G'day Listers, I have made use of the free trial of Ancestry.com and found a few family members that have been eluding me for a number of years. I have now hit a problem: I have found Caroline SURMAN RG10; Piece 3049; Folio 7; Page 7 she is aged 53 a widow. Residing with her are Caroline BEACH (servant), Henry BIRT (nephew), John HUNT (servant)and Jane SMITH (servant). Under the house number of 30 is written Lamb & Flag. Here is where the problem starts, when I looked back at the 1861 Census I can not find this family. Caroline was married to Thomas Surman. I was told he was an Innkeeper for a few years at the same mentioned Inn. In the house next door at number 31 in 1871 there is a family belonging to Matilda S Surman, also a widow. Is the name Surman a common name for this time and area? Thanking you all for your time. Melissa in Australia.

Thomas was born 1795 in Inkberrow Worcestershire the son of Thomas (a Baker) + ElizabethSURMAN (nee PAYTON) He Served in the 14th Dragoons 1813 until 1835 when he was discharged a Chelsea Out-Pensioner He married Caroline BIRCH of Solihull in 1836, they had no children and kept the Lamb and Flag in the Tything in Worcester where his widow continued until she died in 1880 aged 64 What Thomas did during his time in the Cavalry I have not researched but I know he was married and presumably had children but it would be necessary to look in the War Office archives at the National Archives in Kew for the records of the 14th Dragoons I have never been able to find out why he died in Bideford in Devon inn 1872 aged 77? His sisters were Bakers and ran a Bakery next door in the Tything Matilda was the widow of his brother James who was born in 1807 and died in 1869 There was a large family in Worcester all related and descended from William who lived in Eldersfield in 1460, my ancestor also Surman Street is virtually opposite behind Kays the Mail Order Company, now converted into flats John S Sermon Chairman of the S*rm*n Family History Society -- John Sermon NDD FCSD general consultant designer 24 Monks Walk, EVESHAM, Worcestershire WR11 4SL (0)1386 49 967 07702 440 891 design@johnsermon.demon.co.uk www.johnsermon.demon.co.uk