Genealogy Chat

Cathy Thank you for your suggestion. I have looked for marriages with the other surnames but as yet have not found them. That does not mean that they do not exist, just that I have not found them yet. I have done some more searching and have found someone on this site who has the names that I am looking into in their tree so I have asked a friend who is a full member to email them for me. Hopefully they will reply and maybe they will be able to shed some more light on the other surnames. Best wishes Lily

Lily Have you looked for Elizabeth Kell/Nutman or Elizabeth Kell/ Geldart marriages? Also have you found Elizabeth on all census's. If not, try looking for her with any of the surnames you know. I have a man in my tree who married a woman who already had a daughter. The daughters marriage certificate has her birth surname and her stepfathers surname as otherwise. Both names are on the index as in your case. It seems that the daughter took on her stepfathers surname after her Mother re-married. Hope that hasn't confused you more! Cathy.

Thanks Karen Will try and get to see the originals. Best wishes Lily

Hi My suggestion would be to try to check the original records. Ive similar problems with my family tree. One of my gg grandads sisters married a "Lordin" according to the 1881 census (they lived at the same property), but on BMD it had her down as marrying a Lortham and on her fathers death certificate it had her down as a "Fortham", I think its a case of the surname being transcribed wrongly, but until I see the original files I dont know whats the correct surname for her. This could be the case for yours. Good luck hunting.

Russell Thank you, all those surnames were wizzing around in my head. Very tiring when your new to this. Your explanation sounds more to the mark than mine. Best wishes Lily

Hello Lily, It may be possible that Elizabeth Kell was an unmarried mother who mothered Margaret Jane and Sarah Anne to different fathers but the children knew who they were, ie Nutman and Geldart. I think this is more likely than the other options. Good luck Russell

Could someone please take a look at the info below and advise me on which name to add to my tree. Eliza Gatenby born 1858 in Catterick married Joseph Sykes in 1884. No problem. Eliza's mother was Elizabeth Eliza Gatenby born Masham 1858. Now here comes the problem. I have found Elizabeth E Gatenby on the 1881 census and she is living with her step-father John Boddy and her mother Margaret Jane Boddy. I found the marriage on the LDS IGI and it says Margaret Jane Gatenby or Nutman. Now I have assumed that Nutman was her maiden name, then she married a Gatenby and now she is marrying a Boddy. I have checked the IGI, freeBMD, Yorkshire BMD and can not find a Nutman marrying a Gatenby. Then some kind people did 1871 & 1861 lookups on the family for me. Nothing has changed in 1871 but in 1861 Margaret Jane Gatenby is living with her unmarried mother Elizabeth Kell and brother and sister. I have checked the LDS IGI and found the christenings for the brother and sister under the name Kell and also Margaret Jane Kell. All at the same church and with only the mother Elizabeth listed as parent. Am I correct in thinking that Margaret Jane Kell (Spinster) married a Nutman, eventhough I cannot find a record of the marriage yet then married a Gatenby, was widowed and then married a Boddy or is Nutman Margaret Jane's real father's name. I am very confused and have surnames wizzing around in my head. To make matters worse Elizabeth's sister Sarah Anne Kell is listed on the IGI as marrying Thomas Bagley but is says Sarah Ann Kell or Geldart. I know she is unmarried in 1861 as she is listed with her mother on the census so where does the name Geldart come in? PLEASE help! A very confused Lily