Genealogy Chat

Hi Debbie and Athena! Yes I do have the family on the 1861. And yes, the occupation fits as well. Unfortunately, father GEORGE was deceased on the marriage cert so no occupation (other than being dead!) was there! Just 'place of birth Scotland'. JOHN's baptism was at St Andrew's Holborn (I found it somewhere!) The connection with the hotel trade is good also, as JOHN (my Gt Grandfather) worked as a cook (hotel cook on my G'dad's birth cert). Thanks all Allie ps Just thought of something else - JOHN is described as a 'widower' on his marriage cert but have been unable to find a previous marriage for him. He is definitely an awkward customer.

Allie John may have been his middle name...have you looked for other names of Somerville births for that area e.g. could have been Charles John and for some reason name was transposed after birth being registered. Just a thought...

Thanks Athena Got me thinking now - I usually do look at names transposed, but worth another try anyway! Allie

Sorry, Allie - what year is the marriage cert for that you have?

Allie, you're not on your own, so don't despair. My Samuel Ingleby was on the census born 1859 Married in 1906 age 35 (born 1871) Buried in (on his headstone) 1930 age 62 (born 1868) I can't find a birth, am now waiting for a cert for someone called Samuel Hinsley which is the only one I could find same date, place etc. and nearly the same name. After looking for a couple of years. I've been going to pack in a couple of times as all the people I seem to find as family, disappear after one census. Jean

Hi A. It's June 3rd 1894 St Mary - le- Strand Mx. wife ALICE EMILY GINN Cheers A

Hello Jean Thanks for the encouragement! Think yours is worse than mine! Hope it turns out to be the right one when the cert arrives! Cheers Allie

Hi Ann I have seen this one, but THINK it is stretching the birth date too far! Still I'll have another look! Cheers Allie

Thanks Ann Yes this is the one - she is MARY ANN LEATT. I don't know where the FREER bit came in George's name (sometimes FROER) but there you are! Think I'll just have to go with the 1866 date.( Brother GEORGE W baptised at the same time I think) Possibly the only cert JOHN had when he married was his baptism one so went with this date of 1870 for his age! People not so fussed then about their true DOB obviously! Cheers Allie

1. there are gaps on free bmd for parts of the 1850's and 1860's so you need to check the images. 2. changing age syndrome is rife, however the younger the age you can corroborate, the more accurate it is likely to be. i.e. if a child is 5, then the age could only be out by a year, not five years. For someone who is 50 it could well be out by 5 years and no one would know. 3. marriage ages are notoriously wrong, partucularly if there is an age gap . This is worse where the woman is older than the man. 4. most missing census enrties are down to mistrancriptions. This is not just confined by errors made by the modern day indexers. I came accros one recently where the surname 'Lilley' actually appeared on the page as 'Cater' Obviously the enumerator got his papers mixed up. It was only yhe address and christian names that allowed us to confirm it was the correct family. 5. use occupations to eliminate those that are unlikely. e.g. a labourer in 1871 is unlikely to be a doctor on the next census. Look for related trades, or someone rising up the ladder. Hotel Porter and Waiter looks promising.

Thanks Peter! Allie