Hello, I would be grateful for any ideas on how to confirm that this is my lost relation. I have a "Bastardy Bond" for a presumed illegitimate son of one of my HOPPS ancestors. This child, Thomas TUNSTALL, was the son of Ann TUNSTALL and Francis HOPPS, was born 1802, and raised in the workhouse at Hurworth on Tees, DUR. At the age of 12 he was apprenticed to a cartwright at Middleton St George. After then I have lost him. There is no burial in the 1813-39 DUR index, and no marriage in DUR for those years either. A Thomas TUNSTALL turns up in Northallerton YKS,in the 1820's, married to Isabella, and has a family as follows: GEORGE TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 11 OCT 1829 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England MARY ANN TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 27 MAY 1832 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England REBECCA TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 07 DEC 1834 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England ELIZABETH TONSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 20 AUG 1837 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England THOMAS TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 27 MAR 1842 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England ISABELLA TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 12 OCT 1845 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England WILLIAM HENRY TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 01 FEB 1848 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England MARIA JANE TUNSTALL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 18 MAR 1850 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England HARRIET TUNSTAL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 07 MAY 1854 Northallerton, Yorkshire, England In 1834 he is a "machine maker", according to Pigot's directory. I am assuming agricultural equipment of some sort at this date. In the 1851 census this Thomas is of the right age to be mine, and states he was born in Darlington. On the Apprenticeship record of 1814, my Thomas's mother, Ann TUNSTALL is noted as living in Darlington. There is no baptism in Darlington St Cuthberts for a Thomas TUNSTALL.... so, do you think on balance of probabilities that the Thomas living in Northallerton is likely to be my stray from the workhouse? I would also be very pleased to hear from anyone researching any of the above people. Regards, -- Helen Oram