Hi Anne, The more we look at this, the more complex it becomes! Lets look at the evidence so far;- 1. I think there is a strong chance that the James Hulme, living with the Brindles in 1841 and 1851 is 'my' James, partly because we find 'my' James and his family living ~ next door to the Brindles again in 1871 2. Based on your study of the Bolton Baptisms, the only likely James birth is the christening of the child of Ann Hulme in Jan 1830. There is no other likely James born in Bolton anywhen in the 1830s 3. There is the interesting 'coincidence' of the Thomas Hulme (born Chorley) and his wife living two doors from the Brindles when James is with them 4. Assuming for a moment that the James at the Brindles is the right one and he's the son of Ann Hulme, that doesn't mean he's the son of the Dawson Lane Ann, though he could be. 5. Looking at Thomas Hulme, there's a baptism in Chorley on 1st October 1815 that could be him, parents are William and Catherine Holme. 6. William and Catherine seem to have a daughter, Mary Ann Holmes baptised Chorley 12 Dec 1813 and then have two other children Henry and James baptised at St. Peter's, Bolton on 24 October 1819 (both on the same day) 7. BMD shows the death of an Ann Hulme in Bolton in the December quarter of 1840 Now lots of bits of supposition and loose thoughts that aren't grounded yet;- * Maybe James at the Brindles is the illegitimate son of Mary Ann, sister of their neighbour, Thomas? * Maybe there is a Ann Hulme who died in 1840 and her son is with the Brindles? * Maybe both of the above are the same person? At the end of the day, I'm reluctant to give up on the Brindle's James Hulme yet, but I'd be a LOT happier if I could link an Ann Hulme to them somehow. I'll keep kicking over the trail and see what I can find, at some level there MUST be an explanation as to why there is a James Hulme living with the Brindles in 1841 and 1851, whether or not it's 'my' James Cheers, Pete Hulme