Hello Judith and thanks again for your very detailed reply.
At first I was sceptical about differnt spellings of the surname but having found the same perosn listed under different spellings I have come to accept. One has to remember that at this time many of the people were illiterate and they did have a broad accent!
John Anslow in the final quarter 1846 married Sarah Godwin.
John Anslow who married Harriett Whittle was a stone miner ( niece stayed with them in one census)
I believe that your John is that one who married Harriett Turner in the Jun 1845 quarter.( Walsall) - under Hanslow. I live in Australia but have a friend/cousin who looks things up for me. She checked that marriage licence and the father's name was John.
I believe that your John was the one who was born at Church Eaton 30 August 1821 with father John and mother Sarah.
I believe the parents to be John of Bradley (bapt 2 June 1793) and Sarah Holt of Church Eaton ( bapt 20 Aug 1800) who married 27 December 1819 at Church Eaton.
I have not sighted original documents but from IGI and census I have the baptisms of their children as:-
1820 Mar 6 - Sarah at Church Eaton
1821 Aug 30 - John at Church Eaton
1824 - Thomas at Penkridge (census and IGI)
1826 June 25 - Margaret at Codsall
1836 June 19 William at Bushbury
1840 Ann at Willenhall (from census)
1842 Henry from census ( from census)
John's brothers Thomas, William and Henry were all locksmiths or padlock makers or rimlock makers. They all lived in either John Street or around the corner at Hall street. John of Bradley and your John were in John Street in 61/71/census. So I think you John was of this family.
I must agree with your comments about the spelling of people's surnames. Even now, my own surname is spelt in a variety of ways in current documents!! I had been looking at variations of Anslow(e) and Onslow(e) but must admit I hadn't thought of Hanslow. Another avenue to explore (sigh!).
I'm still stuck with John Anslow. My great grandmother was Harriet Anslow, who married Joseph Rowley in January 1869. On their marriage certificate, her father was recorded as John Anslow, a locksmith. Assuming I have the correct census records, Harriet can be found in the 1861 Census (RG9/1999 folio 120 page 10 schedule 59) as the daughter of John Anslow, aged 9 and born in Willenhall, Staffordshire. The family was living in Hall Street, Willenhall at the time of the Census. John is recorded as aged 39 and born in Willenhall in that entry.
Harriet also appears in the 1851 Census, 4 months and born in Willenhall. The address is given as 64 Union Street, Willenhall. (HO107/2020 folio 466 page 18 schedule 64) This time, John is recorded as aged 26 and born in Church (Down?), Staffordshire.
That I have John and his family living in Hall Street in the 1861 Census whereas you believe they were in John Street is worrying, I need to find time to investigate the Census data again as well as visiting the archives.
I'll let you know what I find.
Regards
Andrew