Hello Ian I have to admit I'm a bit confused right now - only a bit. I do know for a fact that my William was a Sgt in the Royal Marines as it is written on his daughter's birth certificate, as is the childs mothers name of Amelia. Do you think my William was the one born in Ireland then please? The reason I believe he was born in 1837 is that Tony and Linda found his burial in March 1874 for me. It gave an age and I did the math to come up with a possible birth date of 1836. It was someone else who told me he was born in Hayling Island Hants. Which one do you believe is my William for the above please? Thank you very much for your help in trying to find them for me. Shannon

wrote >I do know for a fact that my William was a Sgt in the Royal Marines Now that you say that I've looked again at the image I have sent you and I think it does say Sergt Marines. It doesn't look the same as for the Visitor where it does look like Royal Marines. >Do you think my William was the one born in Ireland then please? On balance, I think the Irish one is the more likely. > >The reason I believe he was born in 1837 is that Tony and Linda found >his burial in March 1874 for me. It gave an age and I did the math to >come up with a possible birth date of 1836. The one in the image I sent is aged 36 in 1871. That makes his year of both 1834/35 which is closer to your estimate than the other one, if Ian is correct about him being 30. Don't forget, age at death is not always accurate - depends if the person reporting the death knew the exact age. > It was someone else who told me he was born in Hayling Island Hants. Obviously there *was* a William Hawkins born in Hayling Island as William G was born there. It is probable that that is what your informant knew of. But did they know that was definitely "your* William Hawkins? If you have only ever found him referred to as William Hawkins (including his burial record and the Birth Certificate of his daughter) it is doubtful that he was actually William George. On balance, I think it much more likely that the Irish one is "your" William Hawkins, but you need to find solid proof. How did you find that you had a connection to a William Hawkins and that he was married to Amelia and had the daughter you mention? If you have the child's BC it should give the maiden name of the mother. Was she Amelia Stephens? Get the Marriage Cert for William Hawkins and see if he did marry Amelia Stephens and if by any chance one of the witnesses was named Osborne (you'd be very lucky, but you never know!). You might also need to do more research into William George in order to rule him in or out if you can't make a definitive connection to William. -- Jenny M Benson

Shannon, if he was in the Royal Marines then it seems the Ireland born William would be the right one. The confusion may be to do with where you got the birth on Hayling Island from. The RM records are not downloadable from the National Archives, unlike the naval records, unfortunately, and they can be a problem to find, without a peronal visit to TNA or the help of a professional researcher, which is what I wwnt to for an ancestor. Regards, Ian CALLADINEB@aol.com wrote: > Hello Ian > > I have to admit I'm a bit confused right now - only a bit. > > I do know for a fact that my William was a Sgt in the Royal Marines as it is > written on his daughter's birth certificate, as is the childs mothers name of > Amelia. > > Do you think my William was the one born in Ireland then please? > > The reason I believe he was born in 1837 is that Tony and Linda found his > burial in March 1874 for me. It gave an age and I did the math to come up with > a possible birth date of 1836. It was someone else who told me he was born in > Hayling Island Hants. > > Which one do you believe is my William for the above please? > > Thank you very much for your help in trying to find them for me. > > Shannon >