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I am trying to confirm before sending off for a birth certificate that this William Gerrish is my relative.  His birth was recorded in the September qtr, in 1862 at Melksham.  According to the census information I have for 1871 his family were as follows:-

Matthew Gerrish       head   age 44? miller    born Melksham
Ellen Gerrish             wife     "      37                "       "
Annie   "                    daughter    14                "       "
Stephen   "                 son              11               "       "
William (This is him?) son               8                "       "
Winnifred   Gerrish     daughter     7                 "       "
Ellen            "              daughter    3                 "       "
John            "               son            7 months    "       "

I also have his  marriage certificate stating that his father was Matthew Gerrish, and that he was born in Melksham, but the date does not tie in with the civil registration date by two years.  I would be pleased if anyonecould check the parish records for his baptism, and any other info' for this family would be great.

I also have a problem in tracing when and where he died.  My grandma, his only daughter cut all ties with him.  I wondered if he may have returned to Melksham, so if any one could check burials for me too. He was living at Whitely until 2nd nov 1915 when his wife Caroline died.  After that I know nothing.  I would appreciate any help, thanks.

Please can anyone help, me trace a William Gerrish.  The last record of him that I have is that he was resident at New Buildings, Whitely, Melksham -without.  I have no idea what happened to him after that.  His parents originated from Melksham.  His only daughter cut off contact from him in 1915 when his wife died, so he could have moved anywhere, or remarried, even emmigrated.  Does anyone have a directory that could help me start at that date? He was a plasterer and tiler by trade.  Thanks.

Denise

I would welcome views on this please.  My grandmother was born in Broughton Gifford, a small village in Wiltshire.  Her mother a Caroline Tylee (nee Timbrell) was a widow aged 39 years old, who had maried a batchelor William Gerrish, less than a month before her birth.  Given that she had been married a couple of years before the birth of her first child, and appears to have been from a christian and respectable family, would this not have been frowned on in those days and an undesirable position for a woman of that age?  Or was it not a problem in working class country communities?  Incidentally, her first husband had died several years before, so the child was not his.  The man she married William Gerrish was violent, drank and gambled,  and there seems something odd about the whole thing.  My grandmother told my uncle that there was something about the family she had never told him, but then decided not to tell.  I am wondering if one of her older daughters (my grandmothers step sisters) had fallen pregnant and Caroline had brought my grandmother  up as her own, and registered the birth in her name.  I know I shall never find this out, but was wondering what people know about the views of unmarried mothers at that time. Also was it common for people to lie when registering births.  Any ideas welcome!