Genealogy Chat

If anyone else who knows the Manchester area has any advice about which records would be useful, I'd really appreciate it. My time there, when I eventually get chance to go home, will be limited and so I want to go fully prepared! Thanks to everyone who's already helped.

Thanks Yvonne, I do that all the time! I've traced that family through to 1891, Thomas is still saying he's a tailor's cutter but unfortunately there's no sign of Charles. I've bitten the bullet and ordered the Warrington one's birth cert, this guy has been elusive for some time now and I'd rather know one way or another. It's gonna take a few weeks for it to arrive though. I'll keep looking in the meantime.

Yvonne Whilst looking for the Warrington one I've found a Thomas Baxter who's a file cutter in 1891. Unfortunately he doesn't have a son called Charles living with him but I'm not going to let that put me off! For reference Thomas Baxter, Head, M, 52, journeyman file cutter, b Warrington Ann Baxter, Wife, M, 51, b Warrington Thomas Baxter, Son, S, 25, journeyman baker, b Warrington Annie Baxter, Dau, S, 17, winder (cotton), b Cheshire, Stockport William Baxter, Son, S, 15, self actor piecer, b Stockport Edith Baxter, Dau, S, 9, b Stockport living at 41 Princess St, Brinnington, Cheshire.

Yvonne Could you give me the reference points for the warrington one please, I can't find them on 1881. Ta.

Peter I do have his name but I don't know his year of birth or place of birth. I happened across the one from Birmingham but I've no idea if he's the right one.

Have you got his father on 71 or 81 - you know his name and occupation - might help find him. Also, follow up the one who died aged 0, his parents might have replaced him with another of the same name a couple of years later Peter

Yvonne Thanks again - Charles Henry Baxter born QE Sep 1882 dies QE Sep 1882, age 0. There is a Charles H Baxter living in 1891 census age 7 so he could be Charles Harold but his dad is James H Baxter, a printers foreman. I'm still working on the others so fingers crossed!

Helen You could well be right. Charles himself died of bronchitis. I did find a Thomas Baxter in 1881, a file cutter born Birmingham living in LIverpool. Trouble is he's not married, he's lodging with various other people. I've tried tracking him and I can't! It's so unfair. If his mum does remarry there's a chance he's down under that man's name on the 1891 census and that's why I can't find him. Have you any suggestions on where I go next?

I have lots of file cutters in my family and one thing I do know is that most of them died young, if they reached 40 they had done well. As they were grinding the files they breathed in shards of metal which became embedded in their lungs. Awful isn't it? So my guess is that his father could quite possibly have died early on and that is why they can't be found together. Maybe his Mum remarried too?

Thanks for the suggestions, sorry just realised that I had't said thank you on the above replies. I wasn't getting too hung up on ages, just trying to narrow down the options. It was just the consistency of the ages given on the marraige & death certs made me think that they might be accurate.

Don't get too concerned about ages. People didn't 'lie' on the Census or marriage certificates, they just genuinely didn't know how old they were. Very few families bothered or could afford to celebrate birthdays.

Charles Thomas Baxter who sounds sooooo good dies QE Dec 1883, age 0, Salford. I keep getting my hopes up and then they get dashed. This guy I think is laughing at me from up above. Charles Baxter dies in 1922, his wife Margaret dies in 1925 & all remaining kiddies are also dead. Nobody alive knows where Charles came from.

Thanks, I've seen him too (Charles Robinson Baxter). Trouble is he is living with his family still in 1901 and is a plumber. Is it feasible he changed occupations? I have the birth cert for Charles Robinson Baxter as that's who I originally thought it was. HIs father is James W Baxter and not Thomas. HIs occupation is nothing to do with file cutting either!

On the 1891 census there is only one Charles Baxter b.1880-84 in Liverpool and he is the son of J.W.Baxter, a stationary engine driver, so I don't think that is him. Do you have any clues about his mother or any siblings? Are you sure you have no 'cousins' with clues? wendy

I’m stuck on my great grandfather and I’d really appreciate some suggestions on how to find him. The information that I have on him so far is. He died aged 39 on 5th March 1922 in Manchester, occ iron moulder. He got married age 33 on 30th Jun 1916 @ Manchester Register Office, occ iron moulder, father Thomas Baxter, file cutter. Which would make me think that he was born between 1.7.1882 and 5.3.1883, the problem is that I don’t know where. There’s nobody alive to ask and I think that I might have found him on the 1901 census but I’m not sure. 1901 – Elizabeth J Connor, Head, Wid, 42, Baths attendant, b Mcr Joseph Connor, Son, 19, Packer of flour, b Salford William Connor, Son, 14, Packer of flour, b Salford Mary Connor, Dau, 11, b Salford Charles Baxter, Boarder, S, 19, Iron Moulder, b Liverpool Living at 143 Jersey St Bldgs, Ancoats, Mcr. I know the age doesn’t quite fit but my reckoning is the lady is answering the questions the enumerator asks and it goes like this …I think Charles is about my son’s age so just put him down as 19, it’s something like that…(searching for this man is driving me bonkers by the way, you may have noticed!) I know people weren’t exactly truthful about ages, etc on certificates but given that his wife to be gives birth 3 days after the wedding, lying about their ages would be the last thing on their minds. Until the 1911 census comes out I can’t be sure he’s mine and so until then does anyone have any suggestions on where I can look? My problem is that I live in Scotland and so next time I’m home I’m going to move into the library/archives in Manchester until I find this chappy. Where would you look to try to find him? I was going to search the electoral roll but what happens when he moves from Elizabeth’s house? Manchester is huge and so I was hoping that those far more experienced than I could give me a few pointers. Ta.

see below - it's far easier to read