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I am researching Thomas Longley who was born circa 1808 based on the 1851 census for St Peters Street, Maidstone, Kent. His son William was born 10/05/1843, and from his birth certificate it states his mother as Harriet Longley formerly Bourne (I think, it is not clear). When looking on the internet there are two spouses that appear for Thomas, Harriet Browne and Harriet Douglas all without citations. On Ancestry there are records of the marriage of Thomas Longley to Harriott Brown and Harriott Bourn on the 21/09/1833. From the 1851 census, Thomas was born in Addington, Kent. A Search on Family Search has revealed two christenings for Thomas Longley’s, the first in Addington on 30/08/1807 to Nicholas and Mary and the second in Maidstone on 05/04/1807 to James and Sarah.
Due to the conflicting information I am confused, can anyone help me try to unravel this.
Kind regards
Charlie

This looks like the marriage to Harriet Douglas from Findmypast. This marriage was in 1831:-

First Name THOMAS
Last Name LONGLEY
Country England
Record set Thames & Medway Marriages
County Kent
Year 1831
Spouse First Name Harriet
Spouse Last Name Douglas
First Names Thomas
Year Of Birth -
Place ROCHESTER
Day Of Marriage 18
Month Of Marriage SEP
Year Of Marriage 1831

Kath. x

I think that the reason that the marriage in 1833 was recorded twice was that Brown and Bourn look quite similar when written down and the transcriber probably wasn't sure what the correct name should be.

Since "your" Thomas was living in Maidstone on the 1851 census my first instinct would be to go for the christening in Maidstone.

Kath. x

Name: William Longley
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 05 Jun 1843
Christening Place: Maidstone, Kent, England
Father's Name: Thomas Longley
Mother's Name: Harriet Longley

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I04484-0 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1835449 , Reference ID: 1 7 56

Name: Mary Ann Longley
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 05 Sep 1841
Christening Place: St Peter, Maidstone, Kent, England
Father's Name: Thomas Longley
Mother's Name: Harriet

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C01313-5 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1835481 , Reference ID: Pg. 2 Line 13

Name: Alice Longley
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 10 Aug 1845
Christening Place: St Peter, Maidstone, Kent, England
Father's Name: Thomas Longley
Mother's Name: Harriet

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C01313-5 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 1835481

Name: Harriot Longley
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 06 Oct 1833
Christening Place: UNION STREET-WESLEYAN,MAIDSTONE,KENT,ENGLAND
Birth Date: 18 Aug 1833
Father's Name: Thomas Longley
Mother's Name: Harriot Douglass

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C06845-1 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 0596912 (RG4 1667), 0597065 (RG4 937, 1668)

marriage

Name: Thomas Longley
Spouse's Name: Harriet Douglas
Event Date: 1831
Event Place: Saint Margaret, Rochester, Kent, England

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M16512-3 , System Origin: England-VR , GS Film number: 1469483 , Reference ID: 2:N8MFM8

marriage

Name: Thomas Longley
Spouse's Name: Harriott Bourn
Event Date: 21 Sep 1833
Event Place: Plaxtol, Kent, England

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I04441-6 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1473700 , Reference ID: item 2 rn 219 p 73

marriage

Name: Thomas Longley
Spouse's Name: Harriott Winder
Event Date: 08 Jan 1836
Event Place: Newenden, Kent, England

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00658-9 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1835506

marriage

Name: Thomas Longley
Spouse's Name: Harriott Brown
Event Date: 21 Sep 1833
Event Place: Plaxtol,Kent,England

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M16716-1 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 1469800

Name: Thomas Longley
Birth Date: 1854
Age: 24
Spouse's Name: Harriet Wright
Spouse's Birth Date: 1858
Spouse's Age: 20
Event Date: 27 Jul 1878
Event Place: Boxley, Kent, England
Father's Name: Thomas Longley
Spouse's Father's Name: George Wright
Marital Status: Single
Spouse's Marital Status: Single

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M01102-9 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 2228353 , Reference ID: it 2 p 193 cn 385

Name: Harriet Longley
Gender: Female
Burial Date: 18 Feb 1872
Burial Place: Maidstone, Kent, England
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Thomas Longley

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I04778-2 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1835479 , Reference ID: Roll 194 P R3794

Thank you for all the information.

I think we are looking at two families here. I believe that I have found the Harriot Longley born 18/08/1833 (mentioned by Ann), living with her mother Harriet (who was born in Ireland) on the 1841 census, living in Boxley, Kent and without her husband (on the 1851 census she states she is a widow). This means that Harriet Douglas and Harriet Bourn/Brown cannot be the same person as on the 1851 census the Harriet Longley states she was born in Biddenden, Kent. I therefore suspect that a lot of the trees on Ancestry and elsewhere have made the wrong connection by linking the Thomas Longley that I am researching to Harriet Douglas. Still none the wiser as to whether it is Bourn, Bourne or Brown though.

Thanks for your help.

Charlie

Have now found a Harriet Bourne who was baptised on 07/06/1804 in Brookland, Kent, which is not far from Biddenden where she says she was born on the 1851 census, so I think this is likely to be the same person.

Again thanks for the help.

Charlie

Name: Harriet Bourne
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 07 Jun 1804
Birthplace: Brookland, Kent, England
Father's Name: Benjn. Bourne
Mother's Name: Mary

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00992-0 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1751623 , Reference ID: item 1

Name: Ann Gem Bourne
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 05 Dec 1795
Christening Place: Brookland, Kent, England
Father's Name: Benjamin Bourne
Mother's Name: Mary

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00992-0 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1751623 , Reference ID: item 1

Name: Elizabeth Bourne
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 16 Jun 1793
Christening Place: Brookland, Kent, England
Father's Name: Benjamin Bourne
Mother's Name: Mary

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00992-0 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1751623 , Reference ID: item 1

Name: John Bourne
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 30 May 1798
Christening Place: Brookland, Kent, England
Father's Name: Benj. Bourne
Mother's Name: Mary

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00992-0 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 1751623

Name: William Bourne
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 30 May 1798
Christening Place: Brookland, Kent, England
Father's Name: Benj. Bourne
Mother's Name: Mary

Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I00992-0 , System Origin: England-ODM , GS Film number: 1751623