----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Jones" <mejones@slingshot.co.nz> To: <jmichael0426@hotmail.com> Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 7:18 PM Subject: Birches of Cheshire > Dear Justin, > > Thank you for your email to the List. I cannot positively connect to your > family at the moment, but we both originate from Cheshire Birches, and I > have not come across many. Your man originates in Little Neston and mine > in Partington. Those villages are quite some miles apart, so perhaps we > are unconnected. Still, here is what little I know about my people. > > The farthest back I have traced so far is to my ggg-grandfather Henry > Birch, who was born at Partington, Cheshire, in the late 1790s. He and > his wife Sarah were married in Chester ca 1828 and raised a family there. > They were not well off. They lived in Newgate St and St Werburgh St. > Henry was, successively, a servant/waiter, glass dealer/earthenware > shopkeeper, and licencee, as he gradually improved his "station" in life. > They had three children - Harriet, George & Ann- all born in Chester. > > In 1852, Ann Birch, was married in Chester to a young local > carpenter/joiner, one Robert Wilkinson. The young couple lived initially > in Davies Court off Newgate St, where their first child Sarah Ann was born > in 1852. This area has since been demolished as slums, in favour of a > carparking building. Just the Newgate St pub remains. Sarah Ann, who was > my great-grandmother was baptised at St John the Evangelist, Chester. As > an adult she moved away from Chester and my branch of the family lost its > connection with the County. > > In my home, I have a sampler dated 1836 & jointly embroidered by Sarah > Birch (age10) and Mary Birch (8). It is framed and hangs in a low light. > I gaze at it daily and never cease to muse over who shares this common > ancestry with me! > > Warm wishes, > > Michael Jones > Auckland NZ