Happy Christmas All - help if possible!

[MaryThorn]

 Happy Christmas to you all.

I've probably left this far too late in the day but I was hopeful of working this out myself and I can't so wondered if any board members can give me any pointers.

Me and my kids are working on a family scrapbook to give to my dad tomorrow with family info, members, stories and newspaper articles in and I've hit a brick wall with his great great grandmother.

I'm looking to find the parents of Eleanor Ray born 1841 in Belford.

The 1851 census has her living in Bamburgh with her grandfather Thomas Ray and aunt Ann and uncle Thomas.

Not being able to locate a birth for Eleanor on Ancestry, Findmypast, Freereg, Familysearch or the GRO index I came to an assumption that Ann, listed as aunt on the 51 census was her mother and that perhaps she was illegitimate.  Another Ancestry member has made the same assumption but now I'm not too sure.

In 1871 Eleanor is living with husband Robert Straughan (misspelt Strafen on this census) but also her aunt Ann Ray and Uncle Thomas Ray (brother and sister) are living with the family.  The fact that in 1871 Ann and Thomas are listed as aunt and uncle makes me doubt Ann to be her mother and I'm wondering if anyone can suggest another line of enquiry to help me solve this mystery.

[Rosinish]

Merry Xmas.

Do you have some info. please?

Age on each census, is it consistent & where born? Edit, missed Belford 

Have you found her in 1861?

Annie

[Ruskie]

I can't find her in 1851 .... 

Do you have her, or the family in 1841, and 1861?

I know it is too late as you have limited time,  but Eleanor's marriage certificate will at least give you (hopefully) her father's name.

[Ruskie]

In 1861 I think I see Eleanor with Uncle Thomas 52 and his sister Ann 58 in Detchant Village. Eleanor is aged 20 and her pob is Bell's Hill. All three are unmarried.
(Bell's Hill is Adderstone - Bamburgh parish)

Is this the right family?

[Rosinish]

Where/when was she married?

Sometimes there are other transcriptions online to be found in different areas.

Annie

[belfordian]

Not everyone was baptised but you need to go to baptism records for the churches in the area including non-conformist churches. Many of these are not on the Internet and not on FindMyPast, Ancestry or Freereg. However it would be simpler to send for the birth certificate which will state mother,s full name. You cannot do this in time for tomorrow for your father but it would be info he can wait for in anticipation !

I found Ellen Ray marrying Robert Straughan in quarter ending Sept 1861 on freebmd.org.uk

Val

[Ruskie]

It may be that Eleanor was illegitimate /Ann's daughter, but her birth should still be registered. I can't see one in the right district and time frame.

(Reay was a common surname in Northumberland so it might be worth looking for her under that spelling too.)

[MaryThorn]

Yes Ruskie, I have that as the right family.

Also I think the 1861 census details are correct and Eleanor is living with her aunt Ann and uncle Thomas in Detchant.  She marries Robert Straughan later the same year in Belford and then her aunt Ann and uncle Thomas join the family and are living with them by the 1871 cenus.

[Rosinish]

Could this be a possible?

I haven't looked at GRO or a map for that matter 

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NSR-899

Annie