A Stubborn Brick Wall
 

Hello - I'm new here, but I'm told you love a challenge, so I wonder if anyone can help me? This Brick Wall has defeated researchers for over ten years :-
My g/g/g/grandfather was Thomas Headland b 1786 Uxbridge Middx. He m
Christiana Atkinson & they moved to Islington around 1820.I have much info from then on, but have never been able to trace Thomas's parentage. He may have been Non Conformist - his children were baptised in that faith - but other
than that, I know nothing at all. I believe there may be a connection to the Headlands of Beds./Northants, but have never been able to establish this.
Various other family researchers from around the world have tried to solve this, & all have failed.
Within the last few weeks, one has come up with a couple of new Headlands previously thought unconnected. One - Robert b 1789 - had Thomas's eldest son
as witness to his wedding, so there would seem be a link there.
Can anyone rise to the challenge of this knotty problem?
Thanks in anticipation.

Vita.

Welcome, Vita! We do like a challenge, it's true. I hope someone can knock down your brick wall.

To start proceedings:

So this is Thomas and Christina in 1841:

1841 Census
HEADLAND, Thomas
ST PANCRAS, Middlesex
HO107 piece 685 folio 16/8 page 11
Chapel Street, St Pancras, Marylebone

They also have Emma, 15, and Alfred, 10, with them
Thomas is a painter.

Where and when did Thomas and Christiana get married, please, Vita?

Thomas has died by 1851, according to the census.

Christiana is with Alfred, her son.

1851 Census
HEADLAND, Christiana
ISLINGTON, Middlesex
HO107 piece 1499 folio 482 page 1
1, Trinity Street, Islington, Finsbury

Alfred is a printer/compositer and Christiana a tailoress.


Vita, a question:

How do you know where Thomas Headland was born? The 1841 census doesn't give a place of birth - it just indicates he was "born in county" - i.e. Middlesex.

If he had been alive in 1851 we would have had more details.

Also can I ask how you know that Thomas was born in Uxbridge, please? I can't find him on the later censuses; is he one of the deaths between in 1846 or 1847 in St Pancras district? Or am I just missing him?

So this is his burial?

Name: Thomas Headland
Record Type: Burial
Estimated Death Date: abt 1847
Burial Date: 15 Jun 1847
Age: 62
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1785
Parish or Poor Law Union: St Pancras Parish Chapel
Borough: Camden
Register Type: Parish Register

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/15...l=ReturnRecord

The image shows he was living in Chapel Street when he died, which was where Christiana and Alfred were in 1851.

His burial is also on Family Search.

There is a burial 15 Jun 1847 St Pancras Parish Chapel Thomas Headland age 62, abode Chapel St.

(Edit - snap, Elizabeth! I'm just way behind you!)

I see from the non-conformist registers on Ancestry that Thomas and Christiana's children's births were recorded at Uxbridge.