Hi listers My heartfelt thanks to the many, many listers who replied with suggestions as to the whereabouts of my ancestor Ellen NICHOLLS in 1881. I think we may possibly have got her! Most listers suggested this entry. 3 Barton St, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, England Joseph Henry KNIGHT M 28 M Tewkesbury, Gloucester, England Rel: Head, Occ: Shoemaker Employing 1 Man And Boy Ellen NICHOLLS U 18 F Overbury, Worcester, England Rel: Serv, Occ: Domestic Servant This was the best I had found too just looking through fiche a few years ago. It is possible, but I think it's unlikely. There is an Overbury in Worcs, not very far from Tewkesbury in Gloucs, so I think this is probably a different person. Of course it's possible that Ellen said she was born Oldbury and the enumerator, never having heard of it, wrote this down as Overbury which he had heard of. [I've encountered something similar. An ancestor living in Oldbury said he was from Rowney Green, which is in the parish of Alvechurch. The enumerator wrote it as Rowley Green. Rowley is of course the next parish to Oldbury (although I don't know of a Rowley Green)]. Some listers came up with this entry. Ford School, Dodderhill, Worcester, England Williams SIMMONS M 64 M Buxted, Sussex, England Rel: Head, Occ: Retired Comnerical Traveler Jane SIMMONS M 62 F Bromsgrove, Worcester, England Rel: Wife, Occ: Principal Of Ladies Boarding School Sarah HORTON U 58 F Alvechurch, Worcester, England Rel: Sister-In-Law, Occ: Principal Of Ladies Boarding School Ellen M. NICHOLS U 16 F Worcester, City Of, Worcester, England Rel: Boarder, Occ: Pupil I'm sure this isn't my Ellen, not least because she was a clay carrier aged 9 in 1871 (which I admit I didn't include in the request) so a Ladies Boarding School doesn't quite fit! But step forward Leslie Prpich, who, by some radical lateral thinking, came up with this, right under my nose all along. 36 Stone St, Oldbury, Worcester, England Edward MURRAY M 24 M Oldbury, Worcester, England, Rel: Head, Occ: Iron Worker Eliza MURRAY M 24 F Oldbury, Worcester, England, Rel: Wife William MURRAY 2 M Oldbury, Worcester, England, Rel: Son Elizabeth MURRAY 1 F Oldbury, Worcester, England, Rel: Daug Sarah NICHOLAS U 21 F Oldbury, Worcester, England, Rel: Boarder, Occ: Brick Maker Almost everything fits. The age is right (within a year or so). She was a clay carrier aged 9 in 1871 so being a Brick Maker is exactly right. Ellen's mother Mary had died in 1880, so being a Boarder is right. (I didn't give these previous details in the request, I know!). And the address is perfect, since Stone street is just round the corner from Lodge street where future husband John BERESFORD was living. And to cap it all, Stone street is where John and Ellen BERESFORD lived from 1884 onward and perhaps earlier. And NICHOLAS is a variant of NICHOLLS that I've encountered. Of course, Sarah isn't Ellen! But as Meatloaf sang, 2 out of 3 ain't bad, and I've got 5 out of 6. The real test will be whether there's another Sarah NICHOLAS in Oldbury in 1871 aged about 10. I can't wait to check next time I travel to the Midlands. Thanks again to everyone. Paul Prescott