Brick wall in Frome, Somerset

[wedob]

OK - I've reviewed IGI, I've looked at the gomez-smart website on Frome, I've been to the archives at Taunton, and I've talked to the vicar at Frome. But still I cannot find the baptism of Emanuel Webb in about 1806. All available census returns record his birthplace as Frome. Any ideas????
Brian

[Jan1954]

Hello Brian,

Okay - some thoughts to consider....

Emanuel might have been born elsewhere, but taken to Frome at an early age and believed that he was born there.

Was he the eldest child? It may be that his parents married in his mum's parish, stayed there until the lad was born and then moved back to his dad's parish - Frome.

It may be that mum and dad preferred to have their children baptised in a neighbouring parish (previous generations had etc) and they wanted to carry on the tradition.

You may need to start searching some neighbouring parishes for the little blighter!

[wedob]

The time we spent in the archives was largely taken up with looking at surrounding parishes and the records of non-conformist churches, but there are names in your list of surrounding parishes that I don't recognise, so we could have missed some. I think another visit is called for (350 miles away!). Thanks for your input
Brian

[Jan1954]

Have you found any siblings for Emanuel? If so, any clues to where they say they were born?

[Wilkes_ml]

Have you checked Frome baptisms on FreeReg? I know the parish is covered but not sure of the dates covered.

[Wilkes_ml]

Frome does appear to be well covered ( trick I use is to call up all Smiths in a selected parish - it gives a good idea of coverage).

There is an Emanuel Webb baptised at Frome in 1851 - as FreeReg is only and Index, there may be more info in the original. It may be possible that Emanuel was baptised late - I have seen people in their 70's baptised whilst transcribing records!

[Wilkes_ml]

The parents Henry & Amelia Webb were parents of a child baptised at Frome in 1829, followed by 4 children (including Emanuel) baptised on the same day in 1851. This would suggest that they are late baptisms - 22 years after the earliest one!

may not be your Emanuel - but probably related in some way.

[Wilkes_ml]

Unfortunately, Henry and Amelia Webb are not the parents of Emanuel Webb born 1806. They are in 1841 census (HO107; Piece 942; Book: 7; Civil Parish: Frome Selwood; County: Somerset; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: 61; Page: 10; Line: 11) and Emanuel is aged 2 therefore born 1839.

However Henry (born about 1801) may be the brother of your Emanuel.

[wedob]

Hi - thanks to you all for your contributions. To add a little colour to these exchanges I can add a little to your knowledge of Emanuel, but I don't think it gets us much nearer finding his birth record or parents. By 1851 Emanuel had left his family in Somerset to find work in the St Pancras area of London (where they joined him later in the decade). The 1851 census shows him living with his brother-in-law James Holloway and his wife Betsey (or Elizabeth as she was known in the 1841 census). By deduction (but not absolutely certainly) the aforsaid Elizabeth was Emanuel's sister. Her wedding certifcate (one of the first issued in 1837) shows her father as Richard. BUT searches for any further info on Elizabeth or Richard Webb have proved equally fruitless - and there were a heck of a lot of Webbs in the Frome region at that time (the name is old English for weaver, and Frome was an old weaving centre). I will check Freereg (which I have not used before) and I will also think about looking at Wiltshire parishes (as that county is next to Frome). Thanks once again. Brian

[Wilkes_ml]

There was also another Emanuel Webb born about 1806 who was married to Esther/Hester. They were at Frome in 1841 (HO107; Piece 942; Book: 9; Civil Parish: Frome Selwood; County: Somerset; Enumeration District: 11; Folio: 21; Page: 1; Line: 24) with 4 children Elizabeth, Alis, Isaac and David.

Esther was at St. Pancras in 1871( RG10; Piece: 219; Folio: 63; Page: 29) , mother-in-law to William Burridge who was married to Alice.


Is this not the same Emanuel Webb?