Thursday, August 25, 2005

Kendricks in Birmingham


The Kendricks seem to have been established in Birmingham from the 18th Century, although, as the name Kendrick probably has Celtic origins, they may have come from Wales. The earliest I have found is Richard and his wife Ann who were both born in Birmingham around 1790. In the census for 1841 they were living in Horse Fair with two sons, John aged 14 and Thomas 6 . Both children were baptised at St Martins in the Bull Ring, the ancient parish church of Birmingham. The present church is a rebuild dating from the 1870s, but it is believed that there has been a church in this place from Norman times. Because of the gap of eight years between the two boys, there may have been other children who did not survive.
By 1851 the family had moved to 7, Blucher St. Richard's occupation was Lock Forger. John was a clerk in a Newspaper Office and Thomas, aged 17, an Electro Plater.
I haven't yet found out when Richard and Ann died. In the 1861 census a Richard Kendrick aged 65, widower, was lodging at 39 Granville Street.
In 1861 John was married to Charlotte and living in Gt. Colmore St. with a growing family. His occupation was Patent Agent, an occupation his brother Thomas was to follow.

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