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can anyone help me trace the birth of my husbands grandfather Robert Ellick we belief he was born in 1873 no trace of birth the fist time we can trace him is on the 1891 census age 19 and a boarder in Aston Cantlow working as a farmer labour and stating that he was born in Birmingham. The 1901 census has him living in Staffordshire as a boarder and stating that he was born 'High Seas' Can anyone give me any ideas as to how I can trace him from birth to 1891. Any help would be appreicated.

Do you have the details of his marriage?

The marriage certificate would at least give you his father's name (if he knew it, of course). That would give you a piece of info to work with.


Is this him?

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

Marriages Mar 1902
> Ellick Robert William Walsall 6b 921
Foster Thomas Walsall 6b 921
Ingley Mary Ann Walsall 6b 921
Wylie Edith Annie Walsall 6b 921


1911

ELLICK ROBERT W 1873 38 Walsall Staffordshire
ELLICK MARY ANNE 1877 34 Walsall Staffordshire

and children
Margaret 1903
Abraham 1905
John Robert 1908
James 1910


Doing a general search for surname Ellick at FreeBMD, there is only one event in Walsall before your Robert's marriage:

Deaths Mar 1868
ELLICK Edward 51 Walsall 6b 364

I don't see that person in any census (mistranscription always being a possibility, but having looked for a matching Edward in Walsall, as well).

I'd be curious who he was, and whether the death cert might tell anything. The location could have been a complete coincidence, of course.

No Ellick events in Birmingham or Aston, or anywhere in Warwickshire, in fact.

Hello Janey Thank you for your help, I do have Roberts marriage cert he was married in 1902 and it gives his fathers name as Robert William Deceased but I have not been able to find any trace of him in any records. The only trace I have been able to find of a Robert Ellick was on a 1861 census aged 18 born in Jersey I thought I had cracked it thinking this could be Robert jnr father but I have not been able to find any trace of him beforer or after the 1861 census. I will send for Edwards death cert and see if that is of any help. Thanks again Janice

Can you post the details of the 1861 Robert Ellick? I can't find him at Ancestry, which has probably called him something completely different ... If you say where to find him, I might be able to!

I would be suspicious here. ;) A father with exactly the same name as the groom himself ... that's not uncommonly an indication that he didn't know his father's name, and made one up for the occasion. Ellick could be his mother's surname. If there was another RWE, he could have been his maternal grandfather. Or his father might have been Robert William, just not Ellick. Etc, etc.

Hello Jancey - I found Robert Ellick on 1861 census on the Find my Past site he was listed on British Ships in Home Port. it is a very faint copy and I am unable to read the name of the Ship.

Found him.

I found another household yesterday transcribed as Ellick at Ancestry that really seemed to be Elliott -- they were Elliott in the next census (although both could have gone either way), but the GRO had their marriage as Elliott. Which could have been a mistranscription from the original too, of course ...

Name: Robert Elliott
Age: 18
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1843
Relation: Ord Seaman (Ordinary Seaman)
Where born: Jeney St Obins

Civil parish: Vessels
Town: St Sampson Harbour
County/Island: Surrey
Registration district: Anglesey
ED, institution, or vessel: Concordia


I'll agree with "Concordia". The surname is a tough one, but I think it does say Elliott -- it looks more like an "o" than a "c", although the "tt" doesn't seem to be crossed ...


This could be him in 1851 - it does say Elliot:

Name: Robert W Elliot
Age: 7
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Robert
Mother's Name: Mary A
Where born: St Andrew, Jersey, Channel Islands
Civil Parish or Township: Vale
County/Island: Guernsey

Robert Elliot 46 - stone cracker, born England
Mary A Elliot 43 - born England
Mary A Elliot 16
James Elliot 13
Robert W Elliot 7
Philip T Elliot 6
George W Elliot 11 Mo

Jancey many thanks for all your help it certainly gives me food for thought.
I will now go back to the drawing board and look for a Robert Elliot
Thanks again Janice

I always recommend the wild card at Ancestry -- I'd been looking for Elli* for instance. (The problem is worst when the likely mistranscription is within the first three letters, the minimum required, as for my Monck-s: Mouck, Morek, Manck ...)

And too, just leaving out info, getting lots of results, and considering them. Searching just for Ellick (not England's most common name, although fairly common) in a certain age range. Maybe he had siblings, who might show up in a census with similar characteristics. Or searching for a Robert born at sea, or a Rob* W born in Birmingham, and so on.

Gotta admit, tried 'em all and just haven't had any luck for you!

Hello Janey
Thank you for all your help and suggestions they are much appreciated.
I shall keep on searching.
Thanks again
Janice

have now found Robert Ellick on the 1881 census his surname is spelt Hellick but I am sure it is the same person. Still unable to find a birth for him any new suggestions
Many thanks Janice

Hello Everyone
Just had an idea I wonder if Eliza Bonehill who is listed on the 1881 census
living at the same address as Robert Ellick could be his mother. Can anyone help me?
Janice

Robert Hellick in household of Sarah Bonehill, "England and Wales Census, 1881"
Name: Robert Hellick
Age (Original): 9
Gender: Male
Birth Year: 1872
Birthplace: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Relationship to Head of Household: Boarder
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Scholar
Address: Aston Green
Event Place: Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, England
Disability:
Record Type: Household
GS Film number: 1341740
Affiliate Publication Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 3106 / 88
Page Number: 2
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Sarah Bonehill F 65 Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, England
Daughter Eliza Bonehill F 33 Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, England
Grand Son William Bonehill M 24 Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, England
Boarder Robert Hellick M 9 Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Visitor Thomas Horton M 19 Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, England

Thanks for that salc I have the 1881 census info but I was wondering if the daughter
Eliza Bonehill could possibly be Robert Ellick's mother how could I find this out.
Thanks again
Janice

Would have thought he would be listed as grandson if he was her child . He is listed as boarder which because of his age suggests he was being fostered

Hello Shirley
I thought he would be listed as grandson, but I am just covering all eventualities
as I have been searching for Robert's birth for about 8 years and have come up with nothing. I have paid for a search with Barnardo's but they have no record of him .
Thanks for your reply
Janice

Hello all
Can anyone come up with any suggestions for tracing Roberts birth any help would be gratefully received.
Many thanks
Janice

Think I shall have to admit defeat have tried all avenues that my limited knowledge
can think of. Thank you to everyone for their help
Janice

He may not have been registered...there were no penalties until 1875 to register a birth

Hello Jax
Thanks for the info, that could well be the reason I have been unable to trace Robert's birth, are there any records between the 1871 and 1881 census's
that I could find out were he was from his birth in about 1872 until he appears on the 1881 census. Any help would be much appreciated.
Janice

Hello Everyone
can anyone tell me if there are any records, electoral register or such like taken between census's from 1871 - 1881.
Many thanks
Janice