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Thank you so much David for such a comprehensive and interesting reply.

I really appreciate the time you have spent in helping me. It is far beyond what I had hoped or expected and has certainly filled in several gaps!

Thank you David, Kay and Brentor Boy. I thought you might like to know the outcome of your help so far.

The John, son of John Balls of Great Finborough, baptised at Buxhall 16 Feb 1752 gave the connection needed between Buxhall and Great Finborough and gave credence to the likelihood that the earlier baptism on 30 July 1749 and burial on 3 Sep 1749, both at Buxhall, of John, son of John & Elizabeth Balls, belonged to the same family.

Consequently, I looked for and found the marriage of John Balls and Elizabeth Osborne on 17 Jan 1748 in Buxhall. This fits time-wise with the birth of their first son. Rather strangely, FS has a second entry for this marriage on 11 Jan 1749. Presumably a transcription error?

I found the death of John Balls on 16 Oct 1794 in Great Finborough. He was aged 69, so born about 1725. Elizabeth Osbourne, daughter of Antony Osbourne, was baptised on 7 Nov 1725 in Buxhall. I still need to find her mother and her death as well as John's parents.

FS has a burial on 28 Mar 1757 in Great Finborough of Thomas Balls, son of John & Elizabeth, and a baptism, also in Great Finborough, on 9 Jan 1758 of another Thomas Balls, son of John & Elizabeth. These two children seem to be John's siblings. Could anyone find the baptism of the older Thomas Balls in either Buxhall or more likely Great Finborough before Mar 1757 please? There is a Suffolk burial on 28 May 1758  of Thomas Balls, son of John & Elizabeth, which might apply to the younger boy if it could be narrowed down to Great Finborough.

In addition, FS has a possible sister, a Mary Balls, daughter of John and Elizabeth, baptised 24 Nov 1754 in Suffolk, but doesn't specify whereabouts. Is it possible to locate this baptism?

Any help to fill in the gaps would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you for your reply Brentnor Boy. I think that christening might apply to a different family of Balls I have come across before in Norfolk.

FS has a John Balls, son of Elizabeth and George Balls, christened 24 Feb 1754 in Suffolk. Is there a way of finding out where in Suffolk?

I have just found another christening in Buxhall on 16 Feb 1752, which looks promising as Buxhall is quite near to Great Finborough where the marriage took place. FS only lists the father as John Balls. Could someone please look up the Buxhall christening to see if the mother is named, or whether any other siblings were christened around the same time that might give other details?

Thank you

Thank you Dyingout 

In addition to the John Balls that was buried 31 May 1783, FS has the deaths of two other John Balls in Onehouse; one buried on 18 February 1781, the other buried 3 October 1785. Could these have been siblings? Are there any earlier christening records for any other John Balls? If so, do they name the parents?

Any help would be much appreciated 

Thank you very much for such a detailed explanation Annette

Although I had found the deaths of John and Emily, I dismissed them as belonging to the couple listed on the 1881 census as Emily born 1830 in Manuden and John born 1811 in Mildenhall, rather than to Emily born 1825 and John born 1806 in Pakenham. Now it all makes sense!