Sorry for the long email: This request deals specifically with Alfred William Bland circa 1842 and Selina Smith/West cir. 1854 his wife. I just received Certificates from GRO about my mysterious family from Headington Quarry/Horsepath Oxon. The Blands have several children on the 1881, 1891 and 1901 Census but seem to be hiding on earlier ones before they were "apparently" "married". I started with the eldest child's Cert. Ada Susan b1872 is listed as Daughter of Alfred Bland and Selina "Smith" of Headington Quarry. Identifying the mother this way may find me a Parish register for her birth and hopefully a marriage to my Alfred William Bland. The father/husband Alfred William Bland b. 1842 is listed on the census as from Chearsley Bucks but his death cert says he is from nearby Long Crendon Bucks. Their younger daughter Mary Jane b 1879 Littleworth Wheatley Oxon is likewise the daughter of Alfred Bland and Selina, but this cert shows the maiden name as "West". Looking in the BMD index I find nothing matching either match (Bland Smith or Bland West) one exactly. Also in one census Selina "Bland" is shown as 30 making her YOB 1850-51 in Brill Bucks, but the following two census 1891 and 1901 show 36 and 46 making YOB 1854. The only family that seems to fit for pre marriage Selina is that of Henry Worvell Smith b. 1828 of Buckingham and wife Sarah Taylor b 1830 of Ambrosden and appear living in Headington in the 1861 Census. In 1871 Census Henry Smith emerges with a new wife Ruth Collett (nee Rose) b 1827 and a step son. But Selina is absent and I can find only 2 prospects for a single Selina "Smith" outside of the family in 1871. A 14 YO Selina Smith is listed as "cripple from fever" in the Headington Union Workhouse (she appears again in 1901 so can likely be eliminated) and another 16 YO is niece to the family head living in Upton Cum Chalvey near Slough. Is a "cripple from fever" a known condition to genealogists? Was it permanent? I know it is not conclusive but I have a properly aged Selina Smith who's death is registered at nearby Ayelsbury Bucks in 1903. If that is my Selina, then it is possible they never actually married. Alfred William Bland does not exist in the BMD registry but curiously there is a Alfred William Smith registered in Thame in 1840. Could this relate to the certificate notation that says Selina Bland was formerly "Smith"? Was he a Smith and took the name by choice or learned of his birth father? Also Ada Susan mentioned above married in 1905. She is named SMITH, Ada Bland in the Marriage register index!! I have also located 2 William Smiths one is from Chearsley in the 1871, 1861, 1851 and 1841. Lastly there is a Susan Bland listed as mother in law in the 1891 census with Alfred and Selina Bland and children. Help!! RH

Looking for information birth/marriage on Henry Worvell(or similar spelling) SMITH. Mother appears to be Elizabeth JUSTICE (nee SMITH) from 1841 Census where Henry appears to be the step son. His brother Charles is listed as "wife's son" in the 1851 Census. It is possible the mother Elizabeth was WORVIL. She was born abt 1806 Beckley, Oxon, but the 1851 Census shows a visiting "sister of wife" Sarah MOORE who after checking is a Smith b 1814 in Beckley Oxon. Any help with PR records or why the middle name Worville for Henry (and then subsequently all of his children) would be appreciated. Robin H