Hello to all on the list I'm hoping that somebody may be able to help track down my Gt Grandmother. I have given some details that I have and at the end there are a couple of questions. I've posted some of the information some months back so thought I would post again as there are always new members. HELEN ELIZABETH WILSON I have been trying to find the above person for some time without much success. She is my Gt. Grandmother and the only member of the family that I have been unable to trace Helen Elizabeth Wilson was married at Holy Trinity Church, Kilburn, London on February 19th 1899 to Thomas Barlow Lonsdale. Her marriage certificate says that she was a 27 year-old spinster, the daughter of John Wilson fisherman (deceased). The address of both was 101 Priory Park Road, Kilburn. Aged 27 in 1899 puts her birth at 1872. Helen died in a nursing home in Surrey on 27/12/1955, Reverend Mother who was then a novice remembers her well but can't recall there being any mention of any brothers or sisters. Her grandchildren now in their 70s and 80s do not know her birth date or the year she was born, although her death certificate says she was 78. This would have put her birth around 1877 and would have made her 22 when she married, 11 years younger than her husband. They had one son Thomas Alfred Lonsdale born 1900 who died in 1925 and a daughter Edith Helen who married a BROMLEY then in the early 1950's married a WILSHER. What her grandchildren do remember is the secrecy that surrounded grandma, she never talked of her past, and nobody knew anything. At least that is what they tell me. The only person that she would talk to was my father and he died 4 years ago. As a child, Helen took my father on trips to Peebles in Scotland and Kessingland in Suffolk. These trips took place in the late 1920's and early 1930's. I remember as a child in the mid 1950's being taken to Peebles and going through church records. I also recall being told at that time that what they were looking for had been destroyed by fire. It does seem strange though that around about the time of her death we should go to Peebles to search Church records. Also my father told my daughter that we came from Peebles. I have traced the Lonsdale family back to 1490 in and around Accrington, Lancashire. My paternal grandmother comes from Oxfordshire and I have traced back to 1643. My Maternal grandparents come from Lancashire and Ireland. Prior to Helens wedding I have not been able to trace her birth or any other details about her. There are many Helen Wilson's but there only seems to be one that I have found who has a father named John who was a fisherman. This family came from Coldingham, Berwick. I don't know if this is the right family or not. But if she had been born in Berwick why did we go to Peebles It could be that she wasn't born a Wilson, she may have been illegitimate and took on the name of a family that adopted her without it being registered. There again she may have been married and wanted to hide the fact so thought up the name and details. So can anybody answer any of the following questions? If she was a Wilson and her father was a fisherman could he have been the Ghillie on the Tweed? Does anybody know of a Wilson family from around the Peebles area who had an illegitimate daughter around 1870/80. John Wilson (Fisherman) living in Coldingham in 1881 whose birthplace is shown as Coldingham, could the family originally come from Peebles? If so how would I check it out? Does anybody known of any parish records having been destroyed by fire in or around the Peebles area? If so can you put a time frame on the incident? Can anybody suggest any other roads that I could go down other than wait for the 1901 census. If anybody can shed a little light on Helen and her family I would love to hear from you. Many thanks for your time Michael A Lonsdale CLACTON-ON-SEA, Essex, Searching BARLOW in the Blackburn/Clitheroe area's pre 1815 CALLERAN in the Southport area1898, may have been born in Staffordshire EVENDEN Ruth in the Brighton/Steyning area born about 1835 HARTWELL in the Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire area's pre 1700 MARSHALL in the Southport/North Meols area pre 1900 LONSDALE, any time any place TETLEY in the Bradford area about 1880 TURNER in the Southport/North Meols 1880 TURNER in the Cockermouth area's pre 1900 ROBINSON in the Burnley area about 1910 SOURBUTTS in the North Meols area pre 1900 SUMNER in the North Meols area pre 1900 WARREN in the Oswaldtwistle area about 1770 WHITTINGTHAM in the Stalybridge area pre 1900 WILSON, Helen Elizabeth born about 1872/78 Location unknown. Father a fisherman named John