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Thanks for that, Anne - I'd seen the chap you mention, as a lodger, but hadn't realised Stockton registry district covered Ferryhill - will see if I can get their certificate now (brill - many thanks!!!)

Val 

I posted the message below on the BBC site, but also thought it might be of interest here...

I've tracked my paternal great grandfather William (actually William Ralph) to the 1861 census, where he is abt 8, living in Hetton le Hole, Durham, with (his father) James Joyce (29 - Head, born Chester le Street), Elizabeth (17 - wife of James, born Coundon), Hannah (7 - dtr of James, born Mettlesworth), John (3 - son of James, born Brancepeth) and Hannah (1 - dtr of James)

I was going to go back to try to find them in 1851, when I realised that none of the children would have been born in 1851 - but then it struck me that, as Elizabeth is only 17 in 1861, she couldn't possibly be the mother of most of them either!

I've tried looking for marriages but haven't found anything yet - I'm presuming that James might have originally married around 1851 /2 (eldest child born abt 1853), there's another child born abt 1854, then one abt 1858 and one in 1860.

It just seems a bit odd, if his first wife died in (say) 1860, for him to be living with a 17 year old as his wife in 1861 (even if not legally married, he describes her as such) but if the case is that his second wife is 17, with a 1 yr old son, it suggests she was very young indeed when they 'got together'.

I suppose what I need to do is get the children's birth certificates....have answered own question, but any comments, suggestions gratefully received - you've helped me think it out, so I'll post it anyway...

as an addendum, I've now sent off for  William Ralph's birth cert, so may be able to add more info soon...any thought ideas or comments welcomed - thanks

I have only been researching my family history for a short time - but have been so amazed at how helpful people are - I have also found a new relative, via GenesReunited, who has a number of the same peope in her tree as me! 

We've traced our respective Fairs lines of the family back to Joseph Fairs, who married Jane Brewis Dec 7th 1850, at the Parish Church, in the parish of All Saints, Newcastle on Tyne. They are both described as living in Byker at the time, although Joseph was born in Sheriff Hill (Gateshead) and Jane in Washington. Joseph's father was Thomas Fairs and is described as deceased on the marriage cert. Jane's father was George Brewis and is also dec'd by the date of the wedding.

What is curious, is that Joseph 'made his mark' on the certificate, so was presumably illiterate - also his father, Thomas, was described as 'Gentleman'.

In the 1851 census, Joseph and Jane are living in Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, Joseph aged 20, Jane aged 17 (with a visitor - John Winter, age 2???). Interestingly enough, the adjacent census entry is for a Widow - Mary Fairs, age 40, born in Colchester, plus children, Christopher 17, Elizabeth, 15 and Mary J, 12.

My new-found relation and I are curious to know more about Thomas Fairs, Gentleman and also whether this Mary might be his widow - if so, was it just her from Colchester, or are these the first non-native Durham 'Fairs' in our tree?

Can anybody help or point us in the right direction - I don't have access to 1841 census, I don't think.   Any and all advice, info or amazing insights gratefully received....