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From: "Cathy Day" <>
Subject: BARBIER Family of Bethnal Green
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 20:30:11 +1000


Hi,

This is my first post to this mailing list, so I am introducing myself and my Huguenot interests. My 5g-grandmother was Mary BARBIER (1779-1853) of Bethnal Green and Spitalfields. She married James WHITER (1782-1849) in Hackney in 1802, had six children and died in the French Protestant Hospital. The family were silk weavers.

At her admission to La Providence, she stated that she was the daughter of George BARBIER and a cousin of Marie Esther PAUL, the latter being an inmate of the hospital. When Mary's sister Elizabeth entered the hospital upon Mary's death, she stated that she was the daughter of George BARBIER, and that his father was "Michael BARBIER, a Native of France".

I have baptism records for Elizabeth, Mary and their five other siblings, and a marriage record for their father George BARBIER to Elizabeth YARDLEY in 1777 at St Dunstan, Stepney. That is the most distant rock-solid information that I have.

Tracing Marie Esther PAUL revealed that her mother was named Marie BARBIER, who was presumably also a child of Michel BARBIER. However, I have no baptism records for George or Marie, or any siblings, if there were any. The only proof that I have that Michel BARBIER (or Michael BARBER) was their father is the word of his grand-daughter Elizabeth.

Nevertheless, Michel BARBIER did actually exist! His temoigne was presented to the French Church at Threadneedle Street on 27 May 1744 and he was a sponsor for Jacques LOISON's admission to the church on 22 Feb 1752. He was also godfather to baby twins baptised in the same church on 19 Jan 1755. After that, the trail goes cold!

I have checked the records of the various French Churches in London, published in the Huguenot Society's Quarto Series, without success and wonder if George and Mary were baptised in a non-French church. I have also checked a variety of online databases (eg. London Burials Index, Boyds Marriage Index). If anyone has any advice on places to look for the baptism of George or Mary BARBIER around 1752, a marriage or burial of Michel BARBIER, or a clue as to the location in France from which Michel originated, then I would be keen to hear from them.

Variations of the surname that I have seen are BARBER, BARBIEN and BERBIER.

Thanks,

Cathy Day
Canberra, Australia

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