James LAWRENCE snr (b. 1801)

Finding the BVRI2 entry for Benjamin LAWRENCE and Elizabeth MAY yesterday confirmed that Benj's parents were James and Hannah LAWRENCE, so I've been trying to track them.

James and Hannah are in the 1841 census, with Benjamin and a load of his other brothers and sisters. I can't find any of them in the 1851 census and by 1861 the kids all seem to have left home and there is no sign of the parents.

One possibility is to see if I can get a birth certificate for the youngest son, Henry, b. 1840 as he is the only one who was born after 1837. I'm not very hopeful though because the family were obviously socially disadvantaged and unlikely to have registered the birth.

(Update 27 May 2006)
I did find a Henry Lawrence living with a Harriett Lawrence (widow) in the 1861 census and this Harriett was a lodger in the 1871 census. The dates and locations all match up, suggesting that "Hannah" may have been a mis-transcription.

I've also ordered a couple of Death certificates for James Lawrence in Clifton between 1841 and 1851. I've requested reference checking to keep the cost down if they are wrong.