When I write the biographies of my ancestors, I try to make sure I have records for their birth and names of parents as well as siblings. This sometimes involves a lot of research. If they were born in Tasmania, then the records are nearly all digitized.

But I am now researching my great great grandmother Caroline Chandler nee Bryant. I have researched her life in Tasmania:

• her arrival with her mother in 1856 at age 17
• her marriage in 1859  at age 22 then birth of her children
• her death in 1919 in her 80th year

But I have yet to find out when and where she was born exactly back in England.

Clues to finding her birth

1. Her mother was Charlotte Bryant – from arrival records into Tasmania – January 1856
2. Her father was Dr Bryant – from death notice as Chandler
3. Her sister was Esther Julia Winter nee Bryant – Robert Winter was informant at Caroline’s marriage
4. On Esther’s marriage in 1852, a Caroline Bryant was witness. Father: Henry Bryant – surgeon Couple living Barclay Street
5. The Winter family and his parents were sponsored by Charlotte Bryant – arrival records into Tasmania – December 1856
6. She possibly had a younger brother called Charles who was supposed to come with them to Tasmania

Clues from census records

1841 census at Tottenham, parish Saint Pancras

• Henry Weight 35 surgeon yes – born in parish
• Charlotte Bryant 35 – no
• Henry Bryant 9 – yes
• Caroline Bryant 3 – yes
• Emily Bryant 1 – yes

1851 census at 40 Barclay Street, Saint Pancras

• Charlotte Bryant – Head – unmarried – 46 – dressmaker – born Arundel, Sussex
• Julia Bryant – daughter – unmarried – 23 – house servant – born St Pancras, Middlesex
• Henry Bryant – son – unmarried – 18 – jeweller – born St Pancras, Middlesex
• Caroline Bryant – daughter – unmarried – 12 – scholar – born St Pancras, Middlesex
• Charles Bryant – son – unmarried – 7 – scholar – born St Pancras, Middlesex

So from these clues Caroline could be born in 1837-1839 in St Pancras parish.

I checked the Free BMD website putting Caroline Bryant from Sep 1837 to Dec 1839 and the county of Middlesex.

Only one result so I ordered the birth certificate: St Pancras volume 1 page 273

• Superintendent Registrar’s District – Saint Pancras
• Registrar’s District – Tottenham
• 1838 Birth in district of Tottenham in county of Middlesex
• 9 June 1838 quarter before 8 Clock? at No 21 Warren Street
• Caroline – girl
• Father Henry Bryant a servant
• Mother Charlotte Bryant formerly White
• Registered 17 August 1838 by John Wells?? registrar Joseph Journey Supt Regd??

Looking at all the addresses mentioned in records: Warren Street, Cleveland Street, Barclay Street are all in Saint Pancras district and what is now Fitzrovia and Somers Town area and are only about 800 metres between them.

Readers: Do you think I could safely say this is my Caroline? Or do I need to find the births of the siblings to prove it is same parents? Would it be possible for Henry Bryant to become a surgeon between Caroline’s birth in 1838 and Esther’s marriage in 1852? Henry was a shoemaker at Esther’s birth in 1827 and living at Cleveland Street. Henry the brother also says his father was a surgeon when he married in 1851.