BRETT sons born in France 1800s

[dillington]

You were all so helpful with my other query ( Fairlawn/Jamaica-thanks) that I am asking for any help with this lot: Ralph BRETT b. 1810 Wrenbury Cheshire married Mary HARMETT 1832 and their 3 ( known) sons were born in France. They were George b. 1836 William b. 1837 ( my direct line) Charles b. 1845.

Ralph was back in Cheshire by 1858 when he marries a widow. I think 1st wife must have died in France as can find no trace of her.

My question is --- how can I find out about the births and possibly the deaths of this family. I understand that you need to know the district in France but has anyone got any experience in this area please?
I have the information about the family in Cheshire ( and then in Liverpool) after 1850s .

TIA

[Mary from Italy]

Most French départements have their archives online, but unless you know which département an event took place in, that's no help.

http://www.guide-genealogie.com/guide/archives-en-ligne.html

Ancestry does have some French records, but it only covers a few départements.

Familysearch is beginning to index French records, but I don't think there's anything online yet.

[Shona]

Have you seen any marriage/death certificates for the three who were born in France? If so, what do they say?

[ElizabethHerts]

Shona, William Brett's marriages are on Ancestry with images:

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=LiverpoolCoEMarriages&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=William&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=Brett&dbOnly=_F0005A5D|_F0005A5D_x&uidh=xt1&pcat=34&fh=1&h=1974873&recoff=6+7+26

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=LiverpoolCoEMarriages&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=William&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=Brett&dbOnly=_F0005A5D|_F0005A5D_x&uidh=xt1&rank=1&pcat=34&fh=3&h=2503578&recoff=6+7+26

[Shona]

The GeneaNet website has Bretts in France - mainly Paris. Here's the link:

http://en.geneanet.org/search/?name=brett&ressource=releves

[dillington]

Yes, I know/have that info..their place of birth is not on the certs. My info comes from census returns.
I have looked on your suggested site, geneanet--did not know of that one!, but no relevant entries for the time scale. But thanks anyway.
I wonder if , because on some records, father Ralph is stated to be a flatboatman ( on others he is a farmer) that they may have been cruising/working the canals in Britanny. There are some residents named BRETT listed in telephone directories in Britanny --maybe he was visiting relatives! NO evidence for that -though just me dreaming!!

[Shona]

The Brett references are later than you are looking for, but I wondered if it gave a clue as to where the family might have been in France around the time you are looking for, so you could check out those departments.

[dillington]

Good thinking Shona. I have also saved the French language site until I see my French speaking friend..she lived in Britanny from where I got the BRETT telephone entries.
It would be really useful if my BRETTs had been in Britanny--at least I have some contacts there if I needed to go!!!