Burma website

[Ardenholme]

Hi all,

This is my first post :d

I have someone who wants to research her grandfather, we believe that he was born in Burma and later worked there as a mining engineer, eventually settled in England.

Have any of you ever used the website: http://www.angloburmeselibrary.com/ and subscribed to it? Is it worth the subscription?

Many thanks,

Jemima

[Shona]

Hello and welcome to GF, Jemima.

The members of this site have enormous experience in family history research and I have often been amazed how they have discovered what seemed to be impossible.

I haven't heard of that website, but there are some records of people born in Burma in Find My Past's India Office records. If you have a name and dates, members could do a little sleuthing for you.

[Uncle John]

Just a thought, if his parents were British, his birth is likely to have been registered as a British Overseas birth, for which the indexes are available on Find My Past (subscription site) and familyrelatives.com (free search). Those are the places I would try first.

[Ardenholme]

Hi Shona and Uncle John

Many thanks, yes we have covered FMP and the GRO overseas records. :d

I will ask her for her permission to post here her grandfather's details and see if SKS can help.

Thank you, Jemima

[Ardenholme]

Hello there

I have been given permission to post her grandfather's details here :)

George JENNINGS, born c1870-76

Mining Engineer, worked in Burma for several years although he met and married in England and later came back to England with his family of his wife and 3 daughters in 1929. Evidence gained from 1929 passenger list, which coincidentially shows his brother Thomas Vosket Jennings with his wife Jane Anne, formerly Moir (nee Wookey), on the same trip home. Both families settled in Bristol, UK.

George and Thomas went out to Burma in 1901, apparently embarking in Marseilles and arrived in Rangoon. The SS Lancashire ship sailed from Liverpool on 10th July 1901.

He married in 1914, age 38, to Mabel Isabel Mauley. His father is Benjamin Jennings, farm bailiff. George retired in 1924 age 53.

George and Mabel's 3 daughters were all born in Burma - Mary Ruby 1917, Isabel Sapphire 1920, and Anne Amber 1922 (Mogok, Bengal). None are listed on the GRO British Nationals Overseas indexes but the youngest is confirmed by transcription from the India Office although no father/mother names are listed.

George's brother Thomas and Jane married in Burma in 1909, this was the additional confirmation of George as a witness and their father's name as Benjamin. Both were widower/widow as shown on marriage register from India Office in FMP. (Thomas married first in Bristol in 1880 to a Sarah Ann Copp - this also showed his father as Benjamin).

I have just found another passenger list with a Mr T and Mrs J Jennings from Liverpool to Rangoon in 1920, and in column 7 "Country of Last Permanent Residence" they are of "British Possessions". Does that mean they are British Overseas nationals?

George died in 1940 age 70 and widow Mabel was the executrix of his will in Bristol.

My acquaintance has already asked the British India Office - this is their reply:

Thank you for your enquiry.
I have made a search of our birth/baptism records for the years 1868 to 1873, but sadly we do not hold a record for a George Jennings ( there is a record for a George Samuel Jennings born in Jhelum, Bengal in 1874, but this is obviously not your ancestor). Unfortunately, our collection of BMD records for British and European Christians in the sub-continent of India (including Burma) between 1698 and 1947 is estimated at 70% complete, so there are gaps.
I am sorry for this disappointing reply.

They sent an attachment to contact other repositories which she has done with the TNA.

So here's hoping you can help and find George's baptism somewhere in the world! Any tips, info would be grateful, and if you have tried the anglo-burmese website please let me know.

Many thanks,

Jemima

[kiterunner]

Starting with George's brother as his name is pretty rare, FamilySearch has the marriage of a Thomas Vosket Jennings, son of Benjamin Jennings, to a Sarah Ann Copp, 3 Jul 1880 at Stapleton Holy Trinity, Gloucestershire. Also the birth registration of a Thomas Voskit Jennings in 1889, same registration district, perhaps Thomas's son?
(Edit - I see you had already found that marriage.)

[kiterunner]

So here are Thomas and Sarah Ann on the 1881 census:
1881 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/GLSRG11_2506_2510-0164/6118355?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1881%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROO T_CATEGORY%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26M SAV%3d2%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dtho*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3djennings%26 gsln_x%3dXO%26msbdy%3d1864%26msbdy_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d 1%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3dvm5%26msbdp%3d10%26c p%3d11%26mssng0%3dsar*%26mssng0_x%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Stapleton, Gloucestershire
Thomas Jennings Head Married 24 Quarryman born Sershton Wilts
Sarah Ann Jennings Wife Do 22 Stapleton Gloucestershire
Sarah Jennings Mother Do 54 Laundress Cane Wilts
Sarah Hobbs Sister Do 26 Do Sershton Wilts
Matilda Jennings Sister Unmarried 22 Servant Out of Place Do Do
George Jennings Brother Unmarried 16 Coachman Sershton Wilts
Ada Hobbs Sister in Law Do 6 School Girl Stapleton Gloucestershire
Bessie Copp Do Do 5 " Radstock Somersett

So it looks as though George was born in Wiltshire! I'll see if I can find the family on previous censuses to check that the father is Benjamin...

[kiterunner]

Yes, here they are in 1871:
1871 census on ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7619/GLSRG10_2572_2577-0065/1293684?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1871%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROO T_CATEGORY%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26M SAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dgeo*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3djennings%26 gsln_x%3dXO%26msbdy%3d1865%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msfng0% 3dben*%26msfng0_x%3d1%26msmng0%3dsar*%26msmng0_x%3 d1%26cpxt%3d1%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3dvm5%26ms bdp%3d5%26cp%3d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Blackberry Hill Cottage, Fishponds, Gloucestershire
Bengeman Jennings Head Mar 52 Labourer Weston Wilts
Sarah Jennings Wife " 45 Do Compton Do
John Jennings Son Unm 18 Do Tedbury Gloushire
Thomas Jennings Son Unm 16 Do Sherston Wilts
Matilda Jennings Daur " 13 Do Do
William Jennings Son 10 Do Do
George Jennings Son 7 Do Do

[kiterunner]

I don't know whether we are likely to find his baptism online, but Wiltshire BMD has the birth registration of a George Jennings in 1864, sub-district Malmesbury West, mother's maiden name Whale. It looks as though it would be the right one, as there is a Benjamin Jennings / Sarah Whale marriage in 1861, Malmesbury Register Office or Registrar Attended. The certificates can be ordered via Wiltshire BMD or from the GRO as normal (if you are ordering from the GRO, check on FreeBMD for the correct references).

Link to Wiltshire BMD:
http://www.wiltshirebmd.org.uk/index.php

[Merry]

The name Vosket/Voskit etc seems to be unique to this family. However, I noticed the birth reg for George's brother, Thomas, is recorded as Thomas Fosket Jennings (Wilts BMD and GRO indexes 1857). Obviously it may be this entry which is wrong, or perhaps their regional accent made a V or F sound very similar? Anyway, it might be worth bearing in mind when looking for names in earlier generations.

[Ardenholme]

Wow that is fantastic, she will be very thrilled with this information.

I didn't think about searching for Thomas and first wife Sarah as we had been focused largely on whether they were of a colonial family.

Could I ask, in my earlier message, on the passenger lists Thomas and 2nd wife Jane listed themselves as British Possessions, what would qualify them to do so? Living in Burma long enough or had married there, do you know?

Thank you all for the lateral thinking!! :d

Regards, Jemima

[kiterunner]

Could I ask, in my earlier message, on the passenger lists Thomas and 2nd wife Jane listed themselves as British Possessions, what would qualify them to do so? Living in Burma long enough or had married there, do you know?



I think it just means they had been living there.

[Ardenholme]

Thanks!

Just been looking, and found the Whale family in Sherston in 1861, looks like Thomas and George were half brothers.

1861 census on Ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8767/WILRG9_1277_1283-0283/15981557?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Many thanks everyone.

[Merry]

Thanks!

Just been looking, and found the Whale family in Sherston in 1861, looks like Thomas and George were half brothers.

1861 census on Ancestry (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8767/WILRG9_1277_1283-0283/15981557?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgst%3d-6&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Many thanks everyone.

I think they were full brothers even if their parents were not yet married as Wilts BMD has these entries:

1851 Eliza JeENNINGS sub district Malmesbury West mmn WHALE
1857 Thomas F JENNINGS ditto
1859 Matilda JENNINGS ditto
1864 George JENNINGS ditto


In 1851 they seem to be living together, so the children in the house (inc Eliza listed above with mmn Whale) are recorded as Jennings this time:

1851 Jennings household (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8860/NTTHO107_1835_1836-0376/16864615?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1851%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROO T_CATEGORY%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26M SAV%3d2%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dben*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3djennings%26 gsln_x%3dXO%26msbdy%3d1822%26msbdy_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d 1%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3d672%26msbdp%3d5%26cp %3d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults#?imageId=NTTHO107_18 35_1836-0376)

[Merry]

Ah! In 1851 Sarah (Whale) is listed as Mrs Jennings in the household in my last post, but also as the daughter of John and Prudence Whale here:

1851 Whale/Jennings household (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8860/NTTHO107_1837_1838-0512/16895063?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.u k%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1851%26so%3d2%26pcat%3d35% 26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26m sT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dwhale%26gsln_x%3dXO%26gsk w%3dprudence%26gskw_x%3d1%26cpxt%3d1%26catBucket%3 drstp%26uidh%3d672%26cp%3d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

[Merry]

John and Prudence named two children Sarah (1823 and 1826), so presumably the first child died. This should be the baptism for Sarah who married Ben Jennings


Name: Sarah Whale
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 1 Oct 1826
Baptism Place: Compton-Bassett, Wiltshire, England
Father: John Whale
Mother: Prudence
FHL Film Number: 1279351
Reference ID: 2:2RLR7DC

John and Prudence's last child was born in 1838 (from the baptisms on Ancestry (and probably available on various sites!)), so Wilts BMD shows the mmn:

1838 Mary A WHALE sub district Calne mmn BRIGHT

Here's their marriage:


Name: John Whale
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 28 Dec 1822
Marriage Place: Compton-Bassett, Wiltshire, England
Spouse: Prudence Bright
FHL Film Number: 1279351

[Ardenholme]

On behalf of my correspondent, thank you thank you thank you so much for your help.

She will be absolutely thrilled to have got something about her grandfather, and its not far from Bristol after all! :d

:D

Many thanks once more,

Jemima