Esther Julia Bryant

Have I found Caroline Bryant?

Miss W. Biography, Bryant , , , , , , , ,

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.

Julia Charlotte CHANDLER

Miss W. Biography, Bryant, Chandler, England , , , ,

Julia was the eldest of nine children born to William Charles and Caroline Elizabeth Chandler nee Bryant. She was born on 1 October 1860 in Hobart and was not named until after her birth was registered on November 6 by her aunt Julia Winters (born Esther Julia Bryant) from Battery Point.

Julia’s siblings were:

  • 1863 William Charles
  • 1865 Robert Henry
  • 1867 Mary Ann Eliza (Doll)
  • 1870 Caroline Louisa
  • 1872 Sarah
  • 1874 George Edward
  • 1877 Ada Ellen
  • 1882 Fanny Ethel (Ettie)

Julia’s father William arrived in Hobart on the sailing ship Fortitude in February 1855. Her mother Caroline arrived with her mother Charlotte Bryant on the ship La Hogue to Sydney then on the steamer Tasmania to Hobart in January 1856. I wonder if they already knew each other back in England.

The christening of Julia took place at St David’s Cathedral in Hobart on 9 December 1860. She must have had a great childhood growing up at Government Gardens where, by 1863, her father was a gardener at Government House.

In May 1883, Julia’s grandmother Charlotte passed away aged 79 at the home of the Winters family at 41 Elizabeth Street.

Married life and children

In 1885, Julia married Henry Lewis England at St George’s church with witnesses being WC Chandler – either father or brother and MA Chandler – her sister Mary Ann.

https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD37-1-44p139j2k

Over the next 10 years, four children were born to the couple:

  • 1886 Ruby May
  • 1888 Henry Lewis
  • 1891 Gladice Emily
  • 1894 Lucy Grace

The family must have been low in money during 1890 as Henry Lewis asked for an increase in wages as roadman for the Sandy Bay Road Trust and Mrs England, probably Julia, was given one pound for cleaning the offices of the Sandy Bay Road Trust over the previous year.

In March 1891, a Mrs England charged Annie Heazelwood for using abusive language towards her in the City Police court.

In 1898, Julia and the family headed to the beach near the battery and while absent their house was broken into and much money taken – both the taxes collected by Henry and the money saved by Julia.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9433178

Unfortunately, Julia didn’t live to see her children marry – Ruby May to Arthur John Sydney STIRLING in 1911, Henry Lewis to Hannah DAVEY in 1923 and Gladice Emily to Henry Gottman AMINDIE in 1921. She had already passed when her daughter Lucy Grace gave birth to her son Lewis Maxwell England in 1914 then Lucy also passed 8 months later in December 1914.

Julia Charlotte England passed on March 3, 1905 aged only 44. She was remembered in a memoriam in 1906.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12763347

At some stage the England family all sat for a photographer and here is the image of Julia Charlotte ENGLAND.

I’m confused!

Miss W. Bryant, Chandler, Using DNA , , , , , ,
Anemone123 / Pixabay

Who is my Charlotte Bryant, my great great great grandmother? 

Known records in Tasmania – click on the links to see the actual documents

  • 1855:  Charlotte age 51, a widow and cook (page 203-204) departed London on 1 October 1855 on the ship La Hogue then transferred to the steamer Tasmania in Sydney and finally arrived in Hobart Town on 19 January 1856 with daughter Caroline aged 17.  There was also a ticket for a Charles Bryant but this was crossed out. They were brought out on the application of R. W. Nutt and costing £22 per person.
  • 1856: Less than a year later, Charlotte had an application for her daughter Esther Julia and her husband Robert George Winter as well as his parents to come to Tasmania. They left London on 7 October 1856 on the ship Woodcote and arrived in Hobart Town on 29 December 1856. Cost was £32 per couple. Did Charlotte pay for this or did the immigrants?
  • 1859: Daughter Caroline married William Chandler a gardener age 24 at St Georges, Battery Point on 22 October 1859. One of the witnesses was R.G. Winter – Caroline’s brother-in-law.
  • 1863: Charlotte is the informant on her grandson William Charles Chandler’s birth on 18 February 1863. Charlotte’s address is Government Gardens as her son-in-law William Chandler is now working as a gardener at Government House.
  • 1865: Charlotte is the informant on her grandson Robert Henry Chandler’s birth on 11 March 1865. Charlotte’s address is Government Domain.
  • Between 1865 and 1877 other children are born to the couple and the informant is always Caroline Chandler at Government House.
  • 1883: Charlotte died in Tasmania on 1 May, 1883 aged 78. She was a widow and died from decay of nature. She died at 41 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, the residence of her son-in-law, Robert Winter, who owned a piano forte manufacturing company.

So, why am I confused? 

Now I start to look at the records back in England. Naturally the first one to look for would be the 1851 census where Charlotte should be about 47 years old and Caroline about 13. Esther might be there too, depending upon when she married Robert Winter.  From the arrival information in Tasmania, Charlotte was born in Sussex.

So in the 1851 census the following people are found living at 41 Barclay Street which must be nearly opposite St Pancras Gardens and the St Pancras Old Church in Somers Town.

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

But this Charlotte is unmarried and a dressmaker not a widow and cook as mentioned in her arrival information. But she does have children Julia, Caroline and Charles who we know of from Tasmanian records.

About a kilometre away is another Charlotte Bryant – an unmarried servant – cook aged 50 born in London living in Charlotte Street, St Pancras area now Fitzrovia.

Next is the marriage of Esther Julia Bryant and Robert George Winter in 1852 at St Pancras. Caroline Bryant is a witness. Esther’s father is Henry and is a surgeon. Esther and Robert are living at Barclay Street when they got married.

In October 1851, Henry Bryant is married to Matilda Webb – father is Henry and is a surgeon. Henry is full age and they were married in parish church St Saviours, Southwark. A witness was Ann Drewett.

Going back 10 years to the 1841 census we find living in Tottenham Place, Marylebone.

  • Charlotte Bryant age 35 – not born in the county
  • Henry Bryant age 9 – born in the county
  • Caroline Bryant 3 – born in the county
  • Emily Bryant 1 – born in the county

Still no husband mentioned but on the bottom of the previous page of the census is H Weight age 35, surgeon who was born in the county. Could this be the father of the children?

Could Charlotte’s maiden name actually be Bryant?