Genealogy Chat

Hi, I'm hoping that the many of you out there who have been doing this longer than I can help. I am having difficulty tracing my ggrandfathers birth cert. The 1901 census puts him at age 31 and born in Liverpool, so his birth should be around 1869/70. At first I was searching for Joseph Thompson, (u can imagine how many there are!) but i've recently received the birth cert for his son, which names his father (Joseph) as Joseph Miles Thompson. However I cannot find a birth cert for a Joseph Miles anyway that matches. But I was messing about the other night on the 1881 census on the familysearch site, and came across a Joseph Thompson with the right year of birth and place of birth and guess what? The head of the household is Miles Thompson. None of the other Joseph's on the census show any sign of the name Miles, so what do you think, Have I found the right one? I know I should have looked at the 1891 census first, but ancestry seem to have suspended their free trial, just when i was gonna sign up for it - typical. Would love to hear whether you all think I've made a breakthorugh. Thanks for reading. Lindsay, Bolton, Lancs.

You probably do have a lead but the best advice I can give you is double if not triple check everything with other sources. How gutted am I about the free trial on ancestry? I just checked and it's true!! I was going to sign up next week while my husband was away :((

Lindsay, I took an interest in this as I also can't find my ggrandfathers birth c1872. He is not even on the 1881 census. I have tried to help but I can't even find Miles on the 1881 census never mind your Joseph. Perhaps I am not looking correctly. There are 3 Miles on 1901 between 50 and 60 yrs of age but not around Liverpool. I know he could have moved. What was his son's name? How do you know he was 31. If you want to tell me this info I will try do a full look up on 1901 for you Take note of Angela's comments.......... triple check. It may be a case of searching parish records as not all births were registered. I suggest you ask on the board for an 1891 look up as well. You do right to question and not just assuming. John

Angela and John thanks for your replys. John, I have a Miles Thompson on the 1881 census living at 13 Hyde St, Habergham Eaves, Lancs. He is 49, a Tailor and from Ireland. The person who I think is my ggrandfather, (his son) is also shown, Joseph, age 11, born Liverpool. There are also 8 other siblings plus Miles' wife, Mary age 45. I know from the 1901 census that Joseph was 31 so that would work with his age in 1881, also that he was born in Liverpool as this census equally shows my great grandfather(his son), John Thompson and all this has been confirmed and verified as correct. As I said in my original message the fact that there is a son on the 1881 census called Joseph with a father called Miles made me think maybe there was a connection. I know Joseph later moved to Bolton and raised his family here, what happened to Miles I do not know. I haven't got that far in my research yet so I can't give you any details about whether he would still be alive or not in 1901 or where he would be be. Thanks for your interest, Lindsay. ps. hope you manage to find your missing relative.

Hi Lindsay, I wasn't disputing you hadn't found him in 1881 but just that I could not find him. Weird thing is I still can't, even with the extra info you sent. Perhaps my 1881 on the net is acting up? Did Joseph have children? Perhaps we could search the 1901 with that info. I am just trying to look at the problem sideways. Email me if you would like me to look further for you. John

Hi Lindsay I found these on the 1891 Miles 57 tailor born county Caran Ireland Mary wife 52 tailoress , county Roicommon Ireland Joseph 21 labourer, Liverpool, Lancs Maggie Coleman 3 gr daur , stockport Sarah Thompson d-i-law 31, bolton Annie 12 daur Bolton Cissy? 10 daur Bolton Fred 7 son Bolton Bertha daur 4 Bolton George son 1 Bolton they were living at 10 Livingston Street, Little Bolton, Bolton April

John thanks again for your reply, you'll see from April's search that I now have a new lead, though as always a host of previously unknown names. I think its probably fair to say that Miles is related to my Joseph as I suspected, as all the new info ties in with what I already knew. Thanks again, Lindsay.

April, thank you so much for your 1891 search. With your help i now have the area of Ireland my ggggrandfather was from, and I've verified it with the 1901 census and Joseph, his wife Sarah and Maggie are all definatly the right ones. As for Annie, Cissy, Fred, Bertha and George they are all new names to me. If its not too much trouble, could you let me know what relation they are to te head of the household, Miles? Thanks ever so much for your help - I think I now have a busy weekend ahead of me! Lindsay, Bolton

Hi Lindsay, Glad to see it has worked out. loads of people prepared to help. John