Genealogy Chat

Thanks for the thought but my William would only be 41 in 1886. Theres quite a few Williams in the family and its the right area but the age is out. I've looked at all the Williams on freebmd who died after 1881 but the ages don't quite fit. Sarah

Just a thourght but who is the William Springford on Free BMD death age 59 in Devizes 1886 Is he a relative of your William or is he your William ??? Colette

Hi Rosemary, Thanks for your reply! No I'm not sure William is alive in 1891, the only reference I've found to him is on the 1881. I've left him for a few months as he was driving me nutty and as I've had this week off, I've tried having another crack at him. Hes not listed on freebmd on deaths, however I'm aware this is not complete. If I search on 1837, I know his last child was born in 1882, so I would just have to systematically search from then onwards, but the credit card is maxed out at the moment and its a job I want to put off as long as poss, as I know it will be a nightmare. I just keep coming back to him as on the 1891 Census, his wife states herself as being Wife to Head of Household, so I feel hes out there somewhere. Thanks so much for your time searching the Census for me, I know there are a few other Williams out there with only a few years age difference. The Wiltshire ones all seem to be connected, however one I found married in 1901 I have found also on 1881, so have managed to eliminate him. Thanks again for your time. I appreciate it. Sarah

Hi, I've botched the whole thing, just checked on the LDS site and they're only open to non-members Wed and Thurs and I'm back to work Monday and work weekends too, so I could tear my hair out. Could have re-organised my week and gone today but was saving it. Aaaargh!!!! Have done most of mine on the computer and have done fairly well, this is why I was thinking of ordering the indexes first and seeing what was available!! Thanks for all the tips anyway!! Sarah

Hi, Have you already ordered the film from the LDS? Unless you live in the parish where you are searching, they have to order it. Takes a week or so and will cost about £3-4 but well worth it as you can peruse it for a few weeks. Good luck.

Thank you so much for looking! I do already have these but they are Williams sons, hence the horsey connection!! But William is proving to be very elusive. He was born also in Devizes in 1845 if this is any help. All 1881Census told me was that he was a domestic groom, not where. As I say, there is apparently a connection with Lambourn Berkshire. If you do manage to find him, I think I'll send you some choccies!!! Thanks a lot!!! Sarah

Hi Maz and Sharon, Thanks to you both for your replies. I'm trying to find ways to narrow down the search and not trawl through the whole census but think I may have to. Its an unusual surname, William Springford, he should be around age 46 on 1891 going from his birth year of 1845, however, he said on 1881 that he was 38. My thoughts are that he is lodging maybe somewhere as a few of his sons also went into the Groom at Racing Stables and are lodging at various places. A few people have looked in the past for me, but I'm not sure now if we just looked at Wiltshire and as Lambourn is just across the border, I think maybe he was just working on the Census nights and could be in Berkshire. Thanks for the tips ! Sarah

Hi If you give details of his name and year of birth i will have a search for you and see what i can find out on 1891 census. Maybe he was working away from home and his surname has been mistranscribed on the 1891 census. Sharon

Can't answer all your questions, but would say that marriage certs don't always say deceased when they should. Just because it doesn't say it, doesn't mean that they were alive in other words. With regard to Lambourn area, what I would do, if no-one can find him easily from the index, is just plough through the whole area (don't forget to note down which pieces/folios you have searched!) page by page. Very laborious I know (and not easy for the 1901 money-wise), but if in doubt then it is best to be thorough - he may have been mis-transcribed or missed off ancestry altogether, you will be the most likely person to spot this if so. Where the wife is listed as Head/Married, it could mean that he is away - working or visiting rellies - or it could be just an error - M instead of W for widow. Don't give up - he's there somewhere!!! Maz. XX PS The first message on each thread always shows in one long block of text - you did nothing wrong!!

Sorry about the one paragraph don't know what happened there!!!

Can anyone advise me on searching for someone on the 1891 Census, time permitting I'm hoping to take the plunge and visit LDS tomorrow and search for this person. I've found him on 1881 but not on 1891 and 1901. I've found his family, all living at the same address in Swindon on all 3 Censuses but he is missing from the last 2. His wife gives her status as being married, on 1891 she is Wife to HOH, but on 1901 she is HOH but still gives her status as married. I've nothing to suggest he has died, on a marriage certificate for 1898, it does not state he is deceased although I'm not sure if it should. My question is, (after all that), he was a Domestic Groom on 1881 Census AND on the marriage cert. for 1891, it says Groom at Racing Stables. Grandad tells me he worked at Lambourn Racing Stables for most of his life, which is actualy in Berkshire. I've requested lookups in the past but think I've said Wiltshire. Would anyone know if it is possible for me to do a search on 1891 for Lambourn Stables and find out the people at that address. Also, I've seen the Census Indexes listed which are only about £5 each. As they moved around, Berkshire, Monmouthshire and Wiltshire, if I bought all these county indexes would I theoretically be able to find him by entering his name or do I need to know his address! Any advice gratefully accepted as hes been driving me nutty for months and he must be out there somewhere!! Thanks in advance, Sarah