Comments

Hi Jane

I have a William cuff born 1799 (Banwell) and baptized 9th Feb 1800 (Banwell) who married a Elizabeth Marshall from Wiltshire and were married in bedminster on the 29th March 1819 

Do you think this is the same William as in your tree, look forward to hearing from you soon

Paul

Thanks for replying Heather.

I look forward to some proper head scratching!

Yours Befuddled and bemused,

Peter.

Oh if only I had a pound for every time I've shouted that! My gg grandmother was Harriet Sealey Mogg married to Emmanuel Field. When I first started researching this branch I thought Emmanuel had two wives as on their children's birth certs she was sometimes Harriet nee Sealey and sometimes Harriet nee Mogg. I am reading this on holiday but as soon as I get home I will contact you again and maybe we can share notes.

Yours in confusion

Heather

Amazingly enough I broke down one of my brick walls by 'Googling' my ancestor's name.  I had literally spent years searching for my missing great great grandfather, Harry Cantrell. Family tradition said that Harry was an engine driver and was killed in a railway accident in Africa.  As Harry appeared on the 1881 census and his widow remarried in 1896, it gave me a window of 15 years.  There were not too many railways in Africa at that time and I read everything I could find with no success.  One day, on a whim, I put Harry's name into the search engine and came up with an obituary in an Australian newspaper.  It got better - Harry died in Tasmania, in 1932 leaving a wife and daughter.  His (2nd) marriage certificate helpfully gave his date of birth and named his parents, so I know I have the right man. The obituary did actually confirm that he had worked as a driver in South Africa.

I know I was lucky, but it is worth a try.