Oh the joys of family research! First have you followed ALL the family back - your grandparents & any siblings. Great grandparents & siblings? Especially from the 1901 baakcwards? I find this to be absolutely essential, because if you strike a hitch, as you have, it is possible to check through a sibling. Secondly families have a habit of taking children back to the "home village" for Baptism . Have you got the Baptism of Thomas - it might serve as a double check. Thirdly the death of a child in infancy often meant a subsequent child was given the same christian name. James & Thomas may have been brothers and it would not be unusual for them to have children of the same age with the same name! Suggest you ensure you have checked that you have all relevant info before 1845 before looking for errors which are always possible of course. Regards Marlene in NZ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Allan Smith" <asmith_driver@hotmail.com> To: <BEDFORD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 7:37 PM Subject: [BDF] Thomas Smith, born Stagsden abt 1845 > I've got a bit of a problem. > > My previous research led me to believe that my great grandfather (as > above) was the son of James Smith and Mary Seamark. > > Now, however, having obtained his marriage certificate, I see that his > father is named as Thomas also. > > Is there a possibility that the Vicar, when he noted the marriage in his > records, got it wrong and noted my great grandfather's own name down as > 'Father' rather than his actual father's name (who, incidentally, if it > was James, was dead by that time). > > I've checked the 1871 census and found my great grandfather after he was > married, and he states his place of birth as Stagsden. I've therefore > checked the 1851 and 1861 censuses and the only Thomas born at the right > time in Stagsden is in fact the son of James as I thought, and not Thomas > as is noted on his marriage certificate. > > Is there anywhere I can double check, and if so, where would I need to go. > > Allan Smith > Sheffield, England > > Researching:- > SMITH, RIDDY, WALLINGER, WELCH & TOMKINS from Bedfordshire & Bucks (up to > mid 19th century) > > ELMES (or ELMS) from Northants (up to mid 19th century) > > SMITH & DAVI(E)S from Oxfordshire & Hunts (Mid 19th century) > > SMITH, DAVI(E)S, WORSNOP, BAILEY, ASHMAN & WHITELEY from Sheffield (1870's > onwards) > > > > ==== BEDFORD Mailing List ==== > To do a search of the Bedford Archives go to > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > Enter Bedford in the box >