Genealogy Chat

Can anybody help? We are looking for our G Grandfather Alfred Dearden, b 1857 Manchester. We have his marriage cert and found him,(we think) on 1871 aged 14 living in Stretford with his mother, Ellen b abt 1832, his brothers William b 1853 and John b abt 1855, and sister Eliza A b 1859. BUT, he is not on 1881. By 1884 he had emigrated to the US, returning before 1894 when his daughter Annie was born in Salford. We cannot find his birth in 1857 in Manchester. BUT there is a Frederick born Manchester 1857. Is this Alfred mis transcribed??? Can anybody help with this please.

Elaine Have you looked for him on LancsBMD? I too have problems finding mine in Manchester in the 1850s/60s. I think there was some sort of glitch - many of them never made it to the GRO but they are in the local Register Offices alright! Just a thought - you have checked Duerden/Durden? Good luck Marjorie

Hi Majorie Just checked Lancs BMD but Manchester births don't seem to be on yet. Nothing under Durden or Duerden. But many thanks. Elaine

Is this mother & brother 1881? Alice Cullam abt 1853 Isle of Man, Isle of Man Niece Stretford Ellen Dearden abt 1829 Isle of Man, Isle of Man Head Stretford John Dearden abt 1855 Manchester, Lancashire, England Son Stretford And Alfred & family 1901 Alfred Dearden 43 Manchester, Lancashire, England Head Salford Lancashire Amelia Dearden 41 Acton Burnell, Shropshire, England Wife Salford Lancashire Margaret Dearden 14 Usa, Texas Daughter Salford Lancashire Frank Dearden 12 Usa, Texas Son Salford Lancashire John Dearden 9 Usa, Texas Son Salford Lancashire Annie Dearden 7 Salford, Lancashire, England Daughter Salford Lancashire Are you basing his emigration on his marriage date? If he married in the States I mean? Could he already have left by 1881? *I can now see he married Amelia Davis 1884 in Lancs

Elaine It was this or the ironing!!!! So have just searched 587 pages of census returns for 1861. They're not in Stretford! Lou

Thanks Sammy... It took me weeks to get that far! Yes that's this brother and mother in 1881 and the returned family in 1901. We think we have them entering New York form The Egypt, April 1884. BUT we can't find Alfred's birth in Manchester in 1857, nor does he appear in 1881 UK OR 1880 US (I think he may have been to the US and come back once). That still doesn't explain his birth unless he is the Frederick in M/c 1857 OR he wasn't born M/c although all the census info says he was. We may need to gamble on a few Birth Certs. But if the family are not on 1861 either in Stretford... where were they? Lou... what a star again. Would you like to send me the ironing? I suppose they could be somewhere else in M/c? Many thanks everyone for all this.

Hi Elaine I did the ironing at 5am....after 3hrs sleep! I was surprised actually at how easy the Stretford returns were to read cos some of the 'older' censuses are quite decayed so I'm pretty certain I didn't miss them. I did find a Mary Dearden though...aged 15 living at 2 Summersgill Road working as a Servant to the Harris family but not sure whether she is one of yours. On the images for the 1871 and 1901, was it any more specific than just MANCHESTER for his birthplace? Was his father's name on the marriage cert? Lou

Hi Lou Sorry been working today. No the returns just say b Manchester, Lancs. His father (on marriage cert) was William, a coal merchant deceased. there is adeath on Ancestry William 1868 M/c aged 42 vol 8 d which looks possible, his wife Ellen was 39 on 1871. Alfred's elder brother William was born n Bury in 1853 and have found his birth on Ancestry. Just the M/c Alfred not there, not sure about his brother John 1855 also M/c. Is just 3 hours sleep a good thig Lou? Elaine

Hi Elaine That's normal...got a baby who hasn't slept for longer than 3hrs on a stretch since he was born. He's now almost 15 months so my sleep pattern is kind of bizarre. Ok...so, just Manchester! Well, from a logical point of view that, to me, would indicate the parishes around city centre Manchester, as opposed to say Salford, Stretford blah blah cos the area might have been mentioned at some point. No idea how many there are that are just Manchester but the next chance I get I'll go Alfred Dearden hunting in those! Lou

Hi Lou You could be right. I have other relatives on my Gmother's side in Hulme. Hulme seemed to be full of poor 'immigrants' I expect lots of tenements. As the Deardens seemed to have moved in from Bury I suppose an area such as that is likely. If I look in M/c central library do they have BMD records? Elaine

Hi Elaine They do. If you google Manchester archives there's 2 pretty good websites about what they hold (2 different recs offices in Manchester). Has anyone done an 1851 Bury look up for you to see whether the family are there? Lou

Thanks Lou. Good idea re Bury 1851. Will post it now

There is this Alfred but mother does not match.....did his father marry more than once, perhaps? ALFRED DEARDEN Male -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event(s): Birth: Christening: 24 JUN 1855 Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, England Death: Burial: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parents: Father: WILLIAM DEARDEN Family Mother: SARAH

Hi Elaine On the strength of what Judy's found I'll check for William and Sarah matches as well as William and Ellen matches in 1851 Lou

Lou and Judy It could be him but we have no evidence yet that William was married twice. Plus 1855 also changes his birthdate as all the censuses are consistent with 1857. His brother John was born 1855. Now he appears on 1881, 1891 and 1901. living in Stretford, Urmston and Flixton respectively. Thanks for your help, ypu are all very generous with your time. Elaine

Hi Lou Any luck with Bury search? Many thanks Elaine

Hi Lou Any luck at all?