Is it possible this woman and her children were born in Buenos Aires?

Question

I'm trying to determine if Susanna Margareta (Lapish) Comber was actually born in Buenos Aires or if that may have been a transcription error. The fact it shows up in multiple censuses may make it unlikely, but I'm unsure as to the reason why her parents would have been shuttling back and forth between England and Buenos Aires.

- 1881 England Census and 1901 England Census indicate Susanna was born in South America or Buenos Aires in 1874.

- Susanna Margaret Lapish was baptised in Yorkshire, England in April of 1876 (confirmed this is her.)

- Susanna's sister Isabel, who also shows as being born in Buenos Aires in the 1881 Census, was supposedly born in 1878.

- Susanna's last sister, Lola Maria, was born in Islington in England in 1880.

- From the looks of this, Susanna's parents Benjamin and Emma were in Buenos Aires for a few years around 1874, returned briefly to England around 1876 and then were back in Buenos Aires around 1878 for the birth of their next daughter Isabel and then back in England in 1880 for Lola's birth. Is this feasible? Benjamin is noted as a quarry owner in 1871 and his wife is noted as a cab proprietor's wife in 1881 (Benjamin does not show up in this Census.)

- Susanna and her husband show up in the 1901 Census and all their children show up as born in South America.

- Susanna's kids are with their grandmother, Emma, in 1911 and still show as being born in South America/Buenos Aires.

Any ideas as to if this is legit or reasons why the family would be taking this frequent trip on? They seem fairly well-off, money wise. Benjamin's father was a stone mason/stone merchant.

There are more records linked on each profile, but here is a copy/paste of Susanna's:

• "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQDQ-NC3
 : 30 December 2014, Susannah Margareta Lapish, ); citing Shipley, Birstall, York, England, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society
of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 6,358,538.
• "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q279-FV76
 : 20 August 2016), Susanah Lapish in household of Emma Lapish, Islington, London,Middlesex, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database
and images, findmypast (
http://www.findmypast.com
 : n.d.); citing p. 46, Piece/Folio 247/49, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,223.
• "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSNC-Z6F
 : 8 April 2016), Susannah Margareta Comber in household of Frederick Walter Comber, Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, England; from "1901 England, Scotland
and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (
http://www.findmypast.com
 : n.d.); citing Carlton subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• "England, London Electoral Registers, 1847-1913", database with images, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJFT-BQV7
 : 15 April 2015), Sussannah Marguerita Comber, 1913.
list end

Answer 1

There is one passenger list on FMP and Ancestry for a Mr. B. Lapish travelling to Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1893 and Benjamin Lapish (a contractor) returning 19 May 1893 on Ancestry.

 

I believe there were a lot of English in Buenos Aires - possibly to do with the canal building.

 

the children's birth/baptisms *should* be recorded in the overseas birth registers on FindMypast

Comments

It is certainly likely that Susannah Margarita's children were also born in Argentina as I believe she appears in the 1895 Argentinian census, and travelled back to England 8th February 1927 (passenger list on Ancestry) with her 14 year old daughter Joan Susannah.

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Interesting - thank you! I didn't know there was an Argentina Census available.

Benjamin Lapish, Susanna's father, seemed to have made many trips between Buenos Aires and England over the decades. I could only assume it had something to do with his owning a quarry and his father, Ingram, being a stone merchant - perhaps he needed to accompany shipments of stone/building materials and brought his family along.

Regardless, glad to know it's not a fluke of the transcription. Several of the children I lost track of - perhaps they settled in Argentina. I really was only able to find Susanna due to the fact she moved back to England and her mother, Emma, was staying with her.

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The Argentina Census is in Spanish and only available with world wide sub on Ancestry ( I haven't checked Family Search) but it may not be the same family

it looks like it could be one family

Felipe COMBER b. 1866 France

Maria COMBER b. 1867 France

and maybe a separate one

Frederico COMBER b. 1867 England

Susana COMBER b. 1874 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Alfredo b. 1891 Capital Federal, Argentina

Julio b. 1893 Capital Federal, Argentina

 

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I found it on Family search https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-635W-78H?i=151&cc=1410078

 

and the two children Alfredo and Julio are with Felipe & Maria

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XCH9-SXX?i=54&cc=1410078

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As Susannah was married to Frederick Walter Comber by 1901, then I think it is likely the correct couple in the 1895 Argentina Census

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A lot of English workers also helped build the railway in the late 1800s.

Answer 2

Kristen,

Here is the 1895 Argentinian Census Michelle says:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-635W-78H?i=151&cc=1410078

There's no doubt she is your Susanna (Line 6): 21 y/o, married, born in (Bo Ai) Buenos Aires, Argentina. Frederick, her husband (Line 5): 28 y/o, married. born in England, (Banquero) Banker.

Frederick and Susanna had 2 years of married life and it seems they had no children yet.

Lizzie (Line 7) was their cook and Agnes (Line 8) might be Lizzie's daughter. Maria (Line 9) was the housekeeper.

So, based on the sources you have found and the passenger list Michelle says, Susanna (And Frederick) travelled between Argentina and England several times, just as Susanna's parents did.

Travelling between England and Argentina was a 20-30 days long journey.

Comments

I think they probably loved it there, and was probably more home to them than England was!

Answer 3

hi, just in case this helps,

Susanna got married at 18 y.o. with Frederik Walter Comber, 26 y.o., in Argentina (my country) on august 10 1892, in Santa Trinidad church. They both lived in a city named Lomas de Zamora, in the south suburbs of Buenos Aires city. You can see this and still more info here, row #33 http://www.argbrit.org/LdeZ/LdeZmarrs.htm

I can see at least one of their children baptized Comber, Charles Thomas Wantesforde, on november 10 th 1899, in Todos los Santos church, in Quilmes city, another south suburb. Row #104

http://www.argbrit.org/Quilmes/Qbapts1892-1901.html

here you have the baptism of a Lola's child, Bryan Comber -father George Mervyn-, on december 15th 1912, (but born in 1910) in Santa Trinidad Church, Lomas de Zamora. Frederik W Comber was one of the godfathers

http://www.argbrit.org/LdeZ/LdeZbapts1901-1915.html