The first source to cheek should be the
original parish registers for any IGI entries you
have found. As with all indexes, it is very
important to cheek every entry in the original
source for its accuracy and any additional
information. Remember also to cheek the burial
registers which are not in the IGI. The batch and
source number included in IGI entries leads to
the microfilm reference of the copy documents
which can be ordered for viewing at Mormon Family
History Libraries worldwide.
According to the National Index of Parish
Registers (volume 8 part 1) for Berkshire,1
Maidenhead parish was created in 1720 from
Cookham. The original registers of baptism,
marriage and burial dating from 1866 are in the
Berkshire Record Office (BRO). However, I see
that christenings, 1796 to 1823, are on the IGI.
Although Maidenhead was a Corporate Borough and
market town it was, until the 18th century, in
the parishes of both Bray and Cookham whose
records must also be checked. Bray registers
dating from 1652 are in the BRO, with christening
and marriage entries on the IGI. Cookham
registers, from 1563, are also in the BRO but not
on the IGI.
A local contact is Brian Boulter, a member of
the Maidenhead Archaeological and History
Society, who may be able to help you.
Write to him (with s.a.e. of course) at 43
Bannard Road, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 4NP.
Other useful sources are the Berkshire 1851
Census Index,2 the 1881 census index
on fiche and CDROM, local directories and probate
records. Records of the latter up to 1858 for
Berkshire are in the Berkshire Record Office (Archdeacon
of Berkshire), Wiltshire Record Office (Bishop of
Salisbury) and the Prerogative Court of
Canterbury at the Family Records Centre, London.
Probate indexes from 1858 to date are now held at
First Avenue House, London, but microfilm copies
are available at many other locations.
Unable to resist looking things up I looked in
the following: The Berkshire 1851 census index
includes Abraham William Robinson (48Y) with
Eliza Arm (30) and Henry (16) in Maidenhead.
Thirty years later, the now widowed Eliza Arm is
listed as a butcher in the 1881 census with two
daughters and a son at 36 High Street, Cookham.
Printouts of both these entries can be obtained
from the Society (see Postal Research Services
inside back cover). Finally, according to Kelly's
Directory of Berkshire for 1887, Eliza was still
living at number 36 and a Harry Robinson,
presumably her son, was a butcher at Sunninghill
near Ascot. Do these tie up with the information
in your correspondence? I was unable to find
anything about the other children you mentioned.
