Mary MALIM or even LORD!

[thrice blest]

Hi!
Am trying to find more information on my greatgrandmother. 
According to her marriage certificate (she married ROBERT PEAT in Co. Durham, Kelloe in 1878), she was possibly baptised MARY ANN MALIM-for name it reads "Mary Ann Lord, otherwise Malim", and in the coulumn for father it readS JOHN MALIM,but under that someone has begun to write JOSEPH L then crossed it out and written "deceased".  The alteration has been initialled by the registrar.  If "Joseph Lord wasn't there it would read as though John Malim, father, was deceased.  His occupation is given as a Railway Plate Layer. 
In the 1881 census, and later ones, she is stated as having been born at AYOTT GREEN, ST. PETERS, HERTFORDSHIRE.
Strangely enough, on the census her name is written MARY JANE, rather than Mary Ann, but I have no reason to believe that they were two seperate people.  Her daughter(my Grandmother) was given the name Mary Ann, and as there is  known to have been a touch of eccentricity in the family,  I wouldn't be surprised if she had just decided to be Mary Jane to be different!
I would really appreciate any help in sorting this out.  I have been unable to find a Mary Jane Malim or Lord on the BMD index.

[saddles]

The NBI3 shows no MALIM in Herts, but there are 21 MALIN listed but none in Ayot St Peter or
St Lawrence and none in any parish within 5 miles radius of Ayot.

All MALIN are between 1802-1850.

Did your seach of census include variations of the surname.

The same applies also for the surname LORD with none listed in Ayot, however the time frame
of transcripts for Ayot (both churches) is only between 1801-1851 but one could assume that
at least one MALIN or LORD would have been buried during that period.

Mike.

[thrice blest]

Thanks Mike!
I have found  one entry on the BMD index
MARY JANE MALAM
hatfield, hertford
Jan-feb_march
3A page 277
1860

Am not sure whether to risk the cost of a failed birth cert.-have already had one incorrect one this week (for another great-grandparent).  What do you think?

[saddles]

I know what you mean about risking money on a cert, not easy to decide a yes or no!!

Does the marriage cert for Mary to Robert Peat give her status, ie spinster, widow ?.

There are a number of possible burials for a John Malim (var) and what year was Mary
Malin born.

[thrice blest]

She was a spinster, aged 20, and the marriage took place on 24/8/1878.

Thank you so much for bothering about this!

Gwynneth

[saddles]

There are two Mary Ann MALIN in the free BMD that are within the line from Ayot towards
Warwickshire which may be on the rail line.

Births Sep 1857   
Malin  Mary Ann    Leighton Buzzard  3b 374   

Births Mar 1858   
MALIN  Mary Ann     Southam  6d 570

Unfortunately census info regarding place of birth can be misleading due to many reasons,
this is where the actual birth cert is so important, alas it is a cost that may or may not be
the one you want.

Does her death cert give you any additional help.

[thrice blest]

I don't have a death cert. and have no idea when she died!  And am still not sure whether she was actually Mary Ann or Mary Jane!  It's so frustrating-like doing a 5000 piece jigsaw with no box lid!