Hi Listers I'm currently researching my Mother's OSMAN family lineage and have encountered a brick wall which I hope somebody can help me with. I have John OSMAN (age 44) on the 1871 census married to Jane M. OSMAN (39) with 2 children, Alice J. OSMAN (6) and Mary L. OSMAN (3). I've been trying to find a marriage for John and Jane using all online resources I know of and have drawn a blank. It is extremely likely that they would have married in Hampshire, possibly the Southampton area, sometime prior to the birth of Alice c1865. Is it possible for sks to do a lookup for this marriage for me please? I appreciate that this is a rather tall order but would appreciate any help available. Thanks in advance Andrew THORN Researching: THORN OSMAN MUNDAY FORD MARSH COMBES GRANT HOLDAWAY EADE

Andrew, You don't say where they were living in 1871, or what birthplaces are given in the census. The marriage could have taken place any time from the 1840s up to 1865. There could have been older children who were living elsewhere. It also depends what you mean by "all online resources". Family Search is unlikely to help, as coverage of Hampshire is patchy. FreeBMD is useful but incomplete. A search for the marriage in the GRO indexes would be lengthy, and would not necessarily find the right one unless you find Jane's maiden name. An obvious step would be to find Jane's maiden name by buying the birth certificate of one of the children. Have you tried to find one or both of them in the 1861 and 1851 census returns? Have you looked for John's baptism? If the marriage is likely to have taken place in Southampton, you could request a look-up in the card index at Southampton City Archives, which includes CMB for most Southampton parishes up to the 1870s or later. Alan McGowan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy" <salteyseaman@yahoo.co.uk> To: <ENG-HAMPSHIRE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 8:03 PM Subject: [ENG-HANTS] John OSMAN Hi Listers I'm currently researching my Mother's OSMAN family lineage and have encountered a brick wall which I hope somebody can help me with. I have John OSMAN (age 44) on the 1871 census married to Jane M. OSMAN (39) with 2 children, Alice J. OSMAN (6) and Mary L. OSMAN (3). I've been trying to find a marriage for John and Jane using all online resources I know of and have drawn a blank. It is extremely likely that they would have married in Hampshire, possibly the Southampton area, sometime prior to the birth of Alice c1865. Is it possible for sks to do a lookup for this marriage for me please? I appreciate that this is a rather tall order but would appreciate any help available. Thanks in advance Andrew THORN

Dear Andy, not an answer to your question but you might be interested: Combes or Coomes, Henry, freeholder attending the Vill of Hardley & Langley swainmote after 1634; tenant farmer in Hardley 1660 (tenancy transferred 14.09.1660) Combes or Coomes, Richard, 'man' appearing at swainmote for Buttsash after 1608; tenant farmer in Hardley 1660 (tenancy transferred 14.09.1660). Combes or Coomes, William (Billy Coombes), after 1815, when local revenue cutters were established near Calshot Castle, was betrayed to them when his ship was disabled, being caught and hanged on a gibbet at Stoney Point Ford, Mrs. Jane, farmer, Mousehole Farm, Dibden, 1911 Ford, R., dairyman, Buttsbridge, 1920s Munday, Joseph, farmed Church Farm, Fawley Parish 1855-1859 (spelt Monday in 1865 P.O. Directory) Munday, Miss, resident, Pentagon Cottage, Fawley, 1855 Mary Osman tenanted an unnamed messuage in Beaulieu in 1792 The Osman family tenanted a farm in Frost Lane in 1851. (Frost Lane is both an area and a thoroughfare, SE of Hythe) Regards, David