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  1. #1

    Default Great Grandparents from Colchester, Essex

    I am looking for information on my great grandparents both born in Colchester, Essex
    Alice May Victoria Ward born March 17, 1878 and married David DeHaney born 1877

    They immigrated to Canada prior to 1912.

    As I am a beginner in searching, any leads or info is valuable!
    Thank you

  2. #2
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    Hi Tracy,

    Some details about David and Alice, with some 'how to/what to' information thrown in.

    For anyone born between 1 July 1837 and approximately 20 December 1983 start with FreeBMD.
    https://www.freebmd.org.uk/ then click search.
    This is still an ongoing project to transcribe the GRO Index (General Register Office) of all BMDs (births, marriages, and deaths) registered in England and Wales between 1 July 1837 and 31 Dec 1983. (Now working on 1940s onwards, though some chunks of earlier records are still to be transcribed.)
    You are allowed six weeks in which to register a birth, so bear in mind that someone born even in say, November 1900, could have their birth registered in March quarter 1901.
    The GRO Index is split into quarters (Mar, June, September, December) and for the March one will cover births registered between 1 Jan and 31 Mar that year. (You can do the maths for the other quarters. )
    FreeBMD has a superb search engine – you can even search using first names only, provided you narrow down the year/county/registration district to avoid getting over 3000 hits in one go.

    Whichever database you’re searching it’s usually wise to extend your dates from what you think is correct. Most records are usually based on ‘age at time of event’ which when you’re searching doesn’t make allowances for whether someone has already had their birthday that year or not. You will also be surprised how many people only age five or seven years in the ten years between censuses.

    Searching FreeBMD for David Dehaney born 1875 brings up no results. Follow my tip of widening the years and you find a David Thomas Dehaney, birth registered December quarter 1879 in Colchester registration district, volume number 4a page number 402. Those are the details that you need if you want to order the birth certificate from the GRO.
    https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

    If you click on the name of the registration district you get a link to all the places in that district. Often the name of the district is the same as the main town which leads to confusion as people say ‘he was born in Colchester’ and then get confused when the only person with that name seems to have been born in Clacton. The answer being that Clacton was in the Colchester registration district – though admittedly only from 1974.)

    Bear in mind that on FreeBMD (as with many sites) you are looking at a transcription, and you should always check the original document. In this case, click on the ‘specs’ symbol, and on the next page scroll down to click ‘view the original’.

    The advice when dealing with direct ancestors is to send for as many BMD certificates as money will allow. This makes sure that when you follow the generations further back that you are following the correct people, and not just following the first person you’ve found with that name. (Even though I was not exactly a newbie when I found my great-grandmother’s death registration, I originally found the wrong one. Name fitted, age fitted, place fitted. Except that I forgot that gt-grannie had a distinctive middle name, which I later found by chance in a burial register. Then I found the correct death registration – in 1917, not 1909.)

    The next step is to search for David on the census, beginning with 1881.
    The census images are available on various subscription sites, the main ones being Ancestry and Findmypast (FMP). Both of those sites offer a free 14-day trial, but you need to make sure that you cancel the automatic subscription renewal before the end of those 14 days. If you have an LDS FHC (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Family History Centre) locally then you can view the images there.
    I think you can search the indexes without registering but it’s so long ago that I did that that I’m not sure.

    David Dehaney in 1881 is living in Colchester, civil parish of St Leonards.
    Census reference: RG11/1793 folio 24 page11
    The household is
    David Dehaney, head, mar(ried), 27, laborer, Birmingham (i.e.born there)
    Mary, wife, mar, 24, tailoress, Colchester Essex
    David, son, 1, Colchester Essex
    Louisa Seaves, sister, mar, 24, Birmingham

    1891 census
    Family still living in Colchester, civil parish of St Leonards. Indexed on FMP as Delaney.
    Census ref: RG12/1412 folio 41 page 29
    David Dehaney, head, 38, general labourer, Birmingham
    Mary, wife, 35, tailoress, Colchester
    David, son, 11, Colchester
    Louisa, daur, 9, Colchester
    (Next page so officially census ref RG12/1412 folio 41 page 30)
    Joseph, son, 5, Colchester
    John, 1, Colchester

    1901 census
    Family living in Colchester, civil parish of St Leonards.
    Census ref: RG13/1711 folio 26 page 3
    David Dehaney, head, 45, engineer’s [-]iviting machine driver, Birmingham (think the missing letter is R –riviting)
    Mary, wife, 44,
    David T, son, 21, engineers' foundry labourer
    Louisa, daur, 19, tailoress
    Joseph, son, 15, engineers boiler riviter
    John, son, 11,
    William, son, 7
    Percy, son, 5
    Frederick, son, 3
    Alfred G, son 3 months, (Alfred’s second initial clearly written as a G, but he was Alfred Charles. See FreeREG.)
    Mary and children all born Colchester

    FreeBMD - David Thomas Dehaney married Alice Victoria Ward, December quarter 1901, Colchester registration district, volume number 4a page number 1254
    When you order certificates from the GRO you must write the names exactly as written in the GRO Index, otherwise you will be told 'we have no record for those names'.

    1911 census
    David and Alice not found, but they may already have been in Canada by then.

    Quite a bit more to follow.

    Pam
    Last edited by Pam Downes; 20-01-2015 at 6:11 AM. Reason: Changed incorrect refs from FreeREG to correct ones of FreeBMD. (VERY senior moment!)

  3. #3

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    Wow, Pam, You are so helpful and I am so grateful! I believe that David and Alice did emigrate prior to 1911 because my grandfather was the youngest and born in Canada 1912. There was one more daughter older than he born in Canada, named Maisie. Mini and Ivy were born in England and emigrated with David and Alice. That is about all I know...except they settled in Prince Edward County, Ameliasburg Ontario Canada. I would love to dig into Alice's history, because there is quite a story if all that has been passed down orally is true! Thank you for your help.

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    Firstly, to tie up a few loose ends from my first reply.

    Most importantly - I kept saying FreeREG when I meant FreeBMD. Amendments are now hopefully all corrected. Apologies for the confusion.

    LDS FHCs can be found by going to https://familysearch.org/
    Ignore the 'sign in' at the top of the page. I think you only need to do that if you transcribe for the LDS, or if you want to add your family tree/records. You can search the site for free.

    Scroll down, and there's a 'find a Family history centre' link to click. Just enter your town/nearest town/province in the search box at the top. Then enlarge the map, to see locations on the map, and if you find something local click on the logo. (I know Canada is a huge place and I once found someone's nearest FHS was about a thousand miles from where they lived. Though they admitted they lived some distance from civilisation as most people know it!)

    Just under the main picture on the Familysearch page you'll see 'search', click.
    Click on Canada on the map.
    From the 'choose location' box, click on 'Canada'. (You can narrow it down to a province later if you wish. )
    Then click on the 'start researching in Canada' link.
    Where it says 'filter by collection', click on 'show all 45'. (I've not done this before myself, so I'm on a learning curve here as well. )

    For starters, select 'Canada Passenger lists 1881-1922'.
    Search for David Dehaney.Click on the most likely person, and then click on the camera image on the right-hand side of the page.

    Underneath the 'all 45 collections' list there's a list of other Canadian records which have yet to be indexed, but for which you can browse through the images.

    This is the equivalent page for the UK collection.
    https://familysearch.org/search/coll...INGDOM_IRELAND


    In the (UK) census the relationship is given to the head of the household, so in 1881 Louisa Seaves (though I think it might be Leaves) is the sister of the elder David Dehany.
    Having trouble finding a marriage for either David and Mary, or Louisa.
    So you really need to send for David Thomas Dehany's birth certificate to find out his mother's maiden name.

    Alternatively, try the parish registers for St Leonard's Colchester to see if Mary's maiden name is listed in any baptism records for the children. No guarantee the children were baptised there, but they lived in the parish 1881-1911 at least. Worth looking for a fiver. You could also try the marriage registerfor about 1877-1880 as there are errors on the GRO Index. (Marriages not listed, registration districts listed incorrectly, etc. According to the GRO my uncle married in a completely different registration district when he married my aunt in 1957.)
    https://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/EssexAncestors.aspx

    Referencing back to FreeREG. It's similar to FreeBMD, but is the free transcription of parish registers in the UK. Search engine is not as powerful as FreeBMD (you have to give a minimum of a surname and county) and obviously with PRs going back to 1538 it's extremely far from complete. Though you can use Familysearch for PRs.

    The third member of the 'family' is FreeCEN which aims to offer transcriptions of the UK census 1841-1901. (Not sure about 1911.) Again, far from complete, and some counties are better represented than others.

    Links to FreeREG and FreeCEN are among those listed in this helpful post.
    https://www.british-genealogy.com/thr...-of-essentials

    County Family History Societies have often transcribed parish registers - some publish the results as individual parishes, some as all the baptisms/marriages/burials in a certain area for a certain time.

    Another tip - learn the difference between birth and baptism, and death and burial. They're not the same, and although burial usually follows fairly quickly after death, baptism can take place many years after birth.

    Pam

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by TRobinson1 View Post
    Wow, Pam, You are so helpful and I am so grateful! I believe that David and Alice did emigrate prior to 1911 because my grandfather was the youngest and born in Canada 1912. There was one more daughter older than he born in Canada, named Maisie. Mini and Ivy were born in England and emigrated with David and Alice. That is about all I know...except they settled in Prince Edward County, Ameliasburg Ontario Canada. I would love to dig into Alice's history, because there is quite a story if all that has been passed down orally is true! Thank you for your help.
    Seems as if she spent her early years on the run from the cops, as I'm not having a lot of luck finding her at the moment.

    No Alice May/Alice May Victoria/Alice Victoria with a surname of Ward birth registered in Colchester registration district, or indeed Essex, March quarter 1877 to December quarter 1879.
    Only one of those combinations registered in the whole of England and Wales between those dates is Alice May Ward, registered June quarter 1879 Westminster registration district.
    Currently can't find her in the 1881 census. (Obviously need to replenish my supply of fairy dust. )

    Only Alice (plus no or any middle name) Ward birth registered Colchester registration district 1877-1879 is Alice Marianne in June quarter 1878. But she ain't yours as she's still living at home in Colchester with her parents Frederick Albert and Sarah Maria in 1911.

    I've put this next bit in italics as I'm not sure that this Alice is any connection. I can't find her mother in the 1881 census to get any further clues.
    Searching for an Alice birth registered in Colchester 1877-1879, gives an Alice May Elliott, registered June quarter 1878.
    I would presume that's she's the Alice M Elliot 2-year old granddaughter of John and Emma Chapman in the 1881 census.
    Living in Colchester, civil parish of St James.
    Census reference: RG11/1792 folio 90 page 32
    The household is
    John W Chapman, head, mar, 48, Chelsea Pensioner (means he's an ex-soldier), Bermondsey London
    Emma W, wife, mar, 49, Colchester
    Thomas E Nayler, stepson, 18, no occupation
    Grace Nayler, stepdaur, 12, scholar, Colchester
    Laura E Nayler, stepdaur, 14, scholar, Colchester
    Alice M Elliott, granddaur, 2, Colchester
    George Brook, boarder, 23, engineer and fitter, Ipswich Suffolk

    Marriage John William Chapman and Emma Winifred W Nayler September quarter 1873 Colchester registration district.

    Connection is Alice Agnes Nayler (daughter of Emma) married John Elliott September quarter 1875 Colchester registration district. (Emma and Alice in 1871 census, reference RG10/1687 folio 56 page 1.)


    Conclusion: you need to get the marriage certificate of David and Alice to see what clues it might give us about her father.
    You might find it in the Colchester PRs, which would save you a few quid. Try St Leonard's parish first, as that where David was living a few months before they married.

    Pam

  6. #6

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    Pam, the story I've been told would explain the lack of registration for Alice May Victoria Ward. She wasn't supposed to be allowed to live, if the story is true. There was a scandal involving a Lord fathering the child of a maid, Alice's mother. Alice's grandfather rescued her from the woodshed she had been placed in to freeze to death. She lived to be 94 years old and was one of the sweetest, tiniest wee English ladies I've ever met! She stood about 4 foot 11 inches, and I wouldn't be here if her grandfather hadn't been a very brave man! She was my great grandmother and we called her "Little Gram"

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    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Hi
    I have been reading this thread with interest and am in awe of all the essential information on how to search Pam has given.
    So here is my measly little bit. I couldn't see this info anywhere but if you already have it my apologies

    David T Dehaney
    Age - 27 born c 1879
    Departed - 6 Sep 1906 from Liverpool, England
    Destination Port - Quebec, Canada
    Ship - Dominion

    It looks as if he was travelling on his own.

    I can't see an immigration record for Alice as yet.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  8. #8
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Still looking for the immigration records for Alice and two children
    I did find the birth record for Frederick David Thomas DeHaney born 23 April 1912 father David T a florist mother's name Alice May Victoria Dehaney nee Ward married Colchester 25 December 1900.

    Still can't pick up Minnie Vera born 1906 or Ivy Alice 1903 or their mother on shipping lists.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  9. #9
    janbooth
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    Marriage for Ivy Alice DEHANEY, courtesy Ancestry's Canadian records:

    3 September 1934 at Belleville, Hastings Sydney BOWNESS, Street Car Operator, bachelor, 26, 1449 Putnam Street, Detroit, Michigan, born England & Ivy Alice DEHANEY, Telephone Operator, spinster, 20, Mountain View, Prince Edward Co, Ontario, born England. Witnesses: David Thomas DEHANEY & Robert Bell BOWNESS. Bridegroom's father Thomas BOWNESS & mother Margaret PENRITE, Bride's father David Thomas DEHANEY, mother Alice WARD

    Janet

  10. #10
    janbooth
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    Bit more information which you may already have, but in case not:

    Canada Voters Lists from Spadina, Ontario, 1940 182 Madison Avenue De HANEY, Mrs Alice, widow

    Could this DEHANEY be connected to your family in some way. source Ancestry's Canadian Passenger Lists:

    25 March 1922 on SS Montcalm to Canada John Thomas DEHANEY, 30, single, Occupation Horseman, Intended Occupation Farming, born Colchester, English, Church of England, going to join his brother. His passage was paid by the Colchester Brotherhood and his destination was Belleville. His nearest relative in the UK was his mother Mrs Mary Ann DEHANEY of 108 Morant Road, Colchester.

    However, like Christina, I cannot find any trace of immigration records for Alice and the children. Will keep looking though.

    Janet

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