Hi everyone, Most of you have seen my postings regarding the BETTS family of Banbury. With the help of many on this list, I have compiled quite a family history and have collected various pieces of evidence utilizing census information, marriage and birth certificates and baptismal entries. Here's my dilemma.I'm not certain my grandfather, Arthur Henry BETTS, was the son of John Henry BETTS. I am certain John Henry BETTS married Sarah Alice STEPHENS November 19, 1878 in the parish church in Deddington, and that Sarah Alice is Arthur Henry's mother. My grandfather names her in documents he completed. Census information places him in the home of John Henry and Sarah Alice and he is listed as 'son'. Arthur's date of birth is June 14, 1879. (7 months after wedding) No record of his baptism has been located - searches have been done in the parish registers of St. Mary's by a couple of folks on my behalf, as well as in some other records: So it looks plain he wasn't baptised at St Mary's, or at least not at a time close to his birth. I checked at Christchurch, South Banbury and there are BETTS but no Arthur Henry listed In the indexes to baptisms at other (non-conformist) places on the CD :- No BETTS at all in Banbury or Sulgrave Methodists No Arthur Henry at Grimsbury Methodists (though there was a John Henry, couldn't find him in the actual records, but will try again if you want me to) Two BETTS in Primitive Methodists, not yours Quaker records only go to 1837 Roman Catholic only to 1812 Neithrop CofE baps only go to 1861 (Celia) I have also been searching for his birth registration using free BMD as well as using 1837 online. So far no success. I have paid to view births registered during all of 1878, 1879, 1880 and January to June 1881. This link to the BETTS family is vital to my research.and my view that I am a descendent of the BETTS family from Banbury. My request of the list is to "scour" your databases, cd's, and any other material you believe may contain my elusive Arthur Henry's baptismal record/birth record. Any suggestions on where else I can look for evidence? I've thought perhaps he may have been baptised under his mother's maiden name? Do you think that is a possibility? I've looked for a birth registration as well under STEPHENS but again, no luck. Thanks Fran Robertson Kitchener on a wet and windy day

Hello Fran - > Most of you have seen my postings regarding the BETTS family of Banbury. > With the help of many on this list, I have compiled quite a family history > and have collected various pieces of evidence utilizing census information, > marriage and birth certificates and baptismal entries. Here's my > dilemma.I'm not certain my grandfather, Arthur Henry BETTS, was the son of > John Henry BETTS. > > I am certain John Henry BETTS married Sarah Alice STEPHENS November 19, 1878 > in the parish church in Deddington, and that Sarah Alice is Arthur Henry's > mother. My grandfather names her in documents he completed. Census > information places him in the home of John Henry and Sarah Alice and he is > listed as 'son'. > > Arthur's date of birth is June 14, 1879. (7 months after wedding) No record > of his baptism has been located - searches have been done in the parish > registers of St. Mary's by a couple of folks on my behalf, as well as in > some other records: Where have you got the date of birth from? The baptism was much sooner after the wedding (which was by licence) ;-) You gave us the clue - that the marriage was at Deddington (records on OFHS CD WOD02 - see www.ofhs.org.uk) The Deddington baptisms give: 28 Dec 1878 Arthur Henry BETTS d (transcription error?) John Henry & Sarah Alice, confectioner, Clifton Sarah Alice STEPHENS is of Clifton on the marriage entry also. On the censuses Arthur is 2 in 1881 and 12 in 1891 - which also ties in with a November/December birthdate rather than a June one six months later. Wendy