My Grandad was born in 1898 on boat in Cresent Wharf, Ladywood, B/ham. Can I find more info on this birth?

Question

I'm tracing my dad's side of the family tree. My Grandad was born in 1898 on a canal boat in Birmingham. On his birth certificate it lists what I assume is the boats name 'Arenig'. On the residence part of the certificate it says Monument-Lane Station. Is there anyway of seeing if there is a register of births and (or) marriages of people on the canals.

Answer 1

join genes reunited - google everything  s well you will be amazed

what you find.

i think you will find boat dwellers had to register same as

land lubbers.

be aware that from census to censusand certificate, places

of birth and dob can alter - as also spellings, keep an

open mind.

also google that area of birmingham you may find a local

historical site.

if he was born on a boat it prob means that the boat was

also used for transporting goods - this you can try and check

out

good luck - i started with 2 names and have over 2000

but it is compulsive and frustrating. write down everything

you find and start putting together links.

Answer 2

Have you tried Ancestry.co.uk?

Answer 3

There is a Waterways Index which at one time was collected on a card index containing almost 10,000 names of men connected in some way with British waterways.

I don't know if he still has it (or if he is still with us), but the guy holding it lived in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.

The problem with waterways births is that a child born in Brum may not have been baptised till they reached, say, Suttons Stop at the junction of the Coventry/Oxford Canals so you are chasing your ancestors all over the canal system.

There are also Records held at the Waterways Museums - give Gloucester Waterways Museum  a try to see if they know anything about "Arenig"

I've left further contact details on your e-mail since it includes some personal information..

Answer 4

go here and put in his details and you should be able to find his parents and any brothers or sister she had try a census search i had a lot of success with my family history here if you can manage to get down there they are in kew just outside London you will find them very helpful

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Answer 5

I thought you might  be able to enquire at the Ladywood Library closest to the  area where your grandad was born. I found this site it is a government / library site, and it gives a very brief history to the formation of Ladywood. I am unable to find Ladywood listed for the 1901 census, it may have been known as something else, so I wont be put off by the fact I cant find it.

I  am still trying to find out whether Monument Lane is still there,  I will edit my answer and include any information I can find for you.

If you would like to give your gran-dad's name I can see if I can find him in the 1901 census for you.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateCon...

Edit : According to this new information I have found the boat the "Arenig" it was registered as being owned by the "Higgins" family in 1892 is that name familiar to you.

Here is the rest of the information I found for you.

Entries found for Births and Marriages of Wolverhapton Boatpeople

http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/collection...

Names of Boats found in the list of Baptisms and Marriages

Chesham Chappell 1892

Arenig Higgins 1892

Nero Bellingham 1892

http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk/collection...