Looking at the 1851 census there is an Elizabeth ARCH (transcribed as Elizabeth SICK) aged 53 Widow Dressmaker born Sawston, Cambs living in Balsham with a Charlotte BLANKS Lodger Unmarried Carpenter's daur, age 23 b East Road, Barnwell, Cambridge, Cambs (reference HO107/1761/386/16). Given that William ARCH married Charlotte BLANKS a few months later it would seem more than likely that this latter Elizabeth ARCH was William's mother and the age makes more sense as well! According to Camdex http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/db/riddeaths.nsf/search?OpenForm there were 4 deaths of an Elizabeth ARCH in Balsham before 1881. The one who died in 1846 was aged 31, the ones who died in 1855 were aged 0 and 2 years and the one who died in 1860 was aged 63. There was also a death in 1841 in Balsham for a William ARCH age 46. The 1851 census and death entry imply a year of birth around 1797 for Elizabeth and so I went looking in Sawston for likely LOFTS families. In fact only one LOFTS couple had children baptised in Sawston........ Banns were read for John LOFTS of Sawston and Mary TAYLOR of Balsham on 2 July 1797 in Sawston. I can't see a marriage but it is likely it happened shortly after this in Balsham. 5 children are shown as being baptised in Sawston with John & Mary LOFTS as parents and they were: Elizabeth born 8 Jan, baptised 9 April 1798 John born 23 April, bap 5 May 1799 Richard born 27 Jan, bap 5 April 1801 Peter born 21 Jan, bap 6 Mar 1803 William born 14 April bap 13 May 1804 William and John senior died in 1805 and Peter died in 1826, and all 3 were buried in Sawston. Mary LOFTS seems to have remarried on 27 Oct 1825 in Sawston. The groom was John RAYNER who was a widower and the bride Mary LOFTS widow. The witnesses were Richard BRAZIER, Sarah FITCH and Mary REYNOLDS. Mary RAYNER was buried in Sawston on 18 Mar 1840 age 64 HTH Paula