Genealogy Chat

I've already posted this on general board and been advised to put it on tips and records board too. I'm trying to find info about my grandfather's mother. He was called JAMES NOBLE and was born in Houghton le Spring, in Jan 1900 (His birth is registered in 1900 as I've checked this on 1837 records site and it fits in with what my mother's told me). I don't know anything about his parents apart from his mother wasn't married when he was born and that her family orginally came from HOughton le Spring or surrounding area. She later married (probably not his father). He doesn't appear in the 1901 census - I've tried everything like reversing first and last name, searching for James in Houghton le Spring of that age etc etc. Has anyone any other ideas of how I can find him/his family? (I've already put a message on the looking for notice board). Grateful for any help or suggestions. Diane

maybe he was using the mothers married name. Do you know what it was ?

I have found at least four different 'lost' family members on various census including the 1901, by searching page by page in the area they were likely to be. Once found they have either been mistranscribed in such a way that I would never have found them (I choose a more common name on the same page to activate a search and then look at the neighbours) or the page has not been transcribed at all. So don't give up hope they are probably there.

Karen, Bronwen and Elisabeth Thanks for your help. I don't know if he used his mother's maiden name or whether it was the surname of her later husband (unfortunately). On advice from some people on other boards I'm going to apply for a copy of the birth certificate so that I can find at least his mother's names. Bronwen - the looking in the general geographic area is a good idea - hadn't thought of that. I know that things do get transcribed wrongly - my gr grandmother had unusualy forenames and the appear slightly differently on every record I've found that's connected with her. Thanks once again. Diane

I have just used the decoder searching for James Nob* and aged 2 with a 2 year variation and it has thrown up 30 possibles 3 of wich look good possibles, though my geography of the NE is not that good Hope this helps

I've found him - or rather Chrissie did. He's down as Nobel! It hadn't occured to me that Noble may have been written down of spelled differently - so perhaps he was one of the ones that you came up with John. Thanks for your detective work. Thanks to to everyone who tried to help solve this mystery, and to Chrissie who finally did. Diane