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I am still trying to find my husbands grandfather James William Gardiner who was born in 1872 in Portsmouth. He states on his marriage certificate that his father was William James Gardiner, Publican. We can not find any record of either James or Williams birth,or any census forms, only James in 1911 when he was living in Colchester Essex, when he states he was born in Portsmoth S. If anybody could help us we would be most grateful.

Forgive me if I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but have you tried different spellings for the surname? There is a James William Gardner, born in Winchester in 1871; a James Gardner in Ringwood in 1872, and another James Gardner in Farnham (Fareham?) in 1872.

Just posting that 1911 for our reference:

BARDWELL, Frederick Head Married M 52 1859 Labourer Ipswich Suffolk
BARDWELL, Esther Wife Married F 42 1869 Mile End Colchester Essex
BARDWELL, Dorothy M Daughter F 4 1907 Colchester
BARDWELL, Frederick J Son M 0 (8 MONTHS) 1911 Colchester
BARNARD, Eulalia A Stepdaughter F 15 1896 Tailoring Saffron Walden Essex
BARNARD, Rossetta I Stepdaughter F 13 1898 School Saffron Walden Essex
GARDINER, James Boarder Single M 39 1872 Waste Paper Collector Portsmouth S

RG number: RG14 Piece: 10294
Reference: RG14PN10294 RG78PN543 RD198 SD1 ED10 SN143

Registration District: Colchester
Sub District: Colchester South East
Enumeration District: 10
Parish: Colchester

Address: 130 Canterbury Road Colchester County: Essex

Hi Sally, how do you know for definite that the chap in the 1911 is your James?

When and where did he marry, and who to?

One thing to bear in mind is that although civil registration of births came into effect there were no penalties on parents for not registering until about 1875 so he could have slipped through the net.

Also, fathers names on marriage certificates could sometimes be fictitious to cover up illegitimacy.

Previous thread -

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1246963