Hi,
I'm looking for some help on one of my dead ends. It involves a number of counties, but some of the definitive information I have is from Stafford.
First, some background. The direct line I'm looking for involves a marriage between a William Drinkwater and Mary Hopley in Northampton around 1797. From then on their male children (and some of the females) all carry the middle name Hopley and the surname Drinkwater, i.e. the children are Hugh Hopley Drinkwater, William Hopley Drinkwater, John Hopley Drinkwater, etc. This naming pattern extends for several generations.
The problem: In searching the Civil Registration (FreeBMD) for anyone with the surname Drinkwater and a middle name Hopley, I came up several that I can not track or tie into my Northampton line.
The first is Elizabeth Ann Hopley Drinkwater born in 1881 in Wednesbury Stafford. This is a tantalizing clue, as some of my Drinwkaters moved from Northampton to Wednesbury, but no direct tie in yet.
I sent for the birth certificate. Here are the details: Elizabeth Ann Hopley Drinkwater, 23 Dec 1881, 16 Meeling Street Wednesbury USD, Elizabeth Ann Hopley, girl, Alfred Hopley Drinkwater, Rebecca Drinkwater formerly Moth, Striker, informant is Rebecca Drinkwater mother 16 Meeting Street Wednesbury, registered 19 Jan 1882.
Now there is also another match. The father is Alfred Hopley Drinkwater.
There is also another daughter. Here is her birth certificate info: Lucretia Hopley daughter of Alfred Hopley Drinkwaters and Rebecca Drinkwaters formerly Moth, father is a blacksmith, A.H Drinkwaters [with an s] (informant) resident of city of Dan Whitwick, registered 21 May 1884.
According to the 1881 census, which lists him as Alfred Opplie (no Drinkwater) in Wednesbury Stafford with his wife Rebecca, he was born in Tamworth, Warwick and he is 22 years old. I searched the civil registration (FreeBMD and actual index pages) from 1855 to 1865 with no luck.
Next, I found the martriage certificate of Alfred Hopley Drinkwaters (s added) and Rebecca Moff (birth certificates of the children say Moth), in Moxley, Stafford on 21 Nov 1880. The plot thickens. Here is the marriage certificate detail: All Saints Church, parish of Moxley, country of Stafford, 21 Nov 1880, by banns, Alfred Hopley Drinkwater, 21, bachelor, striker, residence Wednesbury, father Joseph Hopley Drinkwater, soldier, Rebecca Muff, 20, spinster, Dangerfield Lane, father Reuben Muff, bosser; Witnesses: John Pegg and Caroline Pegg
Now I have another Hopley Drinkwater-the father Joseph Hopley Drinkwaters (again with the s). This guy I can't find anywhere. The certificate says he is a soldier, which I thought would help, but so far no sign of him in the military records I've researched.
(If you are still with me, thanks for reading this far. This is definately one of the longer Rootschat posts I've seen.)
So there is my mystery. Lots of Hopley Drinkwaters, who must tie into my line, but no clue how, and the whole bunch is very hard to track.
Any help or ideas will be much appreciated!
Regards,
Steve
Moderator comment: duplicate thread: if you can help, please post on the Leicestershire board
