Hello Allan I have Edward Merrick in my database without parents recorded, and I have his birth as about 1763 in London. As he is not related to me, I have not delved further into his ancestry. My interest is through two of his grandchildren who are connected to my Neeves family of Singleton. I have just checked on the names of Edward Merrick and Mary Elizabeth Russell's children, they were named John, Mary Elizabeth, William, Joseph, Richard, Thomas and Susannah. The was a custom of naming children after the husband's parents and then the wife's parents. It could be assumed that Edward is the same person as that born in 1763 based on this naming custom. Regards Alan -----Original Message----- From: Allan Murphy via Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2014 10:14 AM To: aus-convicts@rootsweb.com ; aus-nsw-hills-hawkesbury-hunter-valley@rootsweb.com ; aus-nsw-hunter-valley@rootsweb.com ; aus-nsw@rootsweb.com ; aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: [HV] Birth of Edward MERRICK (MEYRICK) Dear members An Edward, son of John and Susannah MERRICK, was born on the 21st November was baptised on 3 December 1763 at St James Clerkenwell in the County of Middlesex. Source Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1812. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives. This is my question, is the Edward who died in 1839 the same Edward who was born in 1763? If Edward was 76 as stated at the time of his death then he was born during the period 10th February 1762 to the 9 th of February1763. The above Edward who was born in 1763 would 75 years old in February 1839. Regards Allan