Brick Wall (General)

by izzybfw , Tuesday, June 08, 2021, 09:24 (1262 days ago)

I am hoping for some idea's on how to break through a brick wall.

My 4xgr/grandfather is William Thompson baptised at St Michael's the Archangel mount without in Bristol in May 1798, he was born Oct 1797. His Parents were William Thompson and Sarah Court - married at St Augustine the Less in Bristol in Feb 1789. Sarah and her siblings were all bap at St Augustine's.

William and 3 other siblings were all baptised on the same day, but born 1795,1796 & 1798. I know quite a lot about Sarah Court and her family, but cannot find anything about William Thompson snr. William & Sarah also had another 2 children bap; at St James Bristol 1791 again together but born 1789 & 1791.

The mystery begins with William Thompson jun - he married in Cleator Cumberland in 1825. In the 1851 census he states he was born in Bristol - in the 1861 census he states he did not know where he was born, and in the 1871 census he says he was born at sea?

Other things i have been able to pick up is that Sarah obviously came from a wealthy family and was educated (as was her William) as they both signed the marriage certificate - I know Sarah died in Dec 1798, so obviously the children we quite young. William Thompson jnr was an iron ore miner in Cumberland and had to use his mark on his marriage certificate.

I cannot find any indication of even an occupation for Wm Senior or anything to go on - there is one Wm Thompson born roughly at the time who parents were Duncan & Margaret but i have discounted them as there is no link to the family names - which mainly coincide with the Court family names - but could also link to his family .

Any ideas would be gratefully accepted.