The first thing to do when anyone gives you conflicting information is to ask for the source of their information. Document proof is what you are aiming for. In this case both yours and your distant cousin's claims can be verified by obtaining the birth certificates of the relevant Charles/Charles Thomas. (Though I acknowledge that when you're dealing with twigs, it's not easy justifying the cost.) I would claim that your Charles is the one whose birth is registered in June quarter 1880, Spalding registration district. This district includes Pinchbeck where John, Lucy, other children and one-year old Charles are living in 1881. Charles Thomas is likely to be the one whose birth is registered June quarter 1881, Basford registration district. This would tie in very nicely with a Charles T Holmes (indexed on Ancestry as Charles J), aged one month, living in Bulwell in 1881, because Bulwell is in Basford registration district. Not sure why you can't find your Charles in the birth registration book. On FreeBMD, click on the 'specs' beside the entry, and then click 'view the original'. Ah, the reason you can't find it using Ancestry is because if you click on the 'index' link it says that his birth was registered in Mar quarter 1880 and shows you the image for that quarter. His birth was registered June quarter 1880. Pam Proud to be a member of Lincolnshire Family History Society http://www.lincolnshirefhs.co.uk/ On 12/02/2014 09:54, Peter HOLMES wrote: > G'day from Western Australia, > > Ardent followers of this list may remember that I have been researching the > above born to John Thomas HOLMES & Lucy (GILL), as in about 1894 he > travelled to South Africa and decided to stay after marrying Sarah Adelaide > MCCAULAY in 1907 - they had 7 children.(mainly females and some unmarried > sons and grandsons so the HOLMES name petered out!) > > My enquiry is: > > I believed from the English 1881 census that Charles was aged 1 year old and > birth search on Ancestry tells me a Charles was born in March 1880 on the > Spalding RD (although when I look for the original typed book list, he is > not there!) > > The 1891 census has him living with his mother's parents in East Keal, as an > 11 year old (= born in 1880). > > A distant cousin in SA has advised me this week Charles (with a previously > unknown 2nd name "Thomas") was born 1st March 1881. In view of the above, I > have my doubts about her suggestion and have pointed it out to her. > > He apparently died in May 1935 (in SA?). > > Can anyone throw light on my Charles' birth date etc., based on English or > Southern African records? > > Peter Holmes > > > > > > > ------------------------------- >

Pam's reply was very helpful in an unexpected area. I have used Free BMD for years and clicked on the specs, only to be disappointed that it seemed to produce no more info. What I now realise is that there was more to the page than showed on my screen - if I scrolled down. Also of help was the awareness that Charles' birth in March was not registered until the June quarter. I wonder how Ancestry will record that? Peter Holmes Western Australia. Skype ; p.g.holmes [HOLMES (Witham on the Hill, Manthorpe, Spalding, Pinchbeck, Donington then Leicestershire)]. [HOLMES to S. Africa as from mid 1890's]. [DAVISON (Spalding, Donington, Ingoldmells, Skegness)]. [CRAGG (Lincolnshire, Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire)] [FREER (Leicestershire)]. [RYLOTT & WITHERINGTON (Anwick, N & S Kyme, N & S Rauceby, Surfleet, Gosberton Clough etc., Spalding)] [RYLOTT (Ontario Canada & some in New York & Florida USA)] Villages are in Lincolnshire unless stated. PLUS 4 DUTCH surname lines - from Rotterdam area (in Dutch). -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Pam Downes Sent: Thursday, 13 February 2014 10:08 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LIN] Charles HOLMES b 1880 or 1881 Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire I would claim that your Charles is the one whose birth is registered in June quarter 1880, Spalding registration district. This district includes Pinchbeck where John, Lucy, other children and one-year old Charles are living in 1881. Not sure why you can't find your Charles in the birth registration book. On FreeBMD, click on the 'specs' beside the entry, and then click 'view the original'. Ah, the reason you can't find it using Ancestry is because if you click on the 'index' link it says that his birth was registered in Mar quarter 1880 and shows you the image for that quarter. His birth was registered June quarter 1880. Pam

I've already told you how Ancestry record it. Incorrectly. :) *The reason you can't find it using Ancestry is because if you click on the 'index' link it says that his birth was registered in Mar quarter 1880 and shows you the image for that quarter. His birth was registered June quarter 1880.* Everything they have says March quarter 1880, when FreeBMD has the correct quarter. And considering Ancestry take their index for 1837-1915 events from the FreeBMD index, I can't make out how they can make such a botch of things. Pam Proud to be a member of Lincolnshire Family History Society http://www.lincolnshirefhs.co.uk/ On 22/02/2014 09:10, Peter HOLMES wrote: > Pam's reply was very helpful in an unexpected area. > > I have used Free BMD for years and clicked on the specs, only to be > disappointed that it seemed to produce no more info. > > What I now realise is that there was more to the page than showed on my > screen - if I scrolled down. > > Also of help was the awareness that Charles' birth in March was not > registered until the June quarter. I wonder how Ancestry will record that? > > Peter Holmes > Western Australia. Skype ; p.g.holmes > [HOLMES (Witham on the Hill, Manthorpe, Spalding, Pinchbeck, Donington then > Leicestershire)]. [HOLMES to S. Africa as from mid 1890's]. [DAVISON > (Spalding, Donington, Ingoldmells, Skegness)]. [CRAGG (Lincolnshire, > Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire)] [FREER (Leicestershire)]. [RYLOTT & > WITHERINGTON (Anwick, N & S Kyme, N & S Rauceby, Surfleet, Gosberton Clough > etc., Spalding)] [RYLOTT (Ontario Canada & some in New York & Florida USA)] > Villages are in Lincolnshire unless stated. PLUS 4 DUTCH surname lines - > from Rotterdam area (in Dutch). > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Pam Downes > Sent: Thursday, 13 February 2014 10:08 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [LIN] Charles HOLMES b 1880 or 1881 Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire > > I would claim that your Charles is the one whose birth is registered in > June quarter 1880, Spalding registration district. This district > includes Pinchbeck where John, Lucy, other children and one-year old > Charles are living in 1881. > > Not sure why you can't find your Charles in the birth registration book. > On FreeBMD, click on the 'specs' beside the entry, and then click 'view > the original'. > > > Ah, the reason you can't find it using Ancestry is because if you click > on the 'index' link it says that his birth was registered in Mar quarter > 1880 and shows you the image for that quarter. His birth was registered > June quarter 1880. > > Pam > > > ------------------------------- > -- Proud to be a member of Lincolnshire Family History Society http://www.lincolnshirefhs.co.uk/