Genealogy Chat

I've been trying for ages to find a birth entry for my great-grandmother, with no luck. She was Caroline Matilda Mallett (or Mallet), born in Lichfield in about 1858 or 1859, married William North in 1879 (found the BMD entry). I've found all her brothers' and sisters birth entries in BMD and IGI, but nothing for Caroline, yet she appears in the 1861, 1881 and 1901 censuses. Her parents were from Whittington and Tamworth, Staffs, but all her other siblings were born in Lichfield. According to the 1881 census, Caroline Matilda North was aged 22, born in 1859. She and her husband were living in Leicester. The 1901 census shows her as aged 42. Haven't found a death entry for her yet. I've found a probable brother, Jonathan Brooke Mallet, born to parents of the same name (Thomas Mallet and Matilda Slingsby Mallet) in 1859. I don't think they can have been twins, because I found him in the BMD index with no trouble. He doesn't appear on the censuses because he died at 1 year old. I've tried searching on Ancestry for all Mallets and Malletts born in Lichfield and Staffordshire, all Caroline Matildas, and even all Carolines, and all Mallets and Malletts on IGI. I've trawled through the BMD beta indexes for 1858-1860, with no result. There seems to be a quarter missing in 1860, but that seems unlikely to be her year of birth, as she's listed as being 3 years old in the 1861 census, and it seems unlikely that a 1-year-old would be mistaken for a 3-year-old. I've tried all variations on Mallet that I could think of, including Mallott and Mall*. What on earth am I missing?

hope you dont mind make it easier on eyes Can't find a birth - what am I missing? I've been trying for ages to find a birth entry for my great-grandmother, with no luck. She was Caroline Matilda Mallett (or Mallet), born in Lichfield in about 1858 or 1859, married William North in 1879 (found the BMD entry). I've found all her brothers' and sisters birth entries in BMD and IGI, but nothing for Caroline, yet she appears in the 1861, 1881 and 1901 censuses. Her parents were from Whittington and Tamworth, Staffs, but all her other siblings were born in Lichfield. According to the 1881 census, Caroline Matilda North was aged 22, born in 1859. She and her husband were living in Leicester. The 1901 census shows her as aged 42. Haven't found a death entry for her yet. I've found a probable brother, Jonathan Brooke Mallet, born to parents of the same name (Thomas Mallet and Matilda Slingsby Mallet) in 1859. I don't think they can have been twins, because I found him in the BMD index with no trouble. He doesn't appear on the censuses because he died at 1 year old. I've tried searching on Ancestry for all Mallets and Malletts born in Lichfield and Staffordshire, all Caroline Matildas, and even all Carolines, and all Mallets and Malletts on IGI. I've trawled through the BMD beta indexes for 1858-1860, with no result. There seems to be a quarter missing in 1860, but that seems unlikely to be her year of birth, as she's listed as being 3 years old in the 1861 census, and it seems unlikely that a 1-year-old would be mistaken for a 3-year-old. I've tried all variations on Mallet that I could think of, including Mallott and Mall*. What on earth am I missing?

Maybe you are not missing anything - it wasn't compulsary to register births until 1875. Her baptism may hev been missed off the IGi, you would need to check the parish records to be certain. Sam x

Have you thought of the possibility that Caroline was Matilda's daughter from a previous marriage or that she was born before they married so may have her mothers maiden name? Suzanne

Oh scxrub that idea, I see they married in 1851 Thomas Mallet 1851 Jul-Aug-Sep Lichfield Staffordshire Matilda Slingsby Sparks 1851 Jul-Aug-Sep Lichfield Staffordshire Suzanne

I see that 1857 isnt covered by the normal BMD so perhaps trawl 1857 in the beta search. If she is down as being born 1858 on 1861 census then maybe she was born in the latter half of 1857. Suzanne

Thanks for copying my original post, Jeanette - I didn't realise you couldn't split the first post into paragraphs!

Forgot to mention that I also checked Staffordshire BMD online at http://www.bmsgh.org/staffsbmd/ , with the usual result - only her brothers and sisters were listed. Would the information on that site come from parish records? Even if it wasn't compulsory to register births when she was born, it seems odd that all the brothers and sisters would be registered but not her. I'm beginning to think she was adopted. Anyway, I'll try the 1857 beta index, as Suzanne suggested. It's annoying not to find her birth details, because she's basically the starting point for my entire family tree! How would I go about checking parish records? (Excuse the newbie question...)

StaffordshireBMD site only has the same records as the GRO, in other words, ones that have been registered. I agree that it would be unusual for brothers and sisters to be registered but not her but it isn't unheard of. To check the Parish records you need to either visit Staffordshire Records Office, or request a lookup from someone who is going. You would need to know which church she is likely to have been baptised at but it will more than likely be the same one as her siblings. Sam x

there is a birth for a Matilda Mallett born 1861 Kings Norton Staffordshire September quarter 6C 409 could that be her

I don't think that Matilda Mallet can be her, Valerie, as she's recorded as being 3 years old in the 1861 census, and as far as I know, the family always lived in Lichfield.

Thanks, Sam - I only visit the UK about once a year, so I'll look out for somebody visiting the Staffs record office.

I searched the 1857 beta index, and didn't find Caroline, but unexpectedly found a Thomas Mallet in Lichfield. Caroline's brother Thomas was born in 1853 according to BMD, IGI and the censuses. Strange that - according to FreeBMD, not a single Thomas Mallett or Mallet was born anywhere in the UK in 1857.

Well FREEBMD isn't a complete list,they admit that 100% means somewhere between 97% and 100%. Seeing as the index for 1857 will be handwritten could she be mistranscribed as Hallett? M and H being easily misread and miswritten. My lot are Hay and ancestry often lists Hallett as results due to curly 'L''s,as well as May,Kay and Heald,all due to software reading errors. Glen

Maybe she was baptised at a different church given she was born in Freeford and the others in Lichfield? Not sure if it would be Weeford Parish??? (Someone with more Staffs knowledge might know that) It is sometimes possible for a birth rg not to reach the GRO indexes. Also if the mother or child was ill after the birth, the reg might have been overlooked. Merry