Hi All, It has been a while since I last asked for help and I am hoping that someone can shed some light on my problem. I apologise for the long email, but I hope it all makes sense as you read through it. I am researching William Williams (my grandfather) and Edward Williams (my great grandfather), both born in Manchester, England, and in the past some of you have given me helpful information, but with that information plus information I already had I am now quite confused. The scenario is as follows: Edward Williams - I am unable to find a birth certificate for him, but the 1881 Census indicates his DOB as approx 1839. His Marriage and Death Certificates indicate DOB approx 1832. He married Hannah Hayes in Manchester on 18th January 1857 aged 25. On his Death Certificate his parents are 'unknown'. On the 1881 English Census Edward is 42, Hannah is 38 and they have 4 children - George H aged 21, Edward P aged 17, William aged 7 & Emily aged 4 This is where it becomes 'weird'. I have been working from the following documents: The 1881 Census, handwritten notes from Hannah, Edward & Hannah's Marriage & Death Certificates and Ship Records (they came to Australia on the 'Dacca' on 26th July 1887), William's Marriage Certificate and Emily's Marriage Certificate. >From all of these documents the ages of George H (Henry) and Edward P (Percival) all correspond to the appropriate years, that is George Henry was born 1859-1860 and Edward Percival was born 1863-1864. Neither of them ever married. But the ages of William and Emily vary from one document to another, eg..... 1881 Census - William's DOB approx 1874 Ship Records - William's DOB approx 1874 Handwritten notes from Hannah - William's DOB approx 1879 Edward's Death Certificate - William's DOB approx 1879 Hannah's Death Certificate - William's DOB approx 1874 William's Marriage Certificate - indicates his DOB approx 1879 William's Death Certificate - indicates his approx DOB as 1877 1881 Census - Emily's DOB approx 1877 Ship Records - Emily's DOB approx 1879 Handwritten notes from Hannah - Emily's DOB approx 1883 Edward's Death Certificate - Emily's DOB approx 1882 Hannah's Death Certificate - Emily's DOB approx 1878 Emily's Marriage Certificate - indicates her DOB approx 1884 Emily's Death Certificate - indicates her approx DOB as 1884 My confusion begins with the fact that Emily appears on the 1881 Census as aged 4, yet her Death Certificate and Marriage Certificate indicates she wasn't born until 1884, and her mother's notes indicate she was born in 1883 etc..... It is similar for William - he appears on the 1881 Census as aged 7 which indicates he was born approx 1874, yet his Marriage Certificate indicates he was born approx 1879 and his Death Certificate indicates he was born approx 1877????? So to cut a long story short: I have William as being born in - 1874, 1877 & 1879 I have Emily as being born in - 1877, 1878, 1879, 1882, 1883, & 1884 My dilema is that I don't know what to believe and I am going crazy. It is also making it impossible to find Birth Certificates for both William and Emily. Can anyone PLEASE help with suggestions ????? I would be most grateful :) :) :) Thanks in advance Debbie