I have searched years for something on my gggrandmother. She married under the surname of Mary Barlow (m.cert shows she was a widow and of full age). At the time of her marriage living at 14 Stafford Place, Pimlico. London. Her father is shown as John Hall – Fisherman. From this I assume her maiden name to be “Hall”. She married my gggrandfather James Slark who was a “Groom to Her Majesty” and at the time of the marriage was living in the Royal Mews, Pimlico. London. Marriage 7 February 1842. Mary brought a 3 yr old son into the marriage by the name of Charles Barlow. I believe I have found a baptism record dated 10 July 1808 in Wokingham, Berks. I have never found her on the 1841 census but on the 1851 census, she shows her birthplace as Windsor, Berks and age to be 40. The only previous marriage for her under the name “Barlow” I have ever been able to find is: 20 Apr 1829 at Eton Buckingham England to a Benjamin Barlow. If there is anyone out there that can shed any light or direction for me to go I would appreciate it very much.
For info the ref for the 1851 census are HO107/1478/640/9 (Anc has the name as Hark). Have you found the birth reg or baptism for Charles Barlow? I have looked and do not see anything. A thought crossed my mind James Slark worked for the royal household, Charles Barow gives his pob as Pimlico, Mary says born Berks and the marriage you found was Eton, so it is a possibility that Mr Barlow also worked for the royal household too. That said I cannot find a death of a Benjamin Barlow. I have to go now but will come back to this later on today.
Just had to check this before I go:- Could this be Mary in 1841 HO107 p738 b12 f3 p1 - Catherine Street, St Margaret Westminster? Mary age 25 (ages rounded down) George age 8 Charles age 2 All ticked as born in county. No adult male Barlow present
There is a parish register baptism for a Charles Edward Robson BARLOW on FindmyPast, which could be a possibility for your Charles, but as it is a pay per view site I cannot give you full details. Suffice it to say that the baptism took place in 1839, his parents lived in Pimlico and his father (not named Benjamin) was a Servant. Janet
A George Barlow is also baptised in 1833 to the same parents, father servant giving the 1841 census in post #3 more credance. I still cannot find a birth reg for Charles 1838/9 nor can I see a death reg for a James Barlow. FMP do have entries for a James Barlow in their transcription of Salaries and Wages for Royal Household staff but it adds nothing to ascertaining if this is the correct James Barlow. James Slark's records also appear.
Wow! you are a great bunch - I can't believe how quickly your responses have come in. This is the first time I have ever really done anything on a forum so I am not sure to what extent I c an enter information. My Slark line which was my mother's paternal line has had a great deal of work done on it by myself and a second cousin. Myself through mostly correspondence with the Royal Archives, Church Parish Records, internet, etc. etc. and her a lot of travelling and hours of sitting in Kew Gardens Registry reading, copying and searching, not to mention other places she has been able to actually go to being that she lives in England. We have taken the line back to the early 1700's and several members of the family have worked in service of the royal family throughout. I have masses of information and copies of records on salaries,wages, entrances and deaths or retirements but must admit to search closely for a Barlow amongst them has not crossed my mind. Also I know that a lot of these records now are coming on line and as a paid up member of Findmypast and Ancestry I will review what they are holding and see if they have some new stuff that I don't have. Later today I will go through what I do have specifically on James and Mary and I know I have a lot on her son Charles Barlow and I will get back to the forum. In the meantime thank you all so much you have been wonderful and have given me a couple of new avenues to look at.
Well Guys - Sunday afternoon, very hot in the Valley, so I decided to spend a few hours looking through what I have on my Mary Barlow nee Hall who married my gggrandfather James Slark. Yes my James Slark was in royal service, in the stables as a helpers at the young age of 8 and going on to become a groom etc. As far as Mary Barlow (Hall) goes I have nothing to add. Her son Charles Barlow again no birth record but a baptism in 1939 showing parents: James & Mary on Mar-3-1839 at St. Margaret Westminster. The child's name is shown as CHARLES EDWARD ROBSON BARLOW. Somehow I don't think this is mine. In 1841 census I did find Mary Barlow with sons George 8 & Charles 2. In 1842 she married my gggrandfather - James Slark. In 1851 HO107,147,640,9 Charles is 12 living with James & Mary and their 3 sons at the Royal Mews, Pimlico. In 1860 I found Charles married Sarah Wilson, DecQ 1860 St. Geo. Hanover Sq. V1a, 275. 1861 Charles & Sarah RG9/46. pg 4. He is employed as a Stable Servant.Throughout all the census 1871, 1881, 1891, & 1901 I have found him with his family showing employment as a Stableman/Groom. Nothing in 1911 however I have found a death record in 1903 whom I think possibly is him. Sorry if I have rambled on too much. Hope you have all had a great weekend.
Please don't discount the baptism for Charles Edward Robson BARLOW out of hand. The address shown for his baptism is 6 Warwick Row, Pimlico which is extremely close to the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace and Stafford Place where Mary BARLOW was living when she married James SLARK. There is also a baptism for a George BARLOW to a James & Mary BARLOW on 10 November 1833 at Pimlico which you can look up for yourself on FMP and the address given for the couple is again just outside Buckingham Palace Gardens and not far from the Royal Mews giving credence to the fact that this James BARLOW could well be a servant at the Palace. Also interesting is an 1851 census entry (HO107/1478, folio 643, page 15) of St George Hanover Square: Royal Mews Pimlico George BARLOW U 19 Helper in the Master of the Horse's Dept London James do U 20 do do Buckinghamshire Eton Sarah IXER U 54 Officer Keeper do Suffolk Ipswich So is this the George BARLOW baptised at Pimlico to James & Mary and could the James perhaps be another child born in Eton and could the marriage you found in Eton be correct and could Mary's husband have been a Benjamin James or a James Benjamin?? Lots of "coulds" here but certainly worth further investigation I should think. James BARLOW jnr remains in service as a Groom at the Royal Mews at New Windsor in the 1861/71 census records. There is an Ancestry Select Baptismal record for a James BARLOW at Eton on 27 February 1831 son of Benjamin & Mary BARLOW and another child Henry James BARLOW who was baptised 8 November 1829 and buried 27 November 1829 at Eton, parents again shown as Benjamin & Mary. I cannot find any other baptisms to this couple in Eton nor can I find a burial record for Benjamin. So, if Benjamin & James are one and the same person, why the change of name? Will ponder some more. Janet
So having looked at the original parish register image of Charles BARLOW's marriage on FMP his father is shown as good old Benjamin! I can't find a birth registration for Charles which is not surprising as 1839/40 is very early in the registration period and many births were not registered at that time. But the only baptism I can find is the one where the parents are shown as James & Mary of Pimlico - which is the correct area - and the only Charles BARLOW I can find in the 1841 census is the one in Catherine Street which MollyMay found in post 3 which, given that there is also a child George shown with Mary, leads us back to James & Mary as being his parents also - aagh! I cannot find a burial record for either a Benjamin or a James in the Pimlico area nor can I find a marriage for George BARLOW with any certainty which might give us his father's name. Janet
Hi Janet - what a lot of work you have done. A little of what you have said I had found and yes I do believe this Barlow family were also in service to the royal family, so many of my ancestors were and their respective spouses as well as siblings. Its a long and interesting story. I do have lots of material re: Employment Records and Salaries & Wages and letters acquired from the Royal Archives. Of course now so much more is available on line from when I started this research I can now gather more. I think where my confusion has come from is that initially I have not been researching the name of Barlow. Although my gggrandmother married under the name Mary Barlow widow (as it appears on the marriage cert) her father is shown as John Hall, Fisherman and her maiden name is what I had tried to find out about. The previous marriage and "blended marriage" situation (as they call it nowadays) has caused my confusion. Although "Barlow's" are not blood ancesters their story is turning into an interesting situation and as you say not to discard what has been found so far but continue on. I will pull out some of my records on my James Slark, and put this on another post later today. \\ Mary
As "Slark" was my mother's family name, it was the first line I started research on and have always been very interested in it and quite likely have gathered the most records and information on it than any of the other lines I have researched. As a brief synopsis we have successfully proven and researched our direct line back to my 3rd Great Grandfather, James Slark, born 1778. Married Elizabeth (Unknown). He had 3 sisters that we know of and as yet only one I have successfully done any research on. We believe his parents to be James Slark & Ann (surname still unknown). James (1778) entered royal service in 1802 as a Stable Helper in the London Home of the Prince of Wales (Carlton House). At the time of his death 1832 be was a Groom to the King's Hunters. We have gathered lots of background information. His son, another James, who married Mary Barlow (nee Hall) began royal service in 1825 until his death in 1860 at the young age of 49. His occupation was that of Riding Master of the Royal Establishment. Lastly my Great Grandfather (b.1845) entered service in the Royal Mews at 14. After 33 years of service and being awarded the Victoria Faithful Service Medal from Queen Victoria he was retired as the records show "he had a weak heart". He died in 1915. We have found many other male "Slark's" throughout the records, some mostly probably are cousins or even brothers that we have not successfully been able to connect with our family. The wives of the two early Slarks above we have never yet been able to find surnames for, so do not know at this point in time if their families were also in royal service. We do know my great grandmother entered service at the age of 18 and was at Frogmore House in the service of one of Queen Victoria's sons. I am sorry if I have over-stepped the limit on this post, someone will surely let me know. To me genealogy is not just tracing your own blood line but learning at the same time about the history,geography and about the lives and experiences of families of generations long gone by. My research on my husband's maternal grandmother's line has proven to be another amazing story through research of siblings in the families which have taken me to New Zealand and America.
