Mystery

[Gardener]

You could also look for a Will of James Horsley, he may have left provision
for John Pass.

Spendlove

There is a will for a James Horsley, Melbourne, probate granted 1871. Worth a look I would think - info from  http://www.wirksworth.org.uk

[MickMac]

Thanks Gardner - Is that the correct link? It seems to be for a Wirksworth site which is quite a long way from Melbourne?

Mick

[PrueM]

Hi Mick,
The Wirksworth site focuses mostly on Wirksworth and surrounds but also has more general Derbyshire information.  IT's a fantastic site for anyone with Derbyshire relatives (like me!)
Here is a link to the Wills information:

http://www.wirksworth.org.uk/FRONTPAG.htm#47

Prue

[John Whysall]

Forgive an unwarranted intrusion and some trivialities:

This is a fascinating exchange. Congratulations to all participants. This feels like the best of chatroom stuff. And, yes, John Palmer's Wirksworth site is a national treasure.

As for Mickmac's other passing query, as far as I undertand, all that is required in English law is a public statement of identity: the "As from today, my name is Vlad Drakula" kind of thing. I gather that solicitors earned (and earn) the odd crust thereby. By the way, am I alone in thinking "commissioner for oaths" is prone to misinterpretation? -- after all, I put the odd oath and expletive into commission with each dropped hammer or glass.

Obviously the more complicated one's lifestyle, the louder the declaration has to be: hence newspaper classified advertising and whatever.

My late aunt was born in 1912; and her father named her "Minima" because as a miner he was on strike for a minimum wage of 12/6 a week (that's 62.5p to the younger element). When she was issued with her wartime Ration Book, it was in the name "Minnie". She protested, but she was pointedly told it would be easier to change her name than change the Ration Book.

[MickMac]

 

stories like that are what this site is all about - rathe rthan just dusty statistics, names and dates!

Mick

[trish251]

stories like that are what this site is all about - rathe rthan just dusty statistics, names and dates!

Mick

Couldn't agree more Mick - and things don't seem to change - it is probably still easier to change one's name than to get a govt organisation to correct its records 
Trish

[MickMac]

Update:

Got the wedding certificate and Birth Certificates for John Horsley. The birth certificate gives the name of the father as 'unknown'. The wedding certificate gives the fathers name as James Horsley. So seems our detective work came up trumps.

Another bit of help - I've seen a book on the Internet called the Horsley's of Melbourne by an Author called Richard Horsley Osbourne. Does anyone know where the book could be found? I can't find it on Amazon for example.

[maidmarianoops]

hello try this site ??that is if you are not Mick Hamer
http://www.brentnall.com/


the book was written in 1995



sylvia

[MickMac]

Not Mick Hamer. Got the title now but no idea where to find the book.