Brighton or Portslade for Edburton?

[ard]

I'm pretty sure I've found the correct people except for one detail: a place name.

According to the IGI, there were at least 3 sons born to a James and Jane Arnold between 1802-1811 at Edburton (or at least Christened there).

Yet these sons, on census forms, had their birth place down as Brighton, and one of them, after 1851 had Portslade as place of birth.

Is it possible that these places meld into each other at some place in time?

thanks,
ard

[kerryb]

Hi ard

I guess it could be possible Edburton is a very small village on the north side of the South Downs the other side from Portslade.  It could be that because Edburton is so small they just gave Brighton as their place of birth.  Or it could be that it is actually in the same parish?  Have you checked out Genuki?

Kerry

[kerryb]

This page on Genuki explains the Edburton parish

http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/genuki/SSX/Edburton/index.php

Kerry

[downside]

I've come across people who give their place of birth where ever the census is taking place.  I have their baptism records so I know where they are born, but every census they use the census location as their place of birth for some unknown reason. 

Don't they understand the question or something?

[kerryb]

There could be some truth in that downside but also it the past when people ask me where I live instead of saying Hailsham, a place nobody has ever heard of, even the A22 bypasses and makes no mention, I tell them Eastbourne because then they will know where I come from.

I wonder if I am not that unusual in doing so 

Kerry

[Mumsie2131]

Edburton is North of the downs but quite a few miles away from both Brighton and Portslade.  I suspect they could have been baptised in Edburton because the family originated there.  Some people still do that.

[ard]

Thanks for the suggestions. All are possible, I'd think. The parents in question are listed as being married in Brighton. In the various censuses (mostly in Tonbridge, Kent) all sons had Brighton as place of birth (except the youngest had Portsdale in later ones) It might be that Brighton was where they grew up mostly, maybe even moving to Portsdale later on?

Also to consider, I guess, is that it must ofthen have been just one member answering questions for the whole family and that person might not have known about Edburton!

thanks for your help, all.

ard