Hi all,
I'm hitting a lot of dead-ends whilst tracing my ancestors, the Longfields.
Firstly, Samuel Coates Longfield. Samuel was baptised in 1826 in North Newbald, with his mother recorded as Hannah Longfield (no father).
In the 1841 and 1851 censuses he appears as a lodger with the Teale family in Newbald, along with a Frederick Longfield (sometimes transcribed as 'Lengfield'). According to the census, Frederick was born in 1836. Researching this, there is a baptism record from 1835 in Newbald which names Hannah Longfield (or 'Lengfield') as his mother. Once again, no father. I feel confident in assuming Frederick and Samuel are at least half-brothers. I can find Frederick again in 1861, this time in Malton and with the Peacock family.
First mystery - where does Frederick go after 1861? I can't find him again!
Whilst searching for Longfield baptisms I found another interesting one - Elizabeth Ann Longfield, baptised 1830 in North Dalton, once again with only Hannah Longfield listed as a parent. North Dalton isn't particularly far from North Newbald, and it seems coincidental that there would be another Hannah Longfield so close, but then family history is full of such traps. I've tried to find her on the 1841 census (or, indeed, any census) to no avail.
Second mystery - what happens to Elizabeth Ann Longfield?
Hannah herself is a mystery. I've tried looking for her on the census and there is a plausible sighting in 1841, a Hannah Lengfield born around 1801 who is living with Frances and Mary Kirby in Newbald. Unfortunately, there are no identifying children, and I can't be sure she is 'my' Hannah. There is then a marriage record from Fridaythorpe in 1847 of a Hannah Longfield (born circa 1801) marrying a John Wake. She is possibly (likely?) the 1841 census Hannah, but still, is she my Hannah?
Back to Samuel. In 1853 Samuel Coates Longfield gets married - and on the parish record for his marriage he names his father as Samuel Coates, a farmer. Is this a real person? If so - I can't find any particularly plausible candidates.
I've been going round in circles with this, I'm sure, so some outside perspectives would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks!
