Genealogy Chat

The ages in the censuses are rounded up and down according to the census taker and whether the people actually knew their date of birth or not. At that time birthdays weren't that special, especially to people from not very high status families. That's why we have the little c beforehand to denote that the date is an 'around about' one.
So her having an 1802/3 date to your 1805 one isn't unusual and if she's being obstinate about it well that's just plain daft.

Aww Tracey bless him!

Lol
Hi Mrs T

You are naughty but you make me laugh!

I'm glad there are some sensible people still out there. It took me months 4 months of emails to convince her who his parents were. I don't think she'll ever accept his DOB though.

Maybe a séance is the answer. lol

Hey Chrisa!


I think you are right - its not uncommon for the ages to be rounded up or down to suit matching an older or younger spouse - and with their daughter Barbara being with his father Thomas in 1851 does prove it all!

I dont think you are going crazy..... at least you haven't got so many you can shake a stick at.... or any 'hello sailors....'

x

Thank for your reply Louise

She seems to have herself cinvinced that he was born in 1803 & that his parents lied at his baptism to cover up the fact that he was born out of wedlock (her theory)!

His parents married 5/8/1804.

I pointed out to her that the two ceremonies occured in different parishes, in fact different towns. & even if that was the case surely they would have given a date more than 5 months after they married.

I can see no reason why his parents would lie about when he was born at his baptism but I wanted some opinions.

I don't see how we can argue with a date that his parents have given for his birth.

I really just think he said he was the same age as his wife.

I agree with you - but maybe it was because he was illiterate, and didn't actually know his own age on the censuses? (It's happened with some of my lot)

And I don't understand why your relation choses to argue with the baptism record? The evidence is right there

Thanks to anyone who got all the way through that post!

Hi everyone.
I'd really appreciate some opinions please.

Its quite a long story so please bear with me!

My 3xgreat grandfather was baptised in 1808 along with his sister. His DOB is given in the register as 14/1/1805. Parents Thomas & Eleanor.

He married 1823 as a minor.

in 1841 his age is on census as 39, his wfes age is also 39. (wife DOB from baptism 17/9/1803)

She died 1848.
1851 his age is given as 48. 1851 daughter Barbara living with grandfather Thomas.
1861 age 58
His death in 1862.... age given as 59 ( I don't have a copy yet).

Now the problem I have is that a contact made through GR has some differing opinions to mine.

She originally had him as born 1803 to Stephen & Dorothy.

This week she has accepted that his parents are in fact Thomas & Eleanor but she will not accept that he was born in 1805.( I have sent her a copy of the entry in bishops transcripts)

She is convinced that because of census ages & age at death he MUST have been born 1802/3.

Now I think that because his wife was older than him he gave the same age as her on census', & that whoever registered his death also only knew his age as he had told people.

Do you think I am right or am I just being stubborn?