Genealogy Chat

Please can someone confirm if I've got my maths right. Ancestor giving age as 22 on marriage cert 5.8.1901 - when searching for his birth it has to be between Aug 1878 and Aug 1879. My head is spinning with figures and I keep running out of fingers!!

Yes that seems right August 5 78 - August 4 79. Of course, thats assuming they were telling the truth and didnt want to just say they were over the legal age for marrying without parents consent!!

Your maths is right but just incase they lied do a +/- 3-5 years My great grandparents both lied on their marriage cerificate in 1922 by saying they were 21 when they were 19. Both their fathers were deceased so I guess it was one way around not having paternal consent to get married.

Josephine Hav'nt you got a calculater on your computer??? But yes I agree your math is right.

My grandfather lied on his marriage certificate, he was 29 when he married but said he was 23. Another ancestor said she was 18 when infact she was 22. Why lie, who knows. Irene

Peter : Probably but I've never looked for it! Thank you everyone. However, you've turned my nightmare into something worse. I'm struggling to find my grandfathers birth - I don't know where he was born or his mother's name but I had hoped I got within a years period of when it might have been. But, as always, its never that straightforward.

You have a date within six months of a census and an age. Are there no likely candidates on the 1901 census? Also, if you have the marriage certificate, doesn't that supply a father's name? This should help you find him in 1881. (Shoot me down in flames if you've already looked)

Deborah, talking of maths - if grandad was 32 in 1931 he would have been born 1899 not 1901?

My problem is I turn up too many! Looking for a Thomas Palmer aged about 2 in 1881 census with a father William. I could have ancestors in Devon, London, Leicester or most 'spookily' for me Northamptonshire - which is where I live now having moved from London. And that's only the most likely suspects - there are more... The problem is which one might be the right one? Before anyone asks the 1901 census turns up 2 Thomas Palmers aged around 22 but both are living as boarders so no clues there.

What was his dads name on the marriage certificate and what was his address given as?

If you two ladies gave us the details perhaps one of us may find something you havent?

Any help would be very welcome. My grandfather was Thomas Palmer. His marriage cert to Charlotte Viney on 5.8.1901 at St Michaels Church Wood Green, Middx gives his age as 22 and Charlottes as 21. His occupation is Carman - Charlotte has no occupation. They both give their address as 1 Market Place, Station Road (I found Charlottes parents living there on the 1901 census but it was just the 2 of them - no children) Thomas' fathers name is William Palmer - Plasterer. Charlotte's fathers name is William Viney - Stoker If you can help that would be great.

This is working on probabilities, but I would imagine the Thomas Palmer lodging nearest the marriage place would be the right one. His occupation should help to narrow it down. When you've got the candidates, you can then find them using their place of birth on the 1881 and see which of them has the right dad. nell