Genealogy Chat

I've made some progress and am getting fairly hooked :) But how do I find a marriage date between 2 people with known names ??? I've tried FreeBMD and LDS and I don't know where else to look. I'm getting familiar with 1837 now but you need to have a date to find the entry otherwise you could be looking up pages for ever and a day. The names I have are Edward Philip Dowell & Jane Pritchard more than likely in the Bangor area of North Wales he was born in 1871 can't be sure of her DOB. The other name is William Jacob Wilson & Gertrude Keen (don't know if she had any other names) Somewhere in the Birmingham area. Date wise all I know is my Grandmother was their second child born in 1920. Can anyone offer some advice on how to proceed? Thanks in advance Sioux

Fraid its really is try, try and try again! You go with your best guess and work round it. You might find it more cost effective to go to a library or lds centre and use their bmd records rather than fork out for a lengthy and costly search on 1837. B

Have you found them on 1901 census. Might give you an idea if there are children to work back from their ages. I know not everyone(!) were married when the children came along, but it might give you a starting base.

May sound like a daft question Diane but how do I access the 1901 census? Do you have to pay? I think it would help fill holes in the other side of the family too Sioux

Thanks for that Ruth :) It's free to search but then you have to pay to view further details .....should be a big help when my eyes are less blurry! Sioux

Hello you can get a bit more free info by downloading a census decoder for 1901. A google search will give you some links. Best wishes Ann

Suzanne, I had a go using the 1901 census decoder just putting in the names Edward and Jane Dowell. I found a 30 year old Edward born Penmaenmawr which as you know is just round the corner from Bangor. Unfortunately he was living in Birkenhead at the time and unless you pay to look at the page you won't know who he was living with. However The 1901 census decoder allows you to group by person ids and I found a Jane Dowell 35 with child Jane 13 and son Edward 8 all born Penmaenmawr And another Jane aged 38 with an 8 year old son Edward. He was born Pen but she was born Merioneth. I've saved the results as an excel file if you would like me to send it to you? You will have to email me so I know your address Barbara

Hi me again! I've just spent a while looking at the 1891 census and it occurred to me that you probably know the children of Edward and Jane which would make it easier to find them. I have for instance found an Edward senior 56 with 25 year old Jane and three year old Jane in Dwygyfylchi/Penmaenmawr. There are two 20 year old Edwards listed the one from Pen is a lodger in Caernarvon and is a locomotive engine cleaner. The other is a quarryman living in Prestatyn. His dad is called William. Let me know!

In 1901 Edward Dowell (30) Penmaenmawr, Occ "Set dress" was living in Birkenhead with : Hannah (23) Hendon, Denbigh Gladys (2) Penmaenmawr

I MANAGED TO GET HOUSEHOLDS IN THE 1901 CENSUS. www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/census/houshold HOPE THIS IS OF SOME HELP

Eugh how disappointing, I thought I was on a roll with Edward. That'll teach me not to do the search thoroughly! I suppose if Suzanne can give a bit more info we might be able to find him. The worry is that he may be mistranscribed as Powell and we know how many of them there are!! Found Dowell, Edward 1898 September Marriages Denbighshire Flintshire 11b 455 MORRIS, Hannah 1898 September Marriages Denbighshire Flintshire 11b 455 So that rules them out!

OK I've had a scout around 1901 Census and here's what I recon. That Edward Dowell was born in 1871 of Edward & Jane Dowell in Penmaenmawr (1 of 5 children) Edward Jr Married Hannah Morris in 1898 and by 1901 they were living as a married couple in lodgings in Birkenhead with a 2 year old daughter called Gladys. Now for the bit I'm presuming ....Hannah Dies and He remarries a Jane Pritchard who then gives birth to my grandfather Hugh in 1910. I've been led to believe he was married 3 times in total! Hopefully I will eventualy get a reply from the only living relative who may be able to help. I suppose the only way to try and confirm all this is to send for the 1898 marriage cert. Hey ho .... and the wheel turns again :) Sioux