My name is Ian RIDDELL and I have just subscribed to this list. I was brought up in Liverpool (England) as were my family from at least 1870. All addresses here are in Liverpool It is, perhaps, best if I explain my interest in the BOND family. My great grandfather, James Andrew RIDDELL, married Jane HUDSON at St. Dunstans, Edge Hill on August 28th 1893. Jane and James had five children (the youngest of whom was my grandfather) but then she "disappeared". No-one living in the family knows what happened to Jane apart from the fact that she left! Subsequently my great grandfather had a housekeeper who obviously did more than keep house as they had another seven children! My aunts all thought that this "housekeeper" was their grandmother and it was not until my great grandfather died that they found out the truth. So, as you can see this is a great family mystery. My great-uncle Arthur (who was the son of James Andrew and Agnes, the "housekeeper") occasionally used to pass himself off as Arthur BOND and the general feeling was that Agnes's surname was BOND and so he was taking his mother's maiden name. I was unable to find much more about James Andrew, Jane or Agnes and things seemed to grind to a halt. I then found out the following: George Riddell was born around 1815. The 1881 census gives his place of birth as Hawick, Northumberland. Earlier censuses (1861 and 1871) simply give his place of birth as Northumberland. The only Hawick that I know of is in Roxburghshire and is 15 to 20 miles into Scotland! George had a sister, Mary, who was born in about 1803 in Penketh, Lancashire. George married Ann (or Nanny) Watson on 28th January 1841 at St. John's, Old Haymarket, Liverpool. They had (at least) four children: · William, born 9th February 1844 at Clare Terrace, Clare Street, Liverpool, baptised on 7th April 1844 at St. Peter's, Liverpool. · Martha, born around 1852 in Tranmere, Birkenhead, · James, born around 1854, again in Tranmere, · Ellen, born around 1857 in Birkenhead. The gap between the births of William and Martha suggests that they probably had another three or four children. Ann must have died shortly after Ellen was born because the 1861 census entry for 33 Epsom Street has: · Andrew Sorbie, aged 62, Head of the household, Porter, born Scotland · Mary Sorbie, 58, Wife, born Penketh, Lancs(?) · George Riddell, 47, Brother in law, Widower, Printer, born Northumberland · Martha Riddell, 9, Daughter, Unmarried, Scholar, born Liverpool · James Riddell, 7, Son, Scholar, born Tranmere, Cheshire · Ellen Riddell, 2, Daughter, born Tranmere, Cheshire · William Taylor, 30, Boarder, Porter, born Westmoreland So, George was living with his sister and brother in law. George has an entry as a painter living at 33 Epsom Street in the Liverpool Directory for 1868. He was still living there in 1871, although his sister and brother-in-law had now moved on (or died?). The census entry for 1871 is: · George Riddell, 56, Head, Widower, Printer (Letter), Northumberland · Martha Riddell, 19, Daughter, Birkenhead · Ellen Riddell, 14, Daughter, Scholar, Birkenhead A year later, however, there was another addition to the family. Martha had a son called James. He was born on 5th July 1872 at 33 Epsom Street. No father is entered on the birth certificate, almost certainly meaning that James was illegitimate. In 1881, however, George was no longer living in Epsom Street. This is more or less where I was stuck with this possible thread of ancestors. However, I have recently found the following entry for 116 Lovat Street, West Derby in the 1881 census. · Edwin G. BOND, Head, married, Boot & Shoe Maker, Win, Somerset · Martha, Wife, 30, Late Laundress, Tranmere, Cheshire · William G, Son, unmarried, 16, Barman, Liverpool · Ada E, Daughter, unmarried, 13, Scholar, Liverpool · Bertha E, Daughter, unmarried, 10, Scholar, Liverpool · James A, Son, 8, Scholar, Liverpool · Edwin G, Son, 3, Liverpool · Henry A, Son, 1, Liverpool · George RIDDELL, Father in law, widower, 67, Printer, Hawick, Northumberland · Ellen RIDDELL, Sister in law, unmarried, 22, Cook Prof*, Tranmere, Cheshire So, George and Ellen are now living with Martha and her husband. Martha's son James is now James A and has brothers and sisters or half-brothers and sisters called BOND. Also, the eldest son William G is only 14 years younger than Martha. After looking at one or two other sources of information I found the following baptisms: · Thomas Ernest BOND, son of Edwin George BOND and Martha, born 11th February 1882 and baptised on 28th February 1882 at St. Silas', Pembroke Place. Edwin was a bootmaker living at 3 Jane Terrace, Kinglake Street. · George BOND, son of Edwin George BOND and Martha, born 1st April 1891 and baptised on 21st April 1891 at St. Silas', Pembroke Place. Edwin was a bootmaker living at 237 Crown Street. Also: · William George BOND, son of Edwin BOND and Eliza, baptised on 11th August 1867 at St. Mary's, Kirkdale. Edwin was a ship's steward living at 17 Gant(?) Street. It looks like Edwin G BOND was married before, to Eliza, and had a son William George. Perhaps Ada and Bertha were also from this previous marriage. He then married Martha who already had a son called James and Martha and Edwin went on to have young Edwin, Henry, George and Thomas. This might explain the ages of the older children. So, the plot thickens! Hence my interest in the BOND family. I do not think that they are directly linked to my family but I am very interested in finding out more about Edwin and his relatives. Can anyone can shed any light on this? Ian RIDDELL