Mystery

[Necromancer]

Hi MM - yes, you  s h o u l d  get Father's names and occupations - if its blank, fear the worst !


I think your earlier theory may be sound too.

[PrueM]

Hi Mick 

Your theory sounds more plausible now that we have those other bits of info...the marriage certs from that time (same as now) show only the father's name and occupation.  Nothing about the mother, though 

Prue

[Necromancer]

a birth cert of one of John and Alice children will give her maiden name  .... if its Collier then you've cracked it ?

[MickMac]

I'll go for Great Grandads as I have his exact date of birth etc.

Thanks for all the help folks. I'll let you know the outcome.

Got a few other mysteries like this when I have the time.   

[spendlove]

Hi

Your G. Grandfather - James Horsley was actually Registered:-
Shardlow  March Quarter 1890 7b 455
James Horsley Pass.

Think you will probably find that Sarah Ann Pass had an illegitimate child.
The father could have been either James Horsley, husband of Ann or
William Horsley son of Ann.

James Horsley appears to have died Shardlow Dec Q 1870 7b 242 age 50.
John Horsley names his son James is this a clue?

Have you checked the Bastarday Records held at Matlock Derbyshire?
There are some on this site, not your Pass though:-
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~spire/Yesterday/InformationPages.htm

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

Spendlove

[MickMac]

Thanks for the info spendlove.

What on earth are Bastarday records?    (although I can guess from their name. How would you go about seeing them?

My money is on William being the father and John naming his son after his Grandmothers husband James because of his kindness - Be nice if that was true.

William went on to marry and have children as well.

Looks as if John changed his name around 1890. I woner why? also - anybody got any idea what the legality was of changing your name at that time? I have another ancestor around the same time period who changed his name for a while.

Mick

[spendlove]

Unfortunately Bastardy Records as exactly what they say.

They are records of the Overseers of the Poor, who ensured that Fathers
paid maintenance to their illegitimate children and so were not a burden
on the Parish.

Many are not recorded because the Father concerned chose to pay/keep
their illegitimate children but those who did not pay could be made to pay.

For Derbyshire the records are kept at the County Record Office, Matlock.
The site I gave in last post will explain, and you can see actual cases.

Have you found the birth registration for Francis J. Horsley  born
abt 1894 recorded as being born Nottingham?  Just wondered if they
were still using Pass or Horsley.

Spendlove.

[spendlove]

sorry posted twice.

[MickMac]

Francis is a Horsley rather than Pass.  I mentioned this in passing to my mother who has the whole Horsley family up in arms about this!