Research Forum

Carter and Chew Stoke
published by on Sat, 16/07/2016 - 12:37

I am searching for the ancestors of my 3Xgreatgrandfather Benjamin Carter. I understand he was born 13 Mar 1793 - this has come from the back of a copy of a painting done of him in Bristol around the 1830's. His son Edwin Righton Carter made the copy and gave to my greatgrandfather, The picture came to light a few years ago after my mother's brother died and my aunt was moving - she sent it to me knowing I was searching the history.

Benjamin married Ann Righton on 15 Sep 1828 at St Michael's Bristol. and died in Bedminster 26 Jul 1857. I gather from the 1841 census he was born in Somerset and from the 1851 census he was from Chew Stoke and was a confectioner (Journeyman). However I have not been able to find any evidence of his birth anywhere.

Any help/ideas would be appreciated.

Brigid in New Zealand

Comments ..

Submitted by Pat Hase on Sun, 17/07/2016 - 12:58

Welcome to the society - I hope that you will be able to get some help to further your research.

I see from a transcription of Bristol Parishes available from the Bristol & Avon FHS that Benjamin CARTER was a widower when he married Ann RIGHTON - Have you found his first marriage?

There is a christening of a Benjamin CARTER s/o Benjamin & Mary CARTER 31st Aug 1823 at St James Bristol which just might be a son by his first marriage. There is a burial of a 26 year old Mary CARTER at St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol on the 5th Jan 1827 which might be her death. No actual proof of the connection but they might be worth looking at.

You say that Benjamin CARTER was a Journeyman Confectioner - you must have found that somewhere other than the 1851 census because on that census he is simply a Confectioner. However on a CD of Bristol Apprenticeships I did find that he was apprenticed to a Samuel LUCAS, Confectioner, on 26th June 1809 giving his father's name as James CARTER, a cordwainer (Shoemaker) from Chew Stoke. As a result of completing that apprenticeship Benjamin CARTER was admitted as Burgess (Freeman) of the City of Bristol on the 11th June 1818.

I can't immediately see Benjamin's baptism at Chew Stoke in our transcriptions - you may have to look in surrounding parishes but at least you have a name for his father now.

Submitted by on Mon, 18/07/2016 - 21:45

Thank you for that information Pat, you have given me something to work on. I had not picked up yet that he was widowed at the time of his marriage to Ann Righton, but had seen the son, Benjamin, at some point in my research but couldn't connect them. The Journeyman actually came from his death certificate (I got it wrong!).

Brigid