Thread: Stumped!!

Hi,



I am tracing my husband's side of the family and as I am new to this I have become stuck really quickly so am looking for some help please.



The person I am interested in is Henry Laine Crawford, I have found his baptism certificate for St Lawrence Church in York which is dated 19th January 1868, his mother is named as Sarah Ann Crawford (spinster) and no father's name is on there.



I can't find any trace of his birth.



In census records his birthplace is named firstly as Harrogate then in later submissions as York, I can't find his mother with him in any of the submissions.



I have obtained a copy of Henry's marriage certificate and his father is named on it as John Crawford.



I have been led to understand that John was a drover from Scotland and on one of his trips he met a girl and decided to stay in York, but I can't find any marriage records for anyone with the surname Crawford for 1830s onwards.



Also, my father in law thinks that Henry died around 1953, but again I can't find anything for this. He married in Roos and lived in Sculcoates, so assume he died there as well.



So, I could do with some guidance as to his birth, his parents etc.



Thanks,



Kind regards



Kathleen

If there is no father's name on the baptism record that strongly suggests that Henry was illegitimate. If your info about his father is from his marriage cert he may have just invented him.



The reason you can't find Henry with his mother might well be because she had to work and he was farmed off to someone else to look after.



His illegitimacy might be a reason his mother didn't register him, or she may have registered him with a different name. I would think the Laine middle name could well be his real father's surname.

Thanks for the quick reply Helen.



My father in law seems to believe that the middle name is derived from the surname MacLaine, we are now on our fifth generation of using Laine as a middle name.



Any tips on how to find Henry's mother? Would I have more luck actually going to the actual records office and looking through the register of births or is that a ridiculous idea?

Hi Kathleen,



Was Henry living in Lincolnshire in 1881, with a John Drakes?

Hi,



Yeah that's him he was a farm labourer so would go wherever the work was.



I'm not sure I'm going to get much further with Henry which is really sad!



Thanks for your help



Kathleen

This could be Henry and Sarah together.



1881 Census



Name: Henry Crawford Age: 13 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868 Relation: Nephew Gender: Male Where born: Harrogate, Yorkshire, England



Civil Parish: Barton St Mary and St Peter County/Island: Lincolnshire Country: England



Street address: Oil MillRegistration district: Glanford Brigg Sub registration district: Barton

John Drakes/54/head/Barton Lincs

Sarah Boddy/44/domestic servant/Redbourne Lincs

Henry Crawford/13/nephew/Harrogate

Joseph Boddy/8/nephew/Harrogate

Rachel Boddy/2/niece/Barton Lincs

Fred Blanchard/14/lodger

Hi Kathleen,



Looks like we may be getting somewhere.



Marriages Jun 1872



Boddy Joseph York 9d81

Crawford Sarah York 9d81

HARRISON Sarah York 9d81

SHARLESTON Joseph York 9d81



What do you think? Is Henry living with his mother Sarah - who by 1881 was married to Joseph Boddy?

Sarah Boddy doesn't appear to be on the 1891 census.



Maybe this is why!



Deaths Mar 1887 (>99%)Boddy Sarah Ann 50 Glanford B. 7a454

Slizzy - you are a star!



I am going to look into that now, I looked at that Census previously but didn't put 2 and 2 together.



Thank you, will let you know how it goes.



I am really grateful.



Regards



Kathleen

You're welcome Kathleen If I uncover anything else I'll let you know.



Good luck