Hi, I am trying to locate the GARDINER family, who were in the above area in 1851. I know this since there youngest son was born there some time in 1851. The previous child was born in Gosport. The father, John GARDINER, was apparently a railway agent, and from the various birthplaces of his children, moved around a lot between 1840 and 1851, I would greatly appreciate is SKS could find even an extract with the details of the father, he 'disappears' about 1851. The details of the rest of the family are: Mother Mary GARDINER, b abt 1807, later always reported as in 'Leicester' dau Sophia Jane b abt 1830, again Leicester dau Sarah Ann b abt 1831, Leicester son William Whetstone GARDINER, b 1833, once again Leicester dau Eliza, b abt 1840, Lambeth/Kennington/ London She seems to know exactly where it was! son John Fielding GARDINER, b 1846 in Gosport, Hants son Charles F. b abt 1851 in Fareham, Hants Incidentally, I have been unable to find any of the births,or baptisms for any of the children, neither a marriage for the parents. So I am keen to find where the father says where he was born. Dave in Quebec

Hi Dave, You do have census for the rest of the family do you? I just found J F Gardiner at his sister's in 1871 if you don't have it. Dorothy, Canada

Hi Dorothy, Many thanks, but I have a copy of the 1861 thru 1901 census, its the 1851 census that I need, as the father, John who would, I believe, be still alive then. At the time of all the others he was already dead. I'm hoping that it will show a different location for his birth than just "Leicester". I might then be able to make some progress in tracing, at least him, further back. They must have been very violently opposed to Civil Registration, as the only civil records, apart from the census, one daughter's wedding, and some deaths, which of course were mandatory, they would not register any births. Apparently, registration of births were only made mandatory after 1875. They also seem to not have been C of E, as there are no records of christenings. Very unusual. Where abouts are you in our great country? Regards, Dave in Quebec.

Hi Dave, I wish I could help with the 1851 but I don't have it. All my information I get from Ancestry.com etc. I did do some looking for you on 1837 on line but after 8 tries found nothing so gave up. I had not realized that civil registration was not mandatory until 1875! That probably explains why I cannot find some of my people. I live just outside of Calgary in sunny Alberta, not always warm, but sunny. Even when it is cold we have such blue skies. I see you live in Quebec? What part? We are traveling through Quebec next month with some friends from Australia and plan to do some sight seeing. We end up in Nova Scotia where they fly home from and then my husband and I have 2 weeks to drive home in the RV. We have done the trip before and want to show our friends the glorious fall colours that you have down there. Where you born in Canada or England? I was born in Birkenhead, moved to Australia with my family as a teenager and came to Canada with my husband (also English) and two children in 1976. We have never been back to England but now that I am doing this genealogy I have caught up with cousins I played with and met new ones so now I would like to go. Hopefully next year, we will see! Have a great weekend, Dorothy