Genealogy Chat

I have just got back from looking at the microfilms and spent 4 hours searching one name and have found nothing i have even done the Nonconformists regester. Where can i search now? and am now getting desperate. Melanie

What are you looking for? Anne

i am looking ffor info on Josiah Finn born 1822 in Lenham Kent. eg who were his parents ? Who was his Wife? Children. etc etc Melanie

Don't give up - you know they existed, very likely were baptised somewhere, if they married it would have to have been recorded and lets face it they must have died and been buried - just not where you thought! Perhaps you got the place of birth from a census record, but people didn't always realise that they had been born in a different parish and moved whilst still babies. Having said that they probably didn't move very far so perhaps you should start to search neighbouring parish records, get hold of a map that shows parishes and check which ones surrounded yours, or check the Genuki site for the nearest parishes. Sorry its back to the microfilms again! By the way do make a note of everyone with the surname you're searching for that you come across. You may not think they are linked now but will kick yourself if in the future you are searching for them and have to go back to those same films yet again. I speak from bitter experience:-)

hi Judith yes i do keep records of people with the same surname, though with this one they seemed to all disappered. thanks for the advice i will keep searching. Melanie

Melanie This could be his death record: Finn, Josiah Record Type: Deaths Age at death: 62 Quarter: March Year: 1886 District: Maidstone County: Kent Volume: 2a Page: 514 Helen

Here he is on 1881 census with his family: Household: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability Josiah FINN Head M Male 59 Lenham, Kent, England Genl Labr Mary FINN Wife M Female 54 Lenham, Kent, England Edward FINN Son U Male 30 Lenham, Kent, England Travelling Tinker Thomas FINN Son U Male 23 Lenham, Kent, England Tailor Jneyman George FINN Son U Male 18 Lenham, Kent, England Butcher Jneyman Source Information: Dwelling 3 Tufton St Census Place Maidstone, Kent, England Family History Library Film 1341222 Public Records Office Reference RG11 / Piece / Folio 0931 / 46 Page Number 40 Helen

Helen Thanks for that, i am also trying to find out who his parents were. regards Melanie

This is possibly one of those areas where you will need to look at the areas around Lenham. What you may find is that the birth may have been registered in Lenham because that was the nearest town. I have people registered in Oundle in Northants but were born in a small hamlet about 5 milesfrom Oundle and the parish records do not show the baptisms in Oundle but in the hamlet. Arm yourself with the parish map of the Lenham area and to do this look at the Phillimore Index to Parishes at any big library and photocopy the relevant pages. The other possibility is that they just may not have been baptised as I notice that most of the family seem to be tinkers or journeymen, always on the move, so this could be a tricky one for you. Pre 1837 you are into church baptisms and not births so if they were not church people they would not have been registered. There was no compulsion to register baps or births pre 1837. I presume that you have also "trawled" 10 years either side of the dates that you mention? You could also try the 1871 1861 and 1851 Census to see if they are in or around the Lenham area. Might get more info. Janet

Hi Janet. Thanks for that,yes i did try 10 years either side of his birth date and found no Finns at all not even in the marrage register. I will try the 1861 census as i don't think i have tried that yet. many thanks Melanie