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Okay, so the info I have on John Best is all about his son Henry Best -
1911 census Henry, Emma, Sidney living in Cambridge.
1901 Henry, Emma, Charles & Sidney living in Fuller's Yard, Mildenhall, Suffolk
1891 All at The Spread Eagle, Littlehampton

Henry had 2 children by a Jane Brown formerly Hyne but no marriage found.
Jane was married to a Phillip Brown, 1867, went to America, had a son, returned to England, had a daughter. ?? Left Phillip for Henry, Phillip remarried, 1888, no divorce found so presume Jane died.

Henry's sons with Jane - Charles 1884- 1941 born in Exeter, Devon died in Cambridge. Sydney c 1865 -1964 born in Plymouth Devon died in Cambridge.

1898 Henry married Emma Taylor in Highworth district Wilts. Emma born in Fenstanton/St Ives, Cambridgeshire c 1870. Emma's fathers name listed as William Taylor, Soldier. Henry's father listed as John Best., Sawyer. Both deceased. Witnesses - John & Ellen Love
Henry died in 1921, info from BMD< Camdex
The above info is correct.

!881 census Henry a lodger at (Horseshoes) Winchester Street, Whitchurch
Hampshire, believe this is correct
1871 only found a Henry in Gosport in the Royal Marines but have no idea if this is correct.
1861 not found. There is a Henry G Best aged 6 in Castle Knowle, Wareham but this is not the required person. Most of Henry's family via Charles now passed away, others memory poor but all state Henry was not talked about. Have tried to contact relatives of Sydney Best via Genes but no one has replied.

I did find a John Best born c 1840 whose parents John c 1805 and Jane 1803 were all from wareham but I can find no mention of a Henry

That is all the info I have on them. Hope that helps clarify things better.
Thanks lynn :-)

Lynn, Have you already seen this? This looks to be the daughter of John Best in Wareham.

Dorset Birth and Baptisms
Name: Henry Best
Baptism Date: 28 Jun 1851
Parish: Wareham
Mother's name: Sarah Best

Thanks

I'm very much inclined toward agreeing with GlitterBaby above. It seems to me that he was the son of Sarah, who wasn't married. So he was brought up by his grandparents John and Jane.

John and Jane's son, John born 1840, wasn't old enough to be Henry's father.

Henry probably didn't know who his father was, so on his marriage certificate, to save face, he gave the name and occupation of his grandfather (who had been like a father to him anyway.)

Yes I have, unsure because John was supposedly the father??? He was listed on the wedding certificate as the father but perhaps Sarah was unmarried or he fathered her child?? Not sure how i find that out. Thanks I'll take another look at it.

Henry doesn't seem to have known exactly when he was born (not at all uncommon at that time). He gives 1858 in 1911; 1859 in 1901; 1853 in 1891 and 1853 in 1881.

The one I believe to be your Henry Best has born Wareham 1851 on the 1871 census, and born Wareham 1852 on the 1861 census. (GlitterBaby has posted them both above.)

ChristinaS, if John born in 1840 he would have been 18 when Henry born so he could have been his father. Your point about Sarah not being married and his mother is quite likely I suppose.

I don't even want to think about grandfather John being the father!!

There's a very slim chance that the Dorset Archives may still have the bastardy court claims for Wareham for 1851. Sarah may have tried to make a claim against the father, for maintenance. They're pretty unlikely to have survived all this time though.

I read somewhere that in the early years of the census, ages were round up or down accordingly so could be out quite a bit.

Thanks a lot ChristinaS, at least it gives me some ideas to play with and check out.

There is this baptism on Wareham Parish Records

1831 5~Apr; Sarah Ann d of John & Jane Best - Sawyer; [St. Martins ]

if this is the same John and Jane Best Wareham .... then if Sarah had a son .. it would be their grandson .......

it is also on Family Search
name: Sarah Ann Best
gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 1831
baptism/christening place: ST. MARY'S, WAREHAM, DORSET, ENGLAND
father's name: John Best
mother's name: Jane
indexing project (batch) number: C16065-2
system origin: England-VR
source film number: 1239253
reference number: - 2:2MVBRQX

Also in Wareham Parish Records is the marriage of Sarah An `parents and possible grandparent of Henry

15 Jul 1827 John Best & Jane Sanders

( A copy of the marriage entry is on Ancestry)


I posted this on your other thread not realising members were working on this one --------- it may help still to contact Jenny

Lynn

Can I make a suggestion - Click on this link
http://www.opcdorset.org/WarehamFiles/Wareham.htm

It is for Wareham Parish Records .... the OPC ( online parish clerk )there is Jenny Way ---- you will see her name in blue - click on it and a email page will open ..

I know the transcribed baptism online only go to 1841 ---- but the OPC have access to the Parish Records .....

Just ask her if she will please look up the baptism for Henry Best ... and his father mother etc .............

Is this a possibility .................
name: Henry Best
gender: Male
baptism/christening date: 1851
baptism/christening place: ST. MARY'S, WAREHAM, DORSET, ENGLAND
mother's name: Sarah Best
indexing project (batch) number: C73892-3
system origin: England-VR
source film number: 1239253
reference number: - 2:2MM1LD2

John and Jane also had a son John --- again from Wareham Parish Records

6~Feb; 1840 John s of John & Jane Best - Sawyer; [Lady St. Mary]

( A tree on Ancestry have him born 31st December 1839 -- source given as OPC Wareham )

Here he is 1841 Census

Name: John Best
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Gender: Male
Where born: Dorset, England

Civil parish: Lady St Mary Out
Hundred: Wareham
County/Island: Dorset
Country: England
Registration district: Wareham and Purbeck
Sub-registration district: Wareham
Piece: 295 Book: 11 Folio: 38 Page Number: 11
Household Members:
Name Age
John Best 35
Jane Best 38
Susan Best 12
Henry Best 11
Sarah Best 9
Samuel Best 7
Eliza Best 8
Edward Best 4
John Best 1

Some marriages of John and Janes Children
(images on Ancestry)

Dorset, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921
Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish
Name: Samuel Best
Spouse: Jane Symonds
Father: John Best
Birth: abt 1835
Marriage: 12 May 1856 - Wareham, Dorset, England

Dorset, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1921
Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish
Name: Susan Best
Spouse: William Bright
Father: John Best
Marriage: 18 Apr 1850 - Wareham, Dorset, England

and son Edward ----------- he is listed on 1841 census .... so he is older than stated here
Image on Ancestry
Name: Edward Best
Birth Year: abt 1843
Age: 27
Marriage or Bann Date: 16 Jan 1870
Parish: Wareham
Father's Name: John Best
Spouse's Name: Annie Bevercombe
Spouse's Father's Name: Frederick Bevercombe

Just to put all in order chronologically - and at all times his occupation is Sawyer ( there are "Best" sawyers possibly family members of John in Wareham


and I believe this to be the family of your Henry Best -- I have heard of many instances of the grandfather being shown as Father - it has happened several times in my own family - a very close relative born in 1930 had the same entry grandfather shown as father -

name: John Best
event: Census. event date: 1871
gender: Male age: 66
birthplace: Poole, Dorsetshire
record type: Household
registration district: Wareham
sub-district: Wareham
event parish: Lady St Mary county: Dorsetshire
Household Gender Age Birthplace
self John Best M 66 Poole, Dorsetshire
wife Jane Best F 70 Wareham, Dorsetshire
grandson Henry Best M 20 Wareham, Dorsetshire

Name: John Best. 1861 Census Age: 56
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1805
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Jane Best
Where born: Ham Worthy Poole, Dorset, England. >>>>>>>>>>>>see note below
Civil parish: Wareham Lady St Mary Town: Wareham Dorset
Occupation: Wood Sawyer
Registration district: Wareham
Sub-registration district: Wareham
Household schedule number: 155
Piece: 1345
Folio: 36
Page Number: 25
Household Members:
Name Age
John Best 56
Jane Best 60
Henery Best 9. Grandson


1851

Name: John Best
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1805
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Jane Best
Where born: Ham, Dorset, England. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>see note below
Civil parish: Wareham Holy Trinity
Ecclesiastical parish: Salisbury
Town: Wareham : Dorset
Registration district: Wareham
Sub-registration district: Swanage
ED, institution, or vessel: 10a
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 13
Piece: 1856
Folio: 336
Page Number: 4
Household Members:
Name Age
John Best 46
Jane Best 48
Eliza Best 16
Edward Best 13
John Best 11


1841 Census from Wareham Parish Records

; ; John BEST; m; 35; Sawyer; Yes; 37~11

; ; Jane BEST; f; 38; ; Yes; 37~11

; ; Susan BEST; f; 12; ; Yes; 37~11

; ; Henry BEST; m; 11; ; Yes; 37~11

; ; Sarah BEST; f; 9; ; Yes; 37~11

; ; Samuel BEST; m; 7; ; Yes; 37~11

; ; Eliza BEST; f; 8; ; Yes; 37~11

; ; Edward BEST; m; 4; ; Yes; 37~11

//; ; John BEST; m; 1; ; Yes; 37~11


Ham Common is a Local Nature Reserve at Hamworthy, near Poole, Dorset. Located on the north west shores of Poole Harbour, it is predominantly a heathland site but includes many other habitats including waste ground, mixed woodland, and a freshwater lake (Hamworthy Lake

OPCDORSET have not transcribed the Hamworthy parish records - but they do have general OPCs who will look up his birth for you - when they visit records office

Thank Rene, that looks really promising. Will look into this and as everyone says Sarah was probably a single mother.
Thanks everyone for their help. :-)

Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone for pointing me in the right direction, especially to Rene, your help proved invaluable, thanks. :-D

Hope this goes to the top, so you see it. It is answered now thanks lynn