to prove you are on the right lines. However, the names you are looking for are relatively uncommon & the marriage is listed on www.freebmd.org.uk :
William Horton married Charlotte Birchill September quarter 1865 West Bromwich registration district, volume 6b page 790. You can order the certificate online via the government website at www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content

[Wirral]

This looks like them in the 1871 census:

RG10/3156 folio 63 page 30, Park Lane, Aston, (St Silas parish), Warwickshire
William Horton head M 25 Jeweller, Birmingham Warwickshire
Charlotte Horton wife M 25, Banbury Oxfordshire
William Horton son 4 scholar, Birmingham Warwickshire
Charlotte Horton dau 2, Birmingham Warwickshire