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Hi All,

I'm interested in anyone's input on this. My 4x Great Grandfather Thomas Sims married Anne Smith in Sherborne, Gloucestershire on the 29th March 1824. They were both noted as 'of this parish'. In his marriage record there is no occupation recorded.

However, subsequent census records indicated that Thomas was from Castle Bytham in Lincolnshire. He was recorded as a Farmer in 1841, and in 1851 & 1861 as a Victualler. He died in Alderminster, Worcestershire on 1st April 1863, and is buried in the grounds of Sherborne church (interesting since none of the family had lived there for a number of decades and Thomas wasn't from there. Indeed, his daughter and wife are buried in Alderminster).

So anyway, I've researched the Lincoln connection and it all checks out. There is no problem with any of these facts that I've ascertained.

My question is this: It's approximately 100 miles to Sherborne from Castle Bytham. Why would Thomas have moved so far? Certainly in a time where there was no rail travel you wouldn't have made this journey purely on a whim, would you? I can't see any obvious family connection with Sherborne in the parish records.

I'd be really interested in your opinions.

Many thanks,

Chris

Hi all, I have a challenge for anyone who wants to take it on. I've been at this for a few weeks and am starting to lose patience...

I'm trying to find out more about a 'William Henry Barr'. He is the father of Henry Joseph Barr b. 1851 Holborn.

Here is what I know about him.

He and his wife Rebecca appear on his son's baptism record in 1851 St Andrew's Holborn. Occupation, cook.

Searching for other children I have found William 1849, John 1852, Mary Ann and Thomas 1854.

Rebecca appears to have died in 1854.

William and Rebecca (née Goldsmith) married on the 7th February 1847 and Saint Botolph Bishopsgate. Father's name given as John, a brazier.

William appears in the 1861 census, under the name of Henry, 33 years old, b. Southwark. All of the children's names and ages match. His wife appears to be a much younger woman named Mary.

I have found a death record for William Henry Barr in January 1875, aged 47. His son William married in 1877 and listed his father as 'deceased'.

I know this seems like I have a lot of information, but I cannot find him in any other census at all. Nor any of his children pre- 1881. If anyone can locate him in either the 1871, 1851, or 1841 census it would be fantastic. It would really help me pin down other family connections etc.

Many thanks for your help,

Chris

Hi All,

Another random topic starter for you but going back through some of my old photos I came across this one...

Now, about 6 years ago when I first started researching my family history my dad showed me a large photograph of my Great Great Grandfather, his wife and 13 children, taken in roughly 1909. Shortly after he went to get it reframed. When he did, this photo, in full size (roughly A3), printed on a hard cardboard-esque material, was found in the frame behind the family photograph.



We have no idea who it is, from family resemblance or anything else. I have contacted the original framing company (since my great grandfather being a stickler for records seemed to keep the receipt!), and the Oxfordshire Freemasons and neither of them can tell me any details about this photograph.

I'm just lobbing it up here to see what people can tell me about it, if anything!

Regards,

Chris

Hi all,

I have some ancestors who were baptised in Bromyard Independent Chapel in the late 1690s early 1700s. Now, the ancestors in question seem to be completely untraceable prior to 1699, so I'm just interested to know a little bit more about this chapel. When did it start services, why, etc

I can't really seem to find anything online about this mysterious independent church, so if anybody has any information I'd be very interested to hear about it.

Many thanks,

Chris