Hello Michael Firstly, yes it is usually quiet at this time of year - schools looong summer break - in UK anyway. Yes St Mary's Portsea would be the parish church. We would say never assume that a marriage pre 1837 is the right one.Perhaps more detective worki e maybe investigate witnesses in case there are some clues there. Another possible thought is we have found some of our family around your time period outside of Hampshire and therefore another food for thought would be to check other areas. Also not all church records are on the IGI and the parents may have married in a non conformist church. Not a lot of help perhaps but happy hunting, Linda and Tony To: ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com] JAMES BARTLETT/WILLIAM BARTLETT I am sorry that I am repeating my cry for help of the 4th August 2008, but I have not received any replies. Perhaps it is the holiday period and not the right time for messages! I have the marriage certificate for James Bartlett who married Elizabeth Williams on the 11th May 1845 at the parish church, presumably St Mary's, Portsea. He is shown as being a seaman, and I believe that he served on HMS Victory and/or the Royal Yacht Osborne (or Victoria and Albert The father of James is shown on the marriage certificate as Wm Bartlett, occupation shoemaker. The son's marriage would put Wm's date of birth around 1795 to 1800. There are a number of William's who married around 1820 in Portsmouth, and I originally believed that he married Jane Sprake on the 6th Sept. 1819. This couple subsequently had a son named James William Robert Bartlett baptised on the 14th August 1820 at St Mary's. However there is another William Bartlett, also a shoemaker who married Hannah Kerby at Alverstoke in 1816, although I cannot find a subsequent birth of son James. This William continued to trade as a shoemaker until his death in 1866. James Bartlett if he is the son of William and Jane Sprake does not appear to have used his other christian names, either when he married or joined the navy. Can anyone suggest my next move, for instance would his naval record as an ordinary rating show his full christian names? but of course he may have only given his first name! Any suggestions please or should I assume that I am following the correct father and son, until some other information comes to light to prove this wrong! Kind Regards Michael