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The Three Early Walter Burgar in the early 1800s.
1. Introduction
The name Walter runs in the Burgar family for well over 100years. The name was important to the first generation of the English Burgar family.
John Burgar (1742-1797) had two children baptised as Walter (one died soon after birth). In addition there were two other Walter Burgar at this time. In the analysis below we have tried to clarify the origins of the three surviving Walter Burgar. They were:
1. Walter Burgar (1) married Christian Jones in 1827.
2. Walter Burgar (2) married Elizabeth Sanderson in 1795 in London
3. Walter Burgar (3) married Mary Kent in 1819 in Burton-upon-Trent
Who are these three Walter Burgar related to? We only know of two possibilities:
a. John Burgar (1742-1797) and Catherine Fitkin whose children are all recorded in Baptism Registers.
b. Robert Burgar (1754-1820) who married and Susannah Davis in 1774.
There are about 6 Burgars born between 1775 and about 1790 for whom we have not found baptism records. Their birth dates have been deduced from the ages at death. However, for various reasons, we believe that they are the children of Robert and Susannah (which are shown on the page for Robert Burgar (1754-1820).
It is necessary to reconcile the above three Walter Burgar. Are they children of John or Robert Burgar above?
2. Origins of Walter Burgar (1).
After 25 years of confusion we are now clear that Walter Burgar (No 1 above) is the child of John Burgar (1742-1797) and Catherine Fitkin.
A summary of his entry in the Baptism Register of St Botolphs, Bishopsgate, London is:
Walter, born 24th May 1789, son of John and Catherine Burgar, was baptised on 14th June 1789 at St Botolphs Bishopsgate, London
His Death Certificate is summarized as follows:
On 3rd November
1857, Walter Burgar of 8 Conduit Court, Long Acre, St Martin-in-the-fields Male
aged 68, Boot Closer jouneyman, died of chronic bronchitis one and a half years.
The informant was Susan Stynes who was present at the death. Her address was 26,
Moss? Alley, Bank Side, Holland? St, Blackfriars road.
Walter died in 1857 at the age of 68 years. This would mean that he was born in
1789, in agreement with the above birth date.
Susan (Burgar) Stynes, the person present at the death, was the niece of the above Walter. Her father was Joseph (1794-1854), the younger brother of Walter.
The census of 1851 gives his correct age and states that he was born in St Botolphs, Bishopsgate. All of which is in agreement with the above details.
A Walter Burgar and Christian Jones were married at St George, Hanover Sq, London.59 The following is a summary of the entry in the Marriage Register:
Walter Burgar and Christian Jones were married on the 16th April 1827 at St George Hanover Square. The witnesses were John Gilbert and Elizabeth Jones. (All 4 Participants signed the register).
Did Walter Burgar (1) marry Christian Jones? We think so, since Walter Burgar (1) was living in the same area in the 1841 and 1851 Censuses.
Both of these addresses and the place where he died (8 Conduit Court) are within a few hundred yards of Newcastle Street, where Christian (Jones) Burgar died.
3. Origins of Walter Burgar (2) (born pre 1775 - pre 1807)
The only information we have on Walter Burgar (2) is that he married Elizabeth Sanderson. The following is a summary of the entry in the Marriage Register:
Walter Burgar, Bachelor, and Elizabeth Sanderson, Spinster both of this Parish were married on 23/8/1795 at St George in the East, Stepney, London. Walter signed and Elizabeth signed as 'El'. The witnesses were Thomas Harmar Lacon and William Weede.
Thomas Harmar Lacon was a church official.
In 1807 Elizabeth (Sanderson) Burgar re-married James Weede. The following is a summary of the entry in the Marriage Register:
Elizabeth Burgar, Widow, and James Weede, both of this Parish were married on 12th October 1807 at St Botolphs Aldgate. He signed but she made a mark. The witnesses were William Weede and Mr Wilson, Clerk.
This suggests that Walter Burgar (2) had died prior to 1807, since she is said to be a widow. We have not been able to find the death of Walter Burgar (2), so can not be sure whether he died or merely deserted her.
Who is the father of Walter Burgar (2)?. It can not be John Burgar (1742-1797), since he is the father of Walter Burgar (I) above.
It could be Robert Burgar (1754-1820). He married Susannah Burgar in 1774. If so, then Walter would have been less than 20 years old when he married Elizabeth Sanderson in 1795.
It might be expected that the witnesses at his marriage to Elizabeth Sanderson would be one of his brothers. However, the witnesses were older men, Thomas Harmar Lacon, who was born in 1756, and William Weede, who was born in about 1755 (he was having children from 1780 onwards). If these witnesses were friends of Walter Burgar (2) then he might be similar in age to them, say about 40 years old, i.e. born around 1755. If this were so, then he might be a brother or cousin of John Burgar (1742-1797) and of Robert Burgar (1754-1820).
We suspect, but can not prove it, that this is the case. However, we have based our Family Tree on this surmise.
3. Origins of Walter Burgar (3)
The first record of Walter Burgar (3) is his marriage to Mary Kent in Burton-upon-Trent. The parish Register states:
Walter Burgar, bachelor and Mary Kent, spinster , both of the Parish were married on the 15th August 1819 at St Modwen, Burton-on-Trent. Walter signed his name but Mary used an “X”. The witnesses were John and Catherine Kent.
Walter (3) deserted Mary (Kent) Burgar in 1831 while they were living in Nottingham. We have not found his death date (or birth date) and consequently have no idea how old he was when he married in 1819.
We have come to the tentative conclusion that he is the son of Robert Burgar (1854-1820) and Susannah Davis and was born around 1790. He would then be about 30 years old when he married Mary Kent in 1819, and about 40 when he deserted her in 1831.
We have entered him into the Family Tree on this surmise.
4. Further possibilites
a. Could Walter Burgar (2) and Walter Burgar (3) be the same person?
This would require that Walter Burgar (2) had deserted his wife Elizabeth Sanderson prior to 1807 rather than that he had died. If this were so, then when Walter Burgar married in 1819 in Burton, he would have been between 45 and 65 years old, depending on the possible birth dates suggested for Walter Burgar (2) (see above).
We think this is unlikely, and feel that it is more likely that Walter (2) and Walter (3) are not the same person. The signatures at the two weddings do not seem to be with the same hand, although this is not conclusive, since the mariages were 25 years apart.
b. Could Walter Burgar (1) and Walter Burgar (3) be the same person?
We do not believe that this is likely since Walter (3) was having children in Nottingham while Walter (1) was marrying Christian Jones in London in 1827.
c. Could Walter Burgar (3) be the son of Walter Burgar (2)?
We have not found any record that Walter Burgar(2) had any children, so think that this is less likely but it is a possibility that can not be dismissed.
5. Conclusions
On balance, we feel that the three Walter Burgar are different persons. The three signatures are marginally different.
Walter Burgar (1) positively is the child of John Burgar (1742-1797)
Walter Burgar (2) is likely to be born around 1755 and is likely to be a brother or cousin of John Burgar (1742-1797) and Robert Burgar (1754-1820)
Walter Burgar (3) is likely to be born around 1790 and is likely to be a child of Robert Burgar (1754-1820)
However, there is no conclusive evidence to prove that the suppositions concerning the last two Walter Burgar are correct. Future findings may prove otherwise, but at this stage, we are assuming that this is the correct situation.