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From: Gail Collins <>
Subject: Birth Names & Dates
Date: Wed, 06 Sep 2000 10:31:15 -0400


We have to remember that our BHC's did not come to their new homelands with
birth certificates in hand. Would they even have celebrated birthdays like
we do today?

For 13 years I researched the wrong William Collins family because at his
death in 1934 his son, my gdad gave wrong info on the death cert.
Birthdate was given as Nov 1859, father John. I searched the GRO birth
index and found such a family but was never quite sure of this find. There
were no other records on this side of the ocean to prove this. I then
realized my error when this William was still in Eng on that wonderful
indexed 81 census when I knew my Wm was here in Ontario in 1881. I then
sent for our Canadian 1940 pre-war National Registration info and was quite
surprised to see that both his sons gave differing info re Wm's birthplace.
One said East Preston (West Sussex) and on the 1871 census I did find a
William Collins, 13 born Clapham W.Ssx at the East Preston Workhouse - all
alone no other family insight. There are NO admission/discharge records for
the workhouse! I then thought I would locate him 2 years old on the 1861
census - after searching 10 reels of film and covering 3/4 of Sussex with
no William and no father John insight I had to stop and reflect on these
facts. There just is NO father John. BUT from other info I had collected
along the way there was a William born May 1859 (not November) with a
father Thomas Collins (not John) and mom Caroline Knight born in Angmering
(not Clapham which is just down the road). This Wm was already an orphan
in 1860 when his father died and he had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. In 1871
two of his siblings are still in the area working but now I can't locate
the mom
and the other 2 children. If I could locate the mom Caroline Collins in
1871 and
her son Wm was not with her then can I surmise that the Wm in that
workhouse is her's and also mine? The search goes on!! The Registrar's
office does not have a remarriage or death for her or the 2 missing
children. I have the birth cert for this Wm born as William George Collins.
My gdad's name is George Thomas and I could never figure out where the
name Thomas came from. Is it possible his name is taken from his father's
middle name and also that of his unknown gdad Thomas.

To add to this woe I cannot find a marriage for William (came 1871) & my
great gdma Caroline Couzens also a HC coming at 8 yrs of age in 1872 here
in my hometown. Also, both came with Maria Rye and of course we know there
just aren't any records for Rye!

This has been a nightmare and I sure hope it doesn't take another 13 years
to figure out! We all hit roadblocks in our other researches but the BHC's
because of lack of or incorrect information seems to require extra
diligence. It is just super to hear of other's great successes and I have
high hopes.

Gail Collins in St. Catharines, Ontario

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