Genealogy Chat

Where to begin?(please bear with me i will waffle a little) I would like to order a birth certificate for a Margaret Ann Benbow but i don't know which one to go for. I've a marriage certificate for a Margaret Ann Benbow for 7th march 1908 aged 20 at St James Broughton/Salford. Father John occupation signalman Deceased. I cant find a margaret Ann Benbow born 1887/1888 on free bmd but it has her marriage. There is however a Margaret Ann Benbow born 1883 Bedwelty and one born 1893 northwich and a margaret Benbow born Pancras 1886. On Ancestry there listed again but not one born 1887/1888. On the 1901 census theres 26 listed Margaret benbow's. but none are in bedwelty or northwich or born 1888 the nearest being 1886 shubble hiloch, now this one is linked to a John benbow but he's a labourer general. A lady called rebecca kindly checked 1837 on line and theres no birth for a Margaret Ann Benbow the years 1887/1888. The most likely i think would be the one born in Shubble hiloch. Would you agree?

Yes, I would check Shubble hiloch (sp?) first. How about the witnesses to the marriage, any Benbow in there to cross-check for a sibling birth? Pauline

I've been looking too, but FreeBMD is very busy and won't do my searches. I'll keep trying.

There's a 57 year old John Benbow who died Mar 1893 in Manchester (8d 210). Seems a bit old to be Margarets Dad but you never know. Could someone who has access to 1891 Census on Ancestry look up this John and see who he was living with please.

Hi Pauline The witnesses at the wedding were John Henry Peers(connected to the groom) and a Mary A Davis????... As for shubble hiloch i too couldn't find that on a map, i thought maybe it doesn't exist now! Gill

Sorry Helen wrong John, He only had a son. I willkeep trying.

I had a quick think, and checked something. The birth coverage in freebmd for those years is below 5%. It needs to be double-checked on either 1837online of down at the library. You may find your missing birth there. Pauline

There is only one John Benbow in Manchester in 1891. He is listed as an engineer age 56 born West Bromwich. Wife is Charlotte 53 born Manchester and there's a son Charles 18.

All Margaret Bowman's on 1891 undeder 28 are as follows: Margaret A Bowman 2 Born Bootle Father Samual 46 Dock Labourer Margaret Ann Bowman 9 Born Richmond,Yorkshire Father Patrick 42 General Labourer Margaret E Bowman 5 born Lancashire Father John 35 coalminer All the others were aged 28+ I will now go back and see if I can find anything else out that might help.

As freebmd birth coverage is so low 1887/8 , I have requested an 1837online lookup on the 'records office' Board. Margaret's birth may yet turn up. Pauline

Just checked 1837 site and no Margaret Ann Bowman listed as being born in 1887 or 1888. Only Margarets were: Margaret Gladys born Birkenhead Margaret Jane born Llanfyllin Margaret Ellen born Pontypridd

I may well be missing something here but FreeBMD dosent have all the records, why not take a trip to your local FHC and trawl through their copies of the BMD registrations. Try a google search for 'GRO index xxxxx' replace the x's with your local area, i was supprised when mine was only 5min away!! behind the library that my children have used for years!!!! HTH Ian

I think i will have to visit the FRC just a matter of when i can get down there. Thanks to everyone who checked for me.

Hi susanne The surname i was searching was Benbow not bowman.But thank you for your help.

Sorry for some reason I got bowman into my head, will try again for you.

ok just checked back on 1837 and it was Benbow I checked NOT Bowman so names and dates still apply as before. Just put it down to me cracking up trying to find my lot :-)

Thanks for that. As for cracking up i totally understand i think we all are losing are minds in some form. Why do we put are selves through this?