Dear all - I have a bit of a conundrum. My great great great grandfather, Patrick Smith probably came from Kells in County Meath, arriving in Liverpool some time between 1841 and 1851 (no surprise there then!). There is a Patrick Smith in the 1851 census, aged 48, living with his wife Bridget and their family. He is a labourer in the chemical works, as is his son Lawrence (my great great grandfather, if it is he), aged 17. This just about fits in with the ages - and certainly the links to the chemical works! Still in Tillery Street in 1861. By 1870 - when Patrick dies of 'apoplexy', he and Bridget were living next door to Laurence and Elizabeth (nee RYAN) in Latimer Street (46 and 48). In 1871, Bridget is living at the address given on Patrick's death certificate. She states that her husband is `away at sea`. However, we know he is dead and buried by then! I wonder... Why would she say he was away at sea when he clearly wasn't? I was pretty confident that the Bridget Smith in the 1871 census was the right one - because she was next to Laurence and Elizabeth, and the daughter Mary who was living with her was the right sort of age (not an unusual name, though - Mary SMITH!). However I knew from burial records that Patrick had died some months previously. When I received the death certificate yesterday, and the addresses were the same, this confirmed it. I was wondering if she might have been claiming some kind of relief; however, the family were sufficiently well off to have a family plot for which Laurence paid where Patrick is buried, as are Bridget, Mary and her husband and Laurence himself. Anyone any ideas? Fingers crossed Rachel