Hi, I am researching a Martindale family. I'm trying to help another person and these are my notes to her... I am trying to verify some information but find that the data I need isn't on the birth index...why use bmds when the needed data isn't there?? Not sure I'm reading BMDs correctly... Nelda found: 1891 England Census about Catherine Martindale Age: 3 Estimated birth year: abt 1888 Relation: Daughter Father's Name: John b. 1850 ish, Liverpool Mother's Name: Mary A b. 1863 ish, Liverpool Gender: Female Where born: Liverpool Civil parish: Liverpool Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch Town: Liverpool County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Registration district: Liverpool Sub-registration district: Islington ED, institution, or vessel: 10 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age John Martindale 41 father- b 1850, Liverpool Mary A Martindale 28 mother - abt 1863, Liverpool Matthew Martindale 20 brother - abt 1871, Liverpool Peter Martindale 16 brother - abt 1875, Liverpool Mary E Martindale 14 sister - abt 1877, Liverpool Elizabeth Martindale 10 sister - abt 1881, Liverpool John Martindale 8 brother - abt 1883, Liverpool Thomas Martindale 6 brother - abt 1885, Liverpool Catherine Martindale 3 her - abt 1888, Liverpool Edward Martindale 1 brother - abt 1890, Liverpool ~~~~~~~~~~ now your next step is to look at the oldest child, Matthew Martindale 20 brother, but Mary A. is only 28, so this tells you she isn't Matthew, Peter, Mary's or Elizabeth's mother.. she is possibly John's, Thomas's Catherine's, and Edward's. We need a marriage record. ~~~~~~~~~~ So we look for the next census, 1881: 1881 England Census about John Martindale Name: John Martindale Age: 31 Estimated birth year: abt 1850 Relation: Head Gender: Male Where born: Liverpool, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Liverpool County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street Address: 2 Clayton Street Condition as to marriage: Widow Education: Employment status: View image Occupation: Fisherman Registration district: Liverpool Sub-registration district: Islington ED, institution, or vessel: 14 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age John Martindale 31 NO WIFE - Matthew Martindale 9 - Child of first wife b. about 1872 Peter Martindale 5 - Child of first wife b. about 1876 Mary Ellen Martindale 3 - Child of first wife Elizabeth Martindale no age showing - Child of first wife >>>>>> Mary Ann Ghent 17 Mary Ann Ghent is probably a house servant hired to help with the children/ after birth of Elizabeth and death of first wife... need next census. Occupation shows as servant. Note: Looking at the oldest child Matthew age 9 in 1881 census, indicates his marriage was possibly 1872 or before. Using my own judgement, I believe this is your man: 1871 England Census about John Martindale Name: John Martindale Age: 21 Estimated birth year: abt 1850 Relation: Lodger Gender: Male Where born: Thatto Heath, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Skelmersdale Ecclesiastical parish: St Paul County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Lathom ED, institution, or vessel: 7 Household schedule number: 101 Household Members: Name Age William Martindale 31 Henry Martindale 5 Elizabeth Martindale 3 John Martindale 21 YOUR MAN Now not proven, but very likely, John and William are brothers. So in the next census we look for John and William being children pof the same father?? Hopefully. 1861 England Census about John Martindale Name: John Martindale Age: 11 Estimated birth year: abt 1850 Relation: Brother-in-law Gender: Male Where born: Eccleston, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Eccleston Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Registration district: Prescot Sub-registration district: Prescot ED, institution, or vessel: 12 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 25 Household Members: Name Age Henry Lawrenson 28 Elizabeth Lawrenson 30 John Martindale 11 Here it lists a John as brother-in-law, so Elizabeth is his sister, Remember...He named a daughter Elizabeth... Now lets try to find William....he would be between 21 - 17 ish?? he in the 1871census was 31 and a widow, with children, so back up 10+ yrs for estimate age. Now, with John Living with a Brother-in-law that indicates a problem with the parents.. So? 1861 England Census about William Martindale Name: William Martindale Age: 19 Estimated birth year: abt 1842 Relation: Son Mother's Name: Margaret Gender: Male Where born: Ormskirk, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Ormskirk Town: Ormskirk County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Ormskirk ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 56 Household Members: Name Age Margaret Martindale 59 b. 1802 - Bickerstaffe, Lancashire, England - not listed as a widow, but no husband listed.. Looking at actual film - it still does not indicate she is a widow. Mary Martindale 25 Ann Martindale 21 Eccleston, Lancashire, England William Martindale 19 George C Fidge 17 ~~~ ################################################## England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915 about Jane Martindale Name: Jane Martindale Estimated birth year: abt 1846 Year of Registration: 1881 Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun Age at Death: 35 District: Liverpool (1837-1934) County: Lancashire Volume: 8b Page: 107 (click to see others on page) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~