Hi Christine Adrian is right when he says that 'The only thing that matters for you is what's in the original parish registers.' You can see these on FMP and work through them page by page. Unfortunately, many of the pages you need to trawl through are damaged and therefore illegible as they stand. So, practically speaking, there is only one way to go. The registers are kept in the Cheshire Archives and Record Office in Chester and *can* be read by the use of UV light. I don't know what the policy is at Chester for the public use of this facility - some record offices allow it whilst others don't. A quick telephone call or email would establish that. If you are unable to visit yourself I have found the Chester archivists very helpful in the past and I'm sure they would respond to a simple request - charges are made only when a longer time is required to search. If you explain what it is you're looking for (eg the baptism of Joshua which will give the name of his father and that it's likely to be between (say) 1680 and 1700), identify the pages you need checked and ask whether there would be a charge for that. The archivists are the people holding the documents, and they have the skills and the equipment necessary to read them. That's what the record offices and staff are there for. Our taxes pay for them. So I would encourage people to use them. Above all, don't fret. You may be coming to the end of any further research on this line. It happens to us all. BTW, I will just mention - although you may have this info already - that a Rebeckah HAMMOND was baptised in Gawsworth on 13 Mar 1697/8, father Robert. Rebeckah wife of Joshua Whittaker was buried 6 Dec 1746. Joshua Whittaker was buried 2 Nov 1750. His will dated 11 May 1750 names 2 sons, John and Richard and a son-in-law John WEST, cooper, who had married Mary Wittaker 20 Jan 1724/5. He makes no mention of a wife. Joshua is described as a husbandman and he left under £20. This bears out Adrian's mention of the interchangeability of occupational terms in his mailing. The term 'farmer' also began to be used more frequently around this time (mid 18thC). All these details stack up and may be the truth of the matter, but equally may not. I can't see evidence for another Joshua of Gawsworth but until the whole of the register for those years is read you can't be certain. Hope this helps. Ruth

Hi Ruth, Thanks for your email. I will bear that in mind for the future but first I think I will work on the descendants. Sometimes something pops up, perhaps a reference in another will I haven’t linked in yet etc. I may know more when I come back to it. I haven’t worked on Rebecca yet, I’ve not got much time just at present so that info is useful. Thanks again, Christine