Genealogy Chat

http://www.bmsgh.org/ is the West Midlands BMD site - the least updated of all, I think! but... Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Reference West Midlands Birth indexes for the years: 1846 BENNETT Joseph Rowley Regis Sandwell RR/9/60 West Midlands Birth indexes for the years: 1847 BENNETT John F Rowley Regis Sandwell RR/10/323 West Midlands Birth indexes for the years: 1848 BENNETT John Rowley Regis Sandwell RR/11/294 There are quite a lot more with first names starting with J from Rowley Regis, which may or may not be siblings. Haven't looked for other names. If you find that baptism on IGI and it's off a church batch, you could re-search using the batch number and the parents' names to see who else turns up! The references are the local ones (not same as GRO) and are links to part-completed application forms for the relevant certs. Fees are the same as GRO; service at least as good, even when GRO isn't snowed under after BBC progs! You could fill out several forms and include a "not more than" cheque to say please only include ones with relevant parents' names. Christine

Thanks Nell, I think you could be right! I am going to the archive centre tomorrow to see if I can trace the marriage to Margaret Heaton Thanks for all your help. I wish I could do something to repay all the help you give me. Sophie

Assuming my idea is right, this could be the second marriage: Name Year Quarter District County Volume Page **Bennett, David 1869 September Dudley Staffordshire Worcestershire 6c 195 **Heaton, Margaret 1869 September Dudley Staffordshire Worcestershire 6c 195 THOMPSON, Enoch Stephen 1869 September Dudley Staffordshire Worcestershire 6c 195 THOMPSON, Louisa 1869 September Dudley Staffordshire Worcestershire 6c 195 Which would still mean the first marriage to Mary Ann was right - and as she is on the son's birth cert I would think this is correct. nell

If David and Mary Ann got married and had John, is there a chance that Mary Ann died and David remarried to Margaret? There's a big gap between 1847 and 1871. Can you find David and either lady on 1851/61? nell

I wouldn't take too much notice of the Mary Ann/Margaret difference, this crops up a lot in my family. Margaret is often written Margt for short, with the "t" up in the air, in curly old writing it can look a lot like Mary. If it were me, I'd have to throw £7 at it in the absence of anything else! Good Luck Marjorie

I have tried the registry office and all they can find is the David/Mary Ann marriage and birth. But the census's show that David's wife is Margaret so I am struggling!!

There's a christening on IGI for John Bennett 09 APR 1848 Rowley Regis, Stafford, England parents David and Mary Ann Might help with the dates Also they may have married at the same church?

Sophie John's birth is not on Ancestry civil reg, though it should be Dudley registration district volume 17. Have you tried contacting the relevant local registration office for either his birth cert and/or his parents' marriage? nell

I think I have been looking for this for so long that I am going goggle eyed! Is anyone bored and willing to help me?? I am trying to trace the marriage of DAVID BENNETT (born c1822 Rowley Regis) and MARGARET (born c1830 in Queens County Ireland). Their eldest child JOHN was born c1847 in Rowley Regis. I have traced David & Margaret on 1871/1881/1891 census no problem, but need to find date of marriage to get her maiden name. I have tried requesting son John's birth certificate but no entry with correct parents. I have tried FreeBMD, WMBMD and 1837online but may have missed something..... Any offers? Truly grateful Sophie