Find Ancestors

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

Need help finding my Gt Gt Grandmother Jane Bale

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Sarah

Sarah Report 23 Sep 2007 18:30

I have been trying to trace my Gt Gt Grandmother Jane Bale for years without success. She married John William Hardwill in Taunton 1892. The marriage cert gives her fathers name as James and age as 20 and residence as the Castle Hotel Taunton.
The 1901 census states that she was born in Taunton. I have searched for a Jane Bale born about 1871 and found 3 certs. One gives the fathers name as William ( so I can discount that one ) one has no fathers name, but mother is given as Harriet
( resident of the Union Workhouse ) and the birth is in 1871, the final cert has the fathers name as James and the birth in 1876, I have recently been able to rule this one out due to a GR member Tim Bale kindly telling me that this Jane Bale grew up to marry a William Prew and not John William Hardwill. This leaves me with the illegitimate birth in 1871, unless 'my' Jane Bales' birth wasn't registered. If the illegitimate Jane Bale is my Gt Gt Grandmother why would her marriage cert state her fathers name as James? I have found a marriage in the BMD Indexes for a Harriet Bale and a James Bishop in Taunton 1879. Could it be that Jane's mother, Harriet married when Jane was 8 years old? I can find no trace of Jane on the 1881 census , either with the surname Bale or Bishop, but have found Harriet and James Bishop with a son Charles. Can anyone help me please?

Any information or advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Sarah.

jansmith

jansmith Report 23 Sep 2007 19:29

I see in 1901 census that this might be your connection to the right family.
Mary Bishop
Age: 18
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Female
Where born: Thurlbear, Somerset, England

Civil Parish: Taunton St James
Ecclesiastical parish: Taunton St James
Town: Taunton
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England
was living with them.


Could she be
Mary Bishop
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Relation: Daughter

Gender: Female
Where born: West Hatch, Somerset, England

Civil Parish: Taunton St James
Ecclesiastical parish: St James

daughter of James and Harriet in 1891 census.
Jane may have taken James as her father so that she had a fathers name to record on the marriage certificate

SylviaInCanada

SylviaInCanada Report 23 Sep 2007 19:37

Sarah,


it is not unusual to find a father's name and occupation on a marriage certificate when the bride or groom was actually illegitimate.


It looks "better" doesn't it?????????????

AND, if you say he was deceased, no-one is going to go looking for him!


The name could be the name of the real father, the grandfather, or made up.


Sylvia

Researching:
My brother, photo taken in September 1991 just a couple of weeks before he died. ............................................................ To help us and to get better results, please post as much detail as you can, especially name, date(s) and place. Also say what you already know.