I'm going round in circles over this one; can anyone out there please help me sort it out? My maternal gt g/mother was Hannah Troman, who married Edward WILLETTS on 19 May 1867 in Dudley Parish Church. Witnesses were Ann Troman and George Lowe. The bride's father was given as John Troman, Gas Fitter. Looking back on the censuses, Hannah, born around 1847, first appears in 1861 as a 13 year old, living in Laurences Lane Rowley Regis. Parents John,36, gast tube fitting maker, Mary J 34, wife, Ann 14, Hannah 13, Elizabeth 11, Mary Jane 7, Alfred J 4 (These last two born in Birmingham, whereas the rest were all born in Rowley) and Phebe, age 2. In 1871, we have John, 46 gas fittings maker and Mary J 44, wife, at Moir St. Blackheath, with Mary J 17, Alfred 14, Phoebe 12, Edwin 8, Joseph 6, Mariah 4 and Ruth 2. In 1881, John 56, is recorded at 43 Lomey Town, The Royal Oak Inn, as a beerseller, with wife JANE 54, and children Edwin 18, Joseph 16, Miriam 14, and Ruth 12. By 1891, the same address has just beer-seller John 66, Jane, 65 and Miriam, 24. In 1901, John is at 56 High St Blackheath and is listed as a widower, retired gas fittings maker, and head of household with Miriam Whittall, 34 dau. and William Whittall, 34 Son in law. Which was all very well until a cousin turned up Hannah's BC. This shows the birth on 27 Jul 1847 was registered by the mother, JANE Tromans formerly GADD. Father's name is John Tromans occupation Gas tube fitter. The only marriage I can find for John and Jane is in the Bromsgrove district, Jan-Mar 1846 vol 18 p 259. An IGI listing suggests it took place at Clent, and gives the bride's father's name as Thomas. I've checked censuses for Thomas and family, and they are consistent with him being Jane's father, and he also last appeared in the census in 1871 living in High St. Rowley Regis. There is another John Tromans listed with a wife called Jane and a  daughter Hannah, but they lived in Oldbury, he was a blacksmith and Hannah was born around 1857. I can't find John Troman, Jane (or Mary J) with Ann, Hannah, and possibly Elizabeth, in 1851. I can't work out why Hannah's mother should give her name as Jane on the BC, be Mary J from 1861-1871, and then revert to Jane in 1881-91. Is it possible John was married 3 times, and Jane Gadd died, was 'replaced' by Mary J, and later on Mary died and John married another Jane--and does that also explain his sudden transition from gas fittings maker to publican? Can anyone check it over for me and offer an opinion? I've been using www.Ancestry.com.au for most of my research, and I know there are other transcriptions around that may show different results, especially with a name that's subject to a lot of variations. Regards Jenni Kirkham Perth, Western Australia. The new Internet Explorer 8 optimised for Yahoo!7: Faster, Safer, Easier.