How much info is enough?

[LizzieL]

The parish register marriage entry is available to view on FindMyPast.

Added:  as is the baptism entry for Harriet Ellen Sims.

As far as I can see, the LDS don't have the Nettlebed registers, so I don't think there is going to be enough info to say who that Harriet Ellen Sims is, through online searching alone

The HES b Nettlebed - age 5 in 1881, should have been registered in Henley district between Q2 1875 and Q1 1876. The nearest match I can find is an Agnes Ellen Simms Q2 1895 1875 Henley 3a 593, perhaps this is her and why she can't be found as Helen on any other records.

year corrected

[StevieSteve]

Is 1895 a typo, Lizzie? 

[LizzieL]

Is 1895 a typo, Lizzie? 

Yes sorry should be 1875! I'll amend it

[LizzieL]

Agnes Ellen Simms married Leonard Benstead Bean on 11 Nov 1900 in Prestbury Glos, her father was Henry Simms. wit Henry Simms and Annie Simms (X).
In 1901 Agnes E  and Leonard B Bean are in Clapham, London. His occ plumber as on marriage cert. Agnes b abt 1875 Nettlebed.
So it certainly looks as if Harriet in 1881 should be Agnes.

[BumbleB]

Assuming that the 1881 census return is the correct family - Henry and Ann plus children, then:

Mary Jane, Sarah Ann and Albert Henry were all baptised at Upper Slaughter, plus there is a 12 February 1882 baptism of Arthur.

[LizzieL]

I don't believe Henry and Ann of Upper Slaughter and sometime residents of nettlebed had a daughter Harriet Ellen, I think she was Agnes Ellen and harriet was a mistake on the 1881 census. The brother Ernest Edward also said to be born nettlebed, was married in Gloucestershire, father Henry, Henry was also witness - signatures look the same.

[BumbleB]

I've been thinking - and that is a very dangerous thing for me to do   

I believe that GiddyUpGo has to start at a later date than Harriet Ellen, in order to verify that the information given by grandmother is correct.

I'm assuming that grandmother is the connection, and so:

Have you got grandmother's birth certificate, to confirm her parents' names?  From that information we can look for the marriage of the parents, and then their respective parents, hopefully finding them on census returns which will add further information.

We've all added our thoughts and findings on this family, but we need something concrete to work from so that we don't follow the wrong family.  (Yes, we've all done that, and probably got the tee shirt to prove it  )

[GiddyUpGo]

I first want to say thank you, I went to bed last night after posting and woke up this morning to find a ton of great info in this post ... I have been on a lot of forums on many different topics and I don't think I've ever found one with so many friendly people so eager to help. So thank you, and I also apologize in advance if I sound like someone who doesn't have a clue how to do this stuff, because I really don't!

I feel certain that this is my Harriet Ellen:

Baptism Cheddleton March 8 1896 Elsie Salt
Parents, John and Harriet Ellen
Abod,. Horse Bridge
Fathers occupation, bricklayer

Elsie Salt was my great grandmother, born Feb 6 1896 in Staffordshire, parents John and Harriet Ellen. They emigrated to the US when Elsie was a teenager.

So does this suggest that the Harriet Ellen Sims in Nettlebed was not the same Harriet Ellen Sims? LizzieL's research (thank you!) pointed to this actually being an Agnes Sims who did not marry a John Salt, but it does seem odd that she would be listed by error with the same name as my Harriet Ellen and live in the place that I believed was her birthplace ... unless the info I got from my grandmother incorrectly assumed that our Harriet Ellen was the one in Nettlebed.

OK so now some newbie questions ... I was poking around last night on FamilySearch.org and FindMyPast but I never hit on any marriage, birth or baptism info. Is this info that's available to everyone or only to subscribers? Where do I find this stuff online ... can anyone post a short list of the best websites for searching?

[BumbleB]

As Millmoor reported earlier:

Elsie, daughter of John and Harriet Ellen Salt of Horsebridge - Bricklayer.  Born 6 February 1896, baptised 8 March 1896 at Cheddleton, Staffordshire.

So that ties in wonderfully with the marriage

John Salt, 22, Bricklayer of Blackpool.  Father:  James, Labourer
Harriet Ellen Sims, 18 of Horse Bridge.  Father:  Thomas Labourer
Witnesses:  A Salt and Mary Ellen Salt
Cheddleton - 3 February 1896

Phew, just made being legitimate   

I, personally, think that we should be pursuing the Staffordshire connection, rather than the Nettlebed - but I stand to be corrected.  And I agree with LizzieL that the Nettlebed Harriet Ellen is a "red herring".

Oh the joys of family history