Helen Lang of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, is looking for a Caroline Stone and her ancestors. She emigrated to Australia on the Berkshire c1848. She was 20 years of age Episcopalian. Found an entry for a christening on the IGI for a Caroline Stone christened 9 Sept 1828 Northaw, Hertfordshire, mother Phillis Stone.

Australian records are often more helpful than English records, and there were several Caroline Stone born each year in England - the IGI at familysearch listing 5 christened in 1828 and it is not a complete index - see The Limitions of familysearch. I am sure one cannot be certain of her year of birth to the exact year - so there may well have been a dozen or more possible Caroline Stone born in about 1828. In replying I will assume that you are uncertain whether this is the right one, but you might find it useful to look at My Ancestors emigrated from Hertfordshire ... to see if you have any additional information from Australia which could help.

Obviously the Caroline Stone, daughter of Phillis could not be your Caroline Stone if either of the following happened:

She died in infancy or childhood. Normally one would check this against the burial register but unfortunately Northaw church was destroyed by fire in 1881 and it looks as if the burial register no longer exists. In theory the Bishops Transcripts could help - but these also seem to be defective over the relevant period. To make matters worse it is very unlikely to be an extant tombstone for the infant child of an unmarried mother.

She was still alive and living in England after your Caroline sailed for Australia. She may have still been Caroline Stone, she may have married, or her mother may have married and Caroline brought up with the surname of her step-father.

In addition to checking for any further Australian evidence, I would suggest that at this stage you check the Northaw baptismal register and the 1841 census for Northaw (about 600 people). It might also be worth checking the Hatfield Workhouse census returns to see if Phillis and Caroline were there - as Northaw was in the Hatfield Union. If you find them in 1841 it could be worth looking in 1851 as well, as this gives more information and could help you with Phillis's place of birth. You should be able to order the appropriate microfilms in your nearest LDS Family History Centre (see familysearch for address).

It would also be worth checking with HALS to see if they hold any court or other records relating to Caroline's parentage.