Genealogy Enquiries

I have had a word with our member Mikejee and he has volunteered to try to help out with any genealogy enquiries so if you are researching your ancestry and you need some help, then Mike is the man to ask.

I will also add that Mike is a genius on the streets,maps and buildings of Birmingham. But if you have questions on that topic please ask on the topography thread.

I would like to add a big thanks to Mike from myself, SB and all our members.

Hi Phil

Thanks for doing this topic I will find out my bits of paper I have collected.

June

Hi June,

I'm sure with a little persuasion Mike can be talked into giving a little simple instruction on how to start your research into your family history. I know very little except that in the early stages you will need as many names, dates of birth and death along with places of residence that you can gather.

I'm sure Mike will be able to impart far more information than I could ever do.

Phil

I think Phil exagerates my knowledge a little, but I'll do my best.
The first thing is to put together a list of what you do know, either definitely or possibly. Take a fairly large sheet of paper and put out a family tree, like the ones you've seen on tv etc starting with yourself at the bottom and then putting your mother above on one side, father on the other.(see very awful attachment, sorry for bad writing and drawing, its just to see you know hwat i mean). Birthdays and ages with the names. Then grandparents above that. If you know that your parents or grandparents had sisters or brothers, write them in . Put in as many people as you know or suspect.
When you have done that , see who you can ask for information , not necessarily relations but , if any are around , people who knew your family then. Until about two and a half years ago I never knew who my father was, my mother never talked about it. Then my half sister came looking for me from Canada, and I learnt a lot more. The thing was, and the point I'm trying to make is that several people who knew the family knew who he was and assumed i did also. Similarly just talking to older friends may produce information to add to your knowledge, cousins they may have met (even if they dont know exactly the relationship).
When you think you have got as much as possible from this route (and other things may turn up in conversation from relatives etc at a later date) then you can see what you need to find out to further your researches. There are birth , death and marraige records, and these may give info on parents of people, addresses and occupations.
The census hopefully may give further information (available with varying amounts of information in 1842,1851,1861,1871,1881,1891,1901 and 1911. ), though people did get missed out and census books did disappear. Directories can be helpful if they are available (but usually mainly for people in business as private addresses were not universally listed).
That's for a start. One thing you will have to remember is not to definitely accept anything just because somewhere says so. Try and get confirmation in some way.
Anyway , that's how i would start. any questions, let me know.
Mike

Hi Mikejee

Thanks for that started to do family tree about 20+ years ago came to a full stop will look paperwork out.

June

June
You sort out what you have and then we can try and see what else you need and what of that is available on the net. Do you live near Brum so you can easily get to the library if necessary?
mike

Hi Mikejee

I do live near Brum but never go into town so am hoping I can do as much as possible on line would you know where about the sub district of St Thomas Birmingham was in 1884?

June

Hi June

I think Mike will confirm this when he comes on. but I think St Thomas Ward was the Lee Bank area of Edgbaston around Holloway Head abd Bath Row area.

Phil

It certainly covers that general area, though I'm not too sure exactly where the boundaries are. It covered Bell Barn Road, gas st, holliday st , broad st , horsefair, hurst st.
mike

Hi June

It might be better if you tell us what address or location you are looking for.

Phil

Hi

Thanks for help the address is 43 Tennant Street, would you know what a Tinplate worker would do?

June

Hi June

Tennant Street ran at the back of Broad St on the Edgbaston Side from Islington Row to Granville St. I have no doubt that Mike will be able to come up with an OS map showing the exact location of the address.

Tin plate workers as I understand it were concerned with placing a thin coat of tin on steel or iron to help insure against corrosion of these metals which soon rusted and became useless for the purpose required without it.

Phil

June

In addition I can tell you that 18 years later (although there may be no connection) in 1902, 43 Tennant St was occupied by George Cornfield furniture dealer.

Phil

Hi Phil

In 1884 Richard Burgess was born the address was 43 Tennant Street his father was a tinplate worker and in, 1908 Richard lived at Friston Street when he got married his occupation was Carter which I think was something to do with furniture, but by then the tinplate worker had become a traveller do you think this was a gypsy?

June

June
I think the word traveller has only relatively recently become to mean gypsy. Here it would have meant a commercial traveller (I would think), who probably went round firms trying to sell his firms products or services.
In 1884 Kellys shows 43 Tennant St as being occupied by Alfred Burgess, coal dealer. There is no listing for 1883, but 1880 it is William Ward, Coal dealer, and in 1888 it is John Davis ,coal dealer. It is possible that the coal dealer just occupied the yard. The 1890 map is at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/mapshee...zm=1&x=141&y=12. this is te centre of the street, but you can recentre by clicking at either end. I have a 1914 map also, but this one is best for your purpose.
I will have a look at the 1880 census and directories and find where 43 was
Mike