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Thanks again everyone for taking a look, I must admit my head is spinning lol! and I might have to print EVERYTHING as it might be clearer with paper in front of me.

I agree name changes could be due to accents, or miss spelling by clerics.

I have got the England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991 records FHL Film Number1040591 showing Mathew as Didwell died 1853

Also John Didwell's baptism on the Norfolk transcripts showing his parents as Mathew and Mary Didwell and not Diddle

So I don't think John changed the name, and chant see why Mathew would change from Diddle to didwell himself unless it was miss typed by a cleric?

However I've also just found FHL Film Number:   1040559 baptism 1750 for Mathew Diddle which is more than 30yrs before Mathew Didwell's birth (going by census date) ...so this does now make me think they might not be the same person

Does that sound correct?

Many thanks spendlove, it's great to hear I might be on the right lines! And that Mathew Didwell and Mathew Diddle could be the same person.

I'm sure I found a few conflicts that appeared like they lived in parallel (suggesting different people) I'll have another look at the docs I found.

That was the main reason I wanted a little reassurance from the experts on here, that I wasn't barking up the wrong tree

Afternoon,

I'm stuck again 

Tracing John Didwell 1816-1869  - I'm happy with his details, but it's his parents I'm having trouble with.

The 1851 census shows Mathew Didwell age 73 (miss transcribed as dodwell) as a widower visitor born Hilgay Norfolk, in the same house as John Didwell (so I assume he is likely John's father) in Walpole at peter

1841 census has Mathew age 60 living in Walpole at peter, living on his own age 60

I've found lots of electoral registers for Mathew Didwell living at West drove in Walpole at peter

I've also found the baptism transcripts of John Didwell for 22 Dec 1816, showing his parents as Mathew and Mary.

All good so far! But now things get more confusing.

I couldn't find any marriage of birth/baptism records for Mathew to start looking for his parents. For a while I thought I'd solved it, as I found marriage records (Norfolk transcripts) for Mathew Diddle, marrying Mary Brooks April 1810 in the next parish Tilney at Lawrence. Dates seem fine as John is born 6 yrs later.

I've also found a baptism transcript for the baptism of Mathew Diddle Apr 1778 in Hilgay (not found anything similar for Didwell) it shows Mathew's parents as John and Susanna.

I have some earlier and later marriages for Mathew Didwell (to Ann Oliver, and Jane Kidd)

But I'm not 100% convinced the change in name from Diddle to didwell is the same person, particularly now I've dug a bit deeper and found more records that seems to conflict

I've also found records on ancestry for a marriage between Mathew Diddle to Mary mason in 1789 (can't be right as Mathew would be 6)

A baptism for John Diddle parents Mathew and Mary but the date is June 1794

But I've also found a baptism transcript for Jane Diddle parents Mathew and Mary in Walpole at peter date may 1819. But by this time he was known as Didwell on other records

I have another baptism for Ann Diddle, march 1799, parents Mathew and Mary - before the date of the marriage records I'd found

Bear in mind I have a marriage record dated may 1802 between Mathew Dedwell of Walpole at peter and Jane Kidd (assume this is the same Mathew)

I'm completely confused so any help untangling this is appreciated

Just looked at the 1717 burial record for Thomas and it says Thomas Alstone son of the Burrough. I assume this means he was born in Chard? Would have been great if it had said his father's name rather than Burrough!