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I recently attended a history talk at my local church, St. Anne's in Oldland, Bristol, South Glos. The talk was about the history of the church and the churchyard. During the talk, a very prominent grave at the front of the church was mentioned. It is in a very sacred part of the churchyard - as it is in-line with the alter inside the church. The grave is unusual in that the little girl who is laid to rest there, was not local to the Oldland area. She was from Belgrave Cottage, Pimlico. I have recently found the burial details which state Christian was staying at St. Anne's Parsonage at the time she died.

Although I have found the burial entry for Christian, in 1860 in St. Anne's burial register, I can find nothing else about her.

Can anyone help?

Age at death?

Please.........................

Thanks for your reply. She was around 7 years old, the register states her estimated year of birth was 1853 - this is from the following link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT7C-S2C

Also, this Genesreunited thread has more information that might be helpful: https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1282497

I'm getting nowhere fast so I'd really appreciate any help with this :-)

Very odd - no civil registration of the death as far as I can see

Can't see any obvious connection with the other (very old) thread

The fact that Matthew Armstrong (who I believe was Christian's grt Uncle - the brother of her Grandfather - also named John) was connected to the Anglican church is a connection. There is a will of John senior dated 1803, that has Matthew as the executor.
Why was a young child from Pimlico staying at the parsonage of St Anne's, Oldland (presumably with her Father John) when she died?

I was told by the local records office that civil registration wasn't compulsory back then, hence there being no civil records of her death or her birth for that matter. Yet she has one of the most elaborate graves in the churchyard, with a headstone and footstone.

Registration of deaths was compulsory. It was for births that the compulsion to register didn’t come In until 1875

If there was such an obvious religious connection, one would expect there to be a record of a baptism

Your reference to a known father is somewhat belated

I was told by my local register office - "it was not compulsory to register a Birth, Death or Marriage before 1874"
Yes, one would indeed expect there to be a record of a baptism. Surely she must have been baptised as burial on consecrated ground wouldn't have happened if she hadn't been baptised.

If by 'somewhat belated' you mean I should have mentioned her father in my original post, my intention was to include a photo of the headstone which has her father's name on, but it seems you can't include images in posts here.

Maybe this will work: https://postimg.cc/tZXS5NZZ

Just a stab in the dark really but could she have been an illegitimate child of John Armstrong?

Here's a record that popped out at me

Name: Christian Milsom
Registration Year: 1860
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district: Clifton
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 90

Edit: Maybe not there is a child born 1846 that appears to fit with the above.

A birth could be registered with the surname + 'Female or Male' given in place of a name if they hadnt decided what to call them

????

Deaths Dec 1860 (>99%)
ARMSTRONG Christian Festiniog 11b 302

maybe died in wales
and buried in bristol

Thanks Gins, I'm not sure. A stab in the dark as you say (but that's better than nothing) and I very much appreciate your input, I'm just not sure if her father would have his name and his location on a headstone, especially on such a prominent grave, if she was illegitimate.

I'll try searching again with the given name left blank. Thanks again ;-)

Thank you safc,

That begs the question, did people move their dead around for burial back then? The fact she was staying at the parsonage when she died implies that even a seemingly well to do family tended not to do that.

Thanks though, I really appreciate your help :-)

GRO shows that death to be of a 70 year old unfortunately

Christian Armstrong who died in Ffestiniog, was aged 70.

ARMSTRONG, CHRISTIAN 70
GRO Reference: 1860 D Quarter in FESTINIOG Volume 11B Page 302

could this be any connection to family mary armstrong born in bristol and a daughter born in pimlico

Amelia Armstrong
England and Wales Census, 1851

Name:
Amelia Armstrong
Event Type:
Census
Event Date:
1851
Event Place:
Saint Paul, Bedfordshire, England
Registration District:
Bedford
Residence Note:
Union Street
Gender:
Female
Age:
13
Marital Status:
Unmarried
Occupation:
Scholar
Relationship to Head of Household:
Daughter
Birth Year (Estimated):
1838
Birthplace:
Pimlico, London
Page Number:
44
Registration Number:
HO107
Piece/Folio:
1751 / 695
Affiliate Record Type:
Household
Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
David Armstrong Head Male 58 Scotland
Mary Armstrong Wife Female 48 Bristol, Somerset
Amelia Armstrong Daughter Female 13 Pimlico, London
Eliza Armstrong Daughter Female 11 Bedford, Bedfordshire
Alfred Armstrong Son Male 9 Bedford, Bedfordshire

What does the last line on the gravestone say? I can't make it out.

After "of Belgrave Cottage, Pimlico"

From the 1836 Bill presented to Parliament

And be it Enacted, That every Registrar, immediately upon registering any Death, or as soon thereafter as he shall be required so to do, shall, without fee or reward, deliver to the Person having charge of the Funeral, a Certificate under his hand, according to the Form of Schedule (E.) to this Act annexed, that such Death has been duly registered, and such Certificate shall be delivered by the Person having charge of the Funeral, to the Minister or officiating Person who shall be required to perform any religious service for the burial of the dead body, or to the Person by whose authority the grave or vault shall be dug or opened for the burial of such body, and no dead body shall be buried until such Certificate shall have been so delivered: Provided always, That the Coroner, upon holding any inquest, may order the body to be buried, if he shall think fit, before registry of the death; and shall in such case give a Certificate of his order in writing under his hand, according to the Form of Schedule (F.) to this Act annexed, to the Person having charge of the Funeral, which shall be delivered as aforesaid; and every Person who shall perform any funeral or any religious service for the burial of any dead body, or who shall authorize any grave or vault to be dug or opened for the purpose of burying any dead body therein, until a Certificate shall have been duly made and delivered as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding Ten Pounds for every such offence.

People could indeed bury their loved ones somewhere other than where they died, or even where they lived ........ took them back to the ancestral home.

Maybe that is what happened in this case??

Have you tried for a mis-spelling of Christian .......... maybe Christine? Not unknown!!!

2 christian's born in 1853 westminster is area for pimlico

Births Mar 1853 (>99%)
Ballanjam Christiana Westminster 1a 231

Births Dec 1853 (>99%)
ENOUY Christian Augustus Westminster 1a 215

Below from link?...

Chris :)

https://www.bafhs.org.uk/research-room/monumental-inscriptions

Surname: ARMSTRONG Forename: Christian Date: 1860? Age: 76 Location: OLDLAND Incumbency:


Edits...

Westminster Baptisms (Find My Past)
First name(s) Christian
Last name Armstrong
Birth year 1788
Birth date 22 Dec 1788
Baptism year 1789
Baptism date 22 Feb 1789
Father's first name(s) John
Mother's first name(s) Ann
Parish St George, Hanover Square
County Middlesex
City of Westminster Archives Centre
Record set Westminster Baptisms