This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: jon17573 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.england.dor.general/6269.2.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Just to correct one point that Vanessa made, birth registration was "compulsory" from 1837. But as there was no penalty on the parents for not registering the birth until 1875 (not 1885) it was not enforceable. One of the primary reasons for not registering a birth prior to 1875 was that parents were under the misapprehension that baptism was an alternative. From 1875 a fine was introduced for failure to register a birth. So as Angelina died aged 2 in late 1877, the overwhelming likelihood is that her birth would have been registered, and if not that she would have been baptised. All that said, there is of course a possibility that she slipped through the net. You should consider that she was registered under a different name (perhaps Angelina was a second name or she was not registered as a Foot), or even that she was registered outside of England, perhaps in the Channel Islands where you said siblings had been born. Something else to consider. If I understand correctly you are basing this search on the details of the 1911 census which indicates the number of years married and number of children of the marriage, and the number who have died. Firstly there is no guarantee that this information is correct. Secondly, it does not indicate that children died did not reach adulthood. Angelina Snr would be in her 60s by the 1911 census, so her "children" that died could have done so in their 20s or 30s, maybe even their 40s. If I am looking at the right entry in the 1911 census (in Jersey???) then the data for number of years married etc is actually crossed through, presumably because she was a widow. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.