Carrying out genealogical research in the Caribbean is often difficult – poor archives, records that don't go back very far and the inevitable problems caused by slavery. Channel 4 commissioned professional genealogist Anthony Adolph of Achievements Ltd <www.achievements.co.uk> to give it a try, using as his guinea pig Jonah Albert, coordinator of the Channel 4 Black History Map project, who was born on 5 October 1967 at Castries, St Lucia.

A Caribbean case study: Part 3

We have started to get results back from searches of Jonah's family in the Catholic parish registers of St Lucia. These are very exciting, as they have added a huge amount of detail to Jonah’s father’s generation, told us more about his grandparents and identified three of his great-grandparents. It turns out that his grandfather, Aristide Albert, was originally called Aristide Clery. In 1897, he was born out of wedlock in Anse-la-Verdure, Heights of Canaries, the son of Leontine Benjamin – Jonah's great-grandmother. Aristide’s father was probably Albert Clery.

It is easy to see the problems faced by researchers in St Lucia: children there were sometimes born out of wedlock, although at least the records tell us this clearly. Another difficulty has been getting hold of records to do with the Corniberts. When the researcher, a local priest, visited Laborie to investigate the parish registers, he found that the priest was out. So, he writes, he will have to go back another time!

Another problem has been cost – at £10 per certificate, the research is not proving cheap. However, the amount of detail being found is certainly fascinating and builds up a colourful picture of life in early 20th-century St Lucia, with a rich tapestry of occupations and surnames of English and French origin.

Here is Jonah's updated family tree, with new information in red:

Father's side (The Alberts)

Great-grandfather: Albert (thought to have been his Christian name – surname probably Clery).

Great-grandmother: Leontine Benjamin.

Grandfather: Aristide Clery who, after his marriage, was known as Aristide Albert. He was born out of wedlock at Anse-la-Verdure in the Heights of Canaries, St Lucia, in about 1897. As the Canaries registers only start in 1905, he would have been baptised at Soufriere or Anse-la-Raye. He was married (as Aristide Clery) on 24 May 1920 at St Anthony’s, Canaries, to Albertina Edward. The marriage was witnessed by Leon Allain, Paul Marquis, Joinville Edward (presumably a relation of Albertina's) and Joshua Marquis. Aristide died, aged 80, on 16 March 1977 and was buried the next day at St Anthony’s, Canaries, being described as a labourer of Canaries. On their children's baptismal records, both Aristide and Albertina were described as labourers of Canaries.

Grandmother: Albertina Edward, sometimes called Bertie. Born at Anse-la-Verdure in 1901, the legitimate daughter of Robinson Edward and Ellen Augustin (Jonah's great-grandparents). She died on 5 May 1980, aged 79, and was buried the same day at St Anthony’s, Canaries, being described as a housewife of Canaries.

Aristide and Albertina's 12 children:

1. Patrick, born out of wedlock on 28 April 1919 and baptised on 13 May the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries. He was referred to on his parents’ wedding certificate as Johnson. He married Maria Louisa Ellen Suffren on 18 March 1961 at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, 337 Harrow Road, London W9.
2. Joseph Bennett Albert, born on 23 March 1921 and baptised on 1 April the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Flood Marquis, carpenter of Canaries, and Medalise Lansiquot, school mistress of Canaries.
3. Matthew Albert (see below).
4. Marie Josephine Albert, born 18 December 1925 and baptised on Christmas Day the same year at Canaries - godparents: Paul Atticot, carpenter of Anse-la-Verdure, and Apoline Gonzague, seamstress of Canaries.
5. Marie Gercienne Albert, born on 23 July 1928 and baptised on 19 August the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Albert Thomas, a labourer of Canaries, and Emma Mauricette, a seamstress of Castries. A seamstress of Castries herself, Marie married Janvier Julius James Campbell, a printer, born about 1928/9, son of Laurence James and Elmyre Aneville, on 27 February 1957 at Castries Cathedral before witnesses Lennard Mondesir and Witney Mauricette. By this marriage were legitimated three children: Juliana (born 5 April 1949, Castries), Emmanuel Stephen (born 25 December 1950, Castries) and Quinter Henry (born 30 October 1953, Castries). The marriage was unsuccessfully opposed by Francis Carasco and Ernest Joseph Charles (reason not stated!).
6. Horn Cornibert Clement Albert, born on 23 November 1930 and baptised on 24 December the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Bennett Aristide, a schoolboy of Canaries, and Eva LePelletier St Omer, seamstress of Canaries.
7. Louis Albert Oliver Albert, born on 26 April 1933 and baptised on 21 May the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Roney Mauricette, a schoolboy of Castries, and Flora Mauricette, a schoolgirl of Castries.
8. John Baptiste Albert, born on 27 June 1935 and baptised on 28 July the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Bertrand Demacque, a sailor of Castries, and Clarice Demacque, a schoolgirl of Canaries.
9. Isidore Albert, born on 4 April 1937 and baptised on 2 May the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Edward Saint Luce, a labourer of Canaries, and Eva Lansiquot, a seamstress of Canaries.
10. Leo Albert born on 10 April 1939 and baptised 7 May the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Edvar Paul, a fisherman of Canaries, and Wilhelmina Mathurin, a seamstress of Canaries.
11. Conrad Albert, born 27 June 1941 and baptised 27 July the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Jean Baptiste Charles, a labourer of Canaries, and Maria Ferdinand, a seamstress of Canaries.
12. Ubald Albert, born on 27 April 1943 and baptised on 16 May the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Herman Joseph, a speculator of Canaries, and Constance Lansiquot, a seamstress of Castries.

Father: Mathew Albert. Born on 9 June 1923 and baptised on 15 July the same year at St Anthony’s, Canaries - godparents: Gerald John Baptiste, labourer of Canaries, and Edala Mathurin, seamstress of Canaries. Sailor in St Lucia, later emigrated to Britain. Married Lucia Cornibert in London.

The Albert family's ancestry is thought to include black, white and perhaps some indigenous Indian blood.

Mother's side (The Corniberts)

Great-great-great grandfather: [unknown forename] Cornibert-de-Bolay. French nobleman, living in St Lucia.

Great-great grandfather: [unknown forename] Cornibert. Was illegitimate and was therefore given only half his father’s surname.

Great-grandfather: Arthur Anton 'Georges' Cornibert. Carpenter. Married a woman with both black and white ancestry.

Grandfather: Anton Cornibert. Born in 1872. Carpenter; was involved in the building of the Panama Canal. Inherited land from his father but is said to have lost it during a family dispute. Married Eta Alphonse; after her death, married Antoinette. Had 10 children, the first born when he was about 40. Died on 5 October 1973 and was buried the next day, aged an astonishing 101, at St Anthony’s, Canaries.

Grandmother: Eta Alphonse. Died in about 1944.

Mother: Lucia Cornibert. Born 1937, Laborie, St Lucia. Seamstress. Married Mathew Albert in London.

The search goes on …
The next stage will cover the search for Aristide’s baptism, after which it may be possible to go further back. It should also cover research into the Cornibert side, for which there has only been one result so far.