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I tried to track her back and couldn't find anything, I still wonder why she is Herbert and not Martin... i'll keep trying different things and hopefully something will come up, thanks Helen

Not much help but the Ethel Martin born 1899 Manchester was not a half sister to William ......1911 census parents Joseph and Mary Ann

There is a marriage of a Sarah Martin to a James Herbert 1895 Chorlton....she could have been widowed twice in a short space of time.......

Thanks Aileen, atleast it helps us rule out yet another theory haha

This really has me stumped, i have checked for him under any birth county in Scotland and can't find any on census's that match, possible ones even slightly out on age/area can't be tracked back or forward to match either. Hit a real brick wall here :o(

Edit.. now that's an interesting find Aileen, just have to see if a marraige can be found of aJames to Sarah, shame her POB is Not Known! typical! Maybe the ennumerator got it wrong and assumed they were step sons when they are actually sons, but then tracing back the ages and POB change in 1891, still possible match i don't know??

I have just checked ancestry again and for some reason his death record now says he is William 'W' Martin.. have checked all service numbers I had for him and a new one off the CGWC listing on there i had no knowledge of until today, and no Army records found, but checking back on those births you found Helen, i am beginning to think he wasn't born in Aberdeen but maybe grew up there so assumed he was born there, or his father was born Aberdeen???? ... which only adds more problems! arghhhh is the W standing for his mothers maiden name? as i notice some of those registrations have what looks like two surnames.... this just gets worse.... have sent off an email to the cemetary he's believed to be buried in to see if they can help.. I know his wife is buried there in a family plot, so have asked if they can tell me who else is in it and any other information they can give me. Faye (going mad)

The census with the William as a grandchild in 1891

Name: William Martin
Age: 10
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
Relationship: Grandchild
Mother's Name: Annie
Gender: Male
Where born: St Fergus, Aberdeenshire
Registration Number: 168/2
Registration district: Old Machar
Civil parish: Aberdeen Old Machar
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: 28 Baker Street
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 5
Household schedule number: 113
Line: 7
Roll: CSSCT1891_52
Household Members: Name Age
Mary Herd 65 Gen Serv Dom
Annie Herd 36 Flax Reeler
Jane Mary Herd 15 Grandchild, Flax winder (at Mill)
William Martin 10



The same family in 1901



Name: William Martin
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1880
Relationship: Stepson
Mother's Name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: St Fergus, Abdnshire
Registration Number: 168/2
Registration district: St Machar
Civil parish: Aberdeen Rosemount
County: Aberdeenshire
Address: 40 Esslemont Avenue
Occupation: Galley Pressman
ED: 48
Household schedule number: 133
Line: 7
Roll: CSSCT1901_59
Household Members: Name Age
Robert S Taylor 35 Labourer Smoke Tester
Ann Taylor 39 Wife
William Martin 21
Jane Mary Hird 23 Step Daughter
Mary Hird 75 Mother-in-law, Retired Dom Serv


So, if Ann was the mother of William she may never have been married to his father. Her marriage certificate to Robert Taylor may say if she is a widow or spinster. If this William's parents were unmarried he may have known his father and used his surname but if the father was unable to attend the registering of the birth he may have been registered as William Hird/Herd

Thanks for those rootgatherer, from recollection Nan said he had sisters, they visited regularly after his death to help his widow, so where are they? Just wish nan could have recalled their names. I'll check around for Annie Herd/Hird again to see if i can find anything

Can i just thank you all for your help, have finally solved the riddle of my Gt Grandfather......

Sarah Martin who married James Herbert was the right one, he was born Dec 1882 in Aberdeen to William Martin and Sarah Ann Taylor, his father was a stone mason, 1891 census for Aberdeenshire Scotland shows them all together, with Brother Robert and Sister Elizabeth, his father then died in 1892 in Nigg, Torry of TB and his mother after moving back to Manchester married again, and was unfortunately widowed again not long after. I have now found some descendants of Wiliams fathers family! thank you all once again.