In a message dated 10/11/2009 11:28:01 GMT Standard Time, allandrobson@btinternet.com writes: on the 1861 Census he says he was born in Bishopwearmouth, however after checking the Gro Births for 1840, there was no John Robson birth Registered in Bishopwearmouth/ Sunderland, could it be his family moved there when he was a child and so he assumed he was born there?. Allan: In a word, "Yes". We should never assume that just because we see something written down, even in an "official" source, that it is correct! False information could be given, either in all innocence or deliberately in order to mislead. I am convinced that the sort of reason you give is something that occurred very often. Geoff Nicholson