Genealogy Chat

This looks like her, Lowestoft is a few miles down from Yarmouth: I believe they had same reg district Is this the one you sent for? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Jun 1850 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smith Martha Ann Gt. Yarmouth 13 413

Lowestoft is actually in Suffolk now and I think very much on the border then. I would check out that area for Martha.

I have the 1871 census which reads Ann Smith 1829 St Ives Huntingdonshire wife Charles Smith 1865 Sydenham Son Henry Smith 1870 Peckham Surrey Son James Smith 1866 Sydenham Son Martha 1851 Lowestoft Norfolk Daughter Mary Smith 1858 Poplar Daughter Robert Smith 1853 Islington Middx Son (awaiting cert) William Smith 1819 Norwich Southgate Head William Smith 1860 Southwark Son Isaac Smith 1863 Putney Son I have the birth cert for Isaac, he was the easy one as his middle name was Banham, it states his Dad was William and his Mother Ann Tinkler maureen

I couldn't find your family easily on the census, so this may not be relevant, but........ You said the baptism shows the mother to be Sarah Ann Tinkler and that she would appear to be unmarried when her child was baptised....... You also said (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong) that on a census (which one) the mother is Ann rather than Sarah. Could it be that Sarah Ann Tinkler didn't marry William Smith because she died and this Ann is a different woman?? Do you have a birth cert for any of the later children? Merry PS The minimum to order a birth cert is the name of the child, plus year, quarter and ref numbers.

Thanks Merry and Judith. Never thought of that!! Can i order a cert without either parent shown do you know? maureen

If Martha's parents weren't married when she was born then, although the baptism entry may have had both their names (some vicars would enter the reputed father's name for illegitimate children) the birth registration would very likely only have had the mother's name - hence GRO response to your request. You might have done better to only specify mother's name (possibly giving both Sarah and Ann to cover any discrepancies) or to have ordered without giving parents' names at all.

If Martha Ann Tinkler was born illegitimate, there's a good chance her father is not on the birth cert as this would mean him having to attend the registrars office. An unmarried woman could not state the father of her child unless he was present. So the cert you requested may have been the right one! Merry

Hi I have been looking for a Martha Ann Smith, one of a number of children born to William Smith and Sarah /Ann Tinkler. It states on census born Norfolk abt 1851. although mothers name is shown as Ann I found a Christening on IGI for Aug 1850 in Norfolk, with the parents shown as Sarah Ann Tinkler and William Smith. I found a Martha Ann Tinkler born 1850 on 1837(.)com sent for cert with just the fathers name and got the reply that it was the incorrect parents name. Can anyone please advise as to where i go from here. I cannot find a wedding for William and Sarah/Ann either. I have a birth cert for a brother of Martha born 1863 where the mother is shown as Ann Tinkler. many thanks maureen