Genealogy Chat

Thanks Mrs G - don't know what I would do without you.

Beverley

Wills before 1858 (I think it's 1858 but don't quote me) you can usually find on The National Archives site. If it's after that date you need to contact the Probate Registry.

TNA is £3.50. Probate Registry was £5 a few years ago - not sure if it's still the same price.

Jill

Oh wow!!

Thanks for all these tips. I'm not sure where to start looking but it's a bit of a challenge.

I've checked all the census records but it doesn't help much. I think I need to collate everything I can find and try to eliminate each one, one by one.

I just wished they had middle names but most of that part of the family didn't.

Can someone tell my where I can download a will if there are any?

Mrs G - I haven't yet found any evidence that they were landowners but it's worth looking deeper. Who knows what I might find :-)

Thanks again everyone
Beverley

It's definitely worth tracking down the parish records. You can order the films into your local LDS church if you can spot the records on the familysearch site. Pre 1809-ish there were no standardised parish record forms so the info varied a bit depending on the vicar. I found a set of parish records where the vicar had used the double page of his register and added to the bpatisms - mum's maiden name and where the couple had been married. Others I've come across gave the minimum info but you might be lucky.

Can you find any of them in the early censuses?

Also what about local newspapers maybe? Could be worth a try ... bit of a longshot but you never know.

Were any of them landowners? Tithe maps etc spring to mind, plus there was some sort of count for the early voters back in the latter part of the 18th century. They had to own more than an acre of land or something. I found a couple of mine on the Norfolk listing so that could be worth a look-see.

Jill

I had a similar problem with four men all with the same name getting married . I found all four on the parish records but the lovely vicar, for whatever reason wrote the abode on the marriage record on 1786 of my gt gt gt grandfather.It was the same abode as my gt gt grandfather was born in 1792. Whilst that was brilliant for me what it could have done for anyone looking at the other three names it would allow them to discount mine. I also think if there are any memorial inscriptions transcribed that it is possible to work backwards with the information which is put on the gravestones.Otherwise I agree with Peter's advice-JLe

Hi All

Thanks for all the advice.

Jan - I hadn't thought about wills but it's a shot. I'll look into that.

Peter - I know that the death dates mean it could be either of them but I'll try your suggestion too.

Sorry Margaret but they are the wrong ones. My lot are all around Chart Sutton in Kent. A few ventured to a couple of villages about 5 miles away and that's as far as they went until the latest lot who have ventured as far as London. An adveturous lot, this part of the family :-)

Thanks for everyone's help
Beverley

You don't say where but could these be related? They seem to be the same parents so presume the first one died. From BVRI:

PIKE, William Christening
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 6 Aug 1756 Recorded in: Wareham, Dorset, England
Collection: Holy Trinity
Father: William PIKE
Mother: Martha
Source: FHL Film 1239252 Dates: 1734 - 1761

PIKE, William Christening
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 18 Jul 1760 Recorded in: Wareham, Dorset, England
Collection: Holy Trinity
Father: William PIKE
Mother: Martha
Source: FHL Film 1239252 Dates: 1734 - 1761

This looks like the marriage of those parents:

PIKE, William Marriage
Wife: Martha CRIBB
Marriage Date: 21 May 1755 Recorded in: Wareham, Dorset, England
Collection: Holy Trinity
Source: FHL Film 1239252 Dates: 1736 - 1761

Beverley,

Collate all the parish register entries (baptisms, marriages and funerals)for the surname and try to set them out as families. You may be able to eliminate some as either being dead or too young to marry. I have had exactly this problem but have been able to separate individuals with the same name.

Peter

The only other thing I can think of - and it's a long shot - is to look for wills on the national archives site. I have had one occasion when a will sorted out a marriage for me. They are very cheap to download, only about £4 I think.
jan

The births of their children may give you both parent's names, but often the parish records just give the father's name
Liz

Thanks Madmeg

I was hoping for a more scientific reply but appreciate your help.

I had figured that the children of all these Williams regardless of which wife is which would still be related but could end up on the wrong part of the tree.

I've had my knuckles rapped before for guessing something but wasn't sure how to go about this.

Thanks again for your help.
Beverley

Guesswork.

The 1755 marriage is pobably an earlier ancestor. The 1771 marriage could be of the fella born 1745. The 1794 marriage could be any of them, marrying for a first or second tim, and the 1796 marriage the same.

Parish records might give you some indication as they who their parents were - but probably not.

Can anyone give me some advice as I don't know how to sort this out.

I have three people in my tree all with the name William Pike (no middle name). They were born in 1745, 1760 and 1759. They were all born in the same area - the same area all of this side of the family were born and died in, and I have four marriages in 1755, 1771, 1794 and 1796 all in the surrounding villages. Can anyone tell me how I can tell who married who, when and where?

Thanks in advance