Best way to get English records.

[billymac]

Hello all.
What is the best way to trace English ancestors. I have been spoilt by the ease of search methods and type of results using Scotlands People. Now I have to continue on with my wife's family who hailed from the Newcastle, UK area. Indexes are not much use in positively identifying someone. It's proving very difficult to make sure that the results I find are really the people I'm tracking. With the lack of detail on things such as marriage registrations (no mother's name) or deaths (no parent's names) I don't see how I can be sure of anything. I am not adverse to paying for membership if I end up with the correct and provable information. I'd be grateful for any advice on who or what to join or the best way to get provable results.
For example --- I am looking at a Carruthers (James and Mary) family in the 1911 census. The parents were married 13 years and the eldest child (Hannah) was 12. Per the census, a child was subsequently born each two years (five children on the census). The details say the parents had six children, one of whom died. So my thoughts are the child who died was born and died between 1907 and early 1911. But how on earth can I verify this? With Scotlands People, relatively easy task. Look for a death leaving child's first name blank, time frame, location, possible mothers maiden name and sort through the results before possibly buying the image (relatively cheaply). What is the similar method for English records?

Carruther's census image is here:
https://ibb.co/27PCBsCs

Bill

[WilmaM]

Personally I use 'Find My Past' for those outwith Scotland, and indeed for Scottish census transcriptions too [though I will verify with the original SP docs if it's for my own trees].
I can get limited access through the National Library of Scotland, probably not the route you can take from Australia.
English records are much more difficult to navigate, as maiden names are rarely noted anywhere, but using the advanced options can help.

I had a quick look at FMP, was Mary Carruthers maiden name Clough?
if so there's a baby Mary born reg quarter 3 1904 mms Clough in Morpeth, who also died in that same quarter [no MMS on the death]
or
A Robert Parkin Carruthers mms Thornton born 1st quarter of 107 and died in the 2nd quarter.

That may have muddied the waters but shows it is possible to cross-reference birth and deaths to a degree.

[AndrewP]

Hi WIlma,

Using Ancestry, I came across a conundrum for trying to resolve Mary Carruthers' maiden surname. The index tells us that the four names on that page are:
>> Mary McNally
>> James Carruthers
>> Mary Clough
>> John Fagan
... with no means to match up which bride married which groom from the index.

As you have come up with Clough in your search, does that prove the couples from the above set of four?

Now Ancestry has given another clue in the 1901 census where the middle name is given for Eleanor: She was Eleanor Clough Carruthers.

All the best,

AndrewP

[WilmaM]

Now Ancestry has given another clue in the 1901 census where the middle name is given for Eleanor: She was Eleanor Clough Carruthers.

Good catch Andrew.
FMP shows her birth as Cleogh:;

First name(s) Eleanor Cleough
Country England
Last name Carruthers
Volume 10A
Birth registration year 1900
Page 323
Registration quarter 3
Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006
Mother's maiden name Cleough
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Lanchester
Subcategory Civil Births
County Durham

young George likewise:

First name(s) George Clough
Country England
Last name Carruthers
Volume 10B
Birth registration year 1904
Page 436
Registration quarter 4
Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006
Mother's maiden name Clough
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
District Morpeth

[billymac]

Thank you Wilma and Andrew.That result is a bit of a conundrum. The parents of the child I was looking for were indeed James Carruthers and Mary Clough (sometimes Cleough). I immediately thought twins (occur throughout the extended family) as the son George was born 19 September 1904 (from the 1939 Register) which is (as you said) the 3rd quarter. Both in the district of Morpeth. But if the index says daughter Mary was born in and died 4th quarter then it's somewhat confusing ---- although she must be the missing child.

Wilma,
I'm pretty sure there's a library version of FMP in Australian libraries. At least there was during the Covid lock down as both it and Ancestry were made available from home (as long as you had a library membership). I am sure FMP was a limited version as well back then.
Bill

[AndrewP]

Hi Bill,

Looks like your twin theory is right. If you look at the index for Hannah's birth in 1899 Q1, there are two Carruthers in Lanchester in volume 10a on page 303: Hannah and John.

There is a possible death for him in Gateshead, County Durham in 1899 Q3, listed as John Clarence Carruthers.

Food for thought,

AndrewP