Genealogy Chat

complicated - see below

Some of you will know I have posted before about my Charlotte Timperley! Her mc. states father's name James (razorsmith) but on the 1841 census she is living with John (razorsmith) and Mary. The only James I can find in Sheffield is a grinder. Her husband's father is also down as James - so I thought it possible the transcriber had just written James down twice in error. I had a Hot Match for James Timperley so contacted the member and put the above to him. He insisted, as he had John & Mary in his tree, that Charlotte was not theirs. He gave me loads of info on John & Mary, John's parents, siblings & children - which are all on IGI. I went to Archives on Wednesday - looked up Charlotte's baptism and it states her parents as John & Mary. So I contacted the member again to ask him if it was possible she was linked to his John & Mary - but he hasn't replied. Surely the baptism record is more positive that what could be an incomplete list on the IGI? What do you think.......... Sue (sorry it is so long)

Sue The original record wins over the transcription any time! You go with what you found in the originals and never mind what has been transcribed. If your contact chooses to ignore what you have found, then its his loss. OC

Thanks OC., Of course I don't know that he hasn't verified everything he has told me - I just know I had already seen them on IGI and didn't want to include them without proof - that will have to wait for another trip to the archives. thanks Sue

Mistakes happen. I've seen fathers transposed on marriage certificates: John Smith, father James Brown, marrying Eliza Brown, father William Smith. I've seen the wrong mother's name on a baptism. On balance, it seems more likely that the father's name was wrong on the marriage certificate and Charlotte is another daughter of John and your cousin doesn't know about her because he hasn't gone back to the primary source. You could look for extra records to help confirm your theory: a will for the father, Charlotte witnessing sibling marriages or being the informant on a parent's death. The whole family claiming poor relief. Have you checked on the IGI site to find out whether they omitted any years when extracting baptisms and established that all the children are at least 9 months apart? You can never be 100% certain that you have the right people, but it looks as if you are 95% certain!

Hi Charlotte, and another possible daughter (also on the 1841) were born after the last entries on the IGI. I do find it interesting that when she marries and moves - John seems to follow her, there is a John Timperley buried in the same Churchyard as Charlotte and the address given for him is on the same road as where she was living when she died. sue

Hi sue I have seen the original copy of my Mun and Dads M C. When she maried she lived on Alfred St and her father was Arthur Thomas. This was 1950. On the certificate it says her father is Alfred Thomas. Mum and Dad are still alive so just took a copy and gave it back to them and didn't comment on it. No point upsetiing people. Lin