Genealogy Chat

Hi, All. I'm having real trouble trying to locate my Gt Grandparent's on the 1901 cencus. My Gt Grandfather was William Sampson b c1869 but, I haven't a clue as to where? He was a labourer. My Gt Grandmother was Jane Sarah Howard b c1869 Croydon Surrey. They married in Croydon in 1897. Jane's family were all living at 10 bourne street Croydon, so that's where i'd hoped William & Jane would be as, that is where they were living when their daughter Edith (my nan) was born in 1903. I don't know what to do now because i can't find out where William came from? His father was Thomas Sampson occ shoe maker and that's all i know?? I hope all this makes sense? Does anyone have any ideas? or will i have a long wait for the 1911 cencus to open?? Many thank's, Gaynor x

Gaynor To answer your last question first, the 1911 census should be released 1st Jan 2012, but its in an awful mess and no work has been done to index it, so don't hold your breath. You could try looking for William's father Thomas. He might be living in the place where William was born, so you could then use that as birthplace to search for William. nell

Just re-read your message. If the parents William & Jane married in 1897 they must have had children before 1903?

Thanks nell. I've tried everything. I found a family in Altrincham Cheshire on 1881 cencus that would fit the bill except for Thomas's occupation being different but, as i don't have any evidence of where William was born i can't really use the info. If only they'd thought to put where parents were born on birth cert's back in those day's like they do now, it'd make life a whole lot easier wouldn't it! Still, it's the thrill of the chase i suppose! lol. Gaynor x

Yes that's what i thought, so i've tried looking for possible siblings and found a William Sampson b 1898 in Croydon. My Sampson line is very difficult for me to research as my Nan (edith) died in 1943/4 when my Dad was a toddler, and as his father was away in the army he was then raised in a childrens home. Sadly my Dad died when i was young and the only person who kind of remembers anything is my Dad's brother who is now 76. My Uncle told me his Mum had brother's, Jack, Jim, Bill & Fred - and that is all i have to go on? Sorry for rambling on! lol Gaynor x

It's news to me that they put parents' birthplaces on birth certs! I know they do in Scotland, but my children's certs don't have any info about my place or date of birth. nell

I don't know what year they started adding parent's places of birth to birth certs but, i was born in 1970 and my birth cert has my parents places of birth on it and so does my childrens. Gaynor x

This is a possible candidate for the familyin 1881, with a gap where William should be: 1. Name Thomas SAMPSON Relationship Head Condition M Gender M Age 63 Occupation Shoemaker Birthplace Sevenoaks, Kent, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 2. Name Sophia SAMPSON Relationship Wife Condition M Gender F Age 41 Occupation – Birthplace Blackheath, Kent, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 3. Name Thomas SAMPSON Relationship Son Condition U Gender M Age 18 Occupation Iron & Last Mkr (Boot) Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 4. Name Ellen SAMPSON Relationship Daur Condition U Gender F Age 20 Occupation – Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 5. Name George SAMPSON Relationship Son Condition – Gender M Age 15 Occupation – Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 6. Name Elizabeth SAMPSON Relationship Daur Condition – Gender F Age 13 Occupation – Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 7. Name Susan SAMPSON Relationship Daur Condition – Gender F Age 8 Occupation Scholar Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 8. Name Mary A. SAMPSON Relationship Daur Condition – Gender F Age 6 Occupation Scholar Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 9. Name James SAMPSON Relationship Son Condition – Gender M Age 4 Occupation Scholar Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 10. Name Henry SAMPSON Relationship Son Condition – Gender M Age 1 Occupation – Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00 11. Name Baby SAMPSON Relationship Daur Condition – Gender F Age 1 d Occupation – Birthplace Bermy, Surrey, England Address 21 Brunswick Ct, Bermondsey, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0562 Folio 106 Page 27 FHL film no. 1341128 Amount paid £0.00

Which might fit, as I've found this: 1. Name William SAMPSON Relationship Inmate Condition – Gender M Age 10 Occupation – Birthplace Bermondsey, Surrey, England Address The St Olaves Union Infirmary, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England PRO ref RG11/0582 Folio 25 Page 3 FHL film no. 1341133 Amount paid £0.00 Twenty-five in Household id (price £0.00)

Gaynor I've just checked my son's cert - born 1994 - and there's my birthplace! Just goes to show you can't check enough!!! What a shame they didn't start like this in 1837. It would make my research MUCH easier! nell

Thankyou, pheonix! That definately looks like a great possibility! I've not seen that one before. Perhaps William could have been staying with Grandparent's or something?? Thanks again, Gaynor x

Yes, i know what you mean nell! Something so simple could have saved us from quite a few headaches...and worse lol! Gaynor x

Pheonix, I think you have come up trumps!! I can't thank you enough! This means so much to me!! Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou!!! Gaynor x

Oh dear. There's a Rose Sampson born 1867 in Croydon who's a prisoner in Holloway jail! There's also a William Sampson born c1868 at Grimley Worcs who's a prisoner in Grimley Jail, Worcestershire. Hope they're not yours!

I'm not having much luck with other censuses, though this looks like the father's death: Deaths Sep 1896 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sampson Thomas 76 St. Olave 1d 162 Be warned that Bermondsey/Rotherhithe/Camberwell/Lambeth/Southwark are all very close together and birthplaces may be given as any of these, not to mention Sampson being spelled Samson or mistranscribed as Lampson. Good luck!

By the way, as answer to your original question, it is well worth using familyhistoryonline to search the 1881 census. You have to register, but the index is free and 1881 is available because the index was largely created by members of family history societies. You can, of course, use Ancestry or Family Search, but FHOL displays occupations, so is an easy way of sorting through lots of people with a common surname. Freebmd isn't complete for the period, so you need to check Ancestry's beta index for births, but this is a possible for William's birth Births Mar 1870 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sampson William John St. Olave 1d 185

Thanks, pheonix! I'll give FHOL a try. Thanks again for all your help today! It's very much appreciated! xx Paul - It wouldn't suprise me if they did belong to me as, a couple of years back i went to a clairvoyant evening and they told me that i have links to some of the first inhabitants of Australia - which were of course.... convicts ! lol. Gaynor x