I thought I would just let the list know that, thanks to all your help, I have made an enormous amount of progress with my research into the Tidbury family. It now appears that Mary Ann had not three but four illegitimate children and there may well be others. The four children were: 1. Ellen Jane Tidbury, born in Sydmonton in 1850. She married William BELLINGER, an agricultural fogger, in the March quarter of 1873 in the Newbury District. 2. George Napoleon Frederick William Tidbury, born on 30th May 1856 in Sydmonton. (Curiously when he was baptised the names Napoleon and Frederick were omitted.) He married Sarah JOHNSON after banns on 10th October 1881 at St John's Church, Forton, Alverstoke. 3. Mary Ann Tidbury, born between about 1858 and 1869, probably in Sydmonton. She is mentioned in the 1871 census as being a sister of Matilda Tidbury (below) who was then aged one. No further information as yet. 4. Matilda Lavinia Christiana Tidbury, born in the June quarter of 1869, probably in Sydmonton. She married Henry/Harry (Boxer) HUTCHINS on 19th April 1897 at St Paul, Woodlands. I still have no clue about the father(s) of the above children. Perhaps we never will know. I have also spoken to Barbara's friend, Betty Tidbury and sent her some information about my Tidburys. Betty's brother has done some research into the Tidbury family but as far as I can gather they are now stuck with an Elizabeth Tidbury who was an illegitimate child born in the Workhouse (in Windsor I think) around 1800. As all my early Tidburys seem to come from Berkshire (Greenham) there may well be a connection somewhere along the line. Genealogical research is indeed a very funny business. I was surprised when researching my husband's BODGER family of Bourn, Cambridgeshire, to discover that one Ann Bodger had four illegitimate daughters and never married. Now I find the same pattern in my own family! Best wishes Debbie