Hi Folks, In several censuses a Thomas HANDS appears with his wife Sarah in Worcester. (FreeBMD June quarter 1879 to Sarah Ann BALL.) In the 1881,1891 and 1901 his birth is suggested as 1852/53. In the 1871 in Claines there was a single Thomas, in the Militia, birth suggested as 1850. All the census data says he was born in Bromsgrove. But there was no birth of a Thomas between 1851/53 - FreeBMD & Ancestry. I think he was Thomas HANDS, born to Joseph HANDS and Ann BROWN in the September quarter of 1849. Why the change of birth date I have no idea. Please does anyone have Worcester Church Records of the marriage for 1879? I'm after Thomas father, so I can evidentially link him in to my 700 years of HANDS'. Kind regards Mike

Hi Mike, > Why the change of birth date I have no idea. It isn't *only* women who lie about their age you know :-) [Was it Jack Benny who remained 39 for something over 40 years?] The decennial click-overs of the Age Mileometer are perhaps more worrying to Younger Men, but each one can seem to mark a Significant Shift in relation to "how many years have I got left?" or the terrifying thought of becoming "middle-aged"... BUT - have you seen his birth certificate to be able to say his parents were Joseph HANDS and Ann BROWN? I ask, because in the 1851 his mother was 'absent', while he, his father, and 2 older sisters were all paupers in Bromsgrove Workhouse. Granted his father was then reported to be married as opposed to being a widower - but there's the death of an Ann HANDS registered in Bromsgrove District in 1850 Jun Q [18 186]... There *is* a marriage at Bromsgrove on IGI - but it's not an extraction - for Joseph HANDS and Ann BROWN on 15 May 1837. [The precise month and date are at least encouraging.] But as far as Tom's marriage is concerned, all I can say is that it wasn't in St Clement where they were recorded - in The Pinch - in the following 3 Censuses. Worcester District had many churches and chapels, and unless somebody in GOONS has done a 'Marriage Challenge' your chances of finding it for free seem to be minimal... As Katherine posted, you really have little choice other than to - Grrr - Buy the Cert... Gus ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike YEGWART" <mike.yegwart@btinternet.com> To: "Worcester" <ENG-WORCESTER@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 11:33 AM Subject: [WOR] Marriage details for Worcester, please > Hi Folks, > > In several censuses a Thomas HANDS appears with his wife Sarah in > Worcester. (FreeBMD June quarter 1879 to Sarah Ann BALL.) In the > 1881,1891 and 1901 his birth is suggested as 1852/53. In the 1871 in > Claines there was a single Thomas, in the Militia, birth suggested as > 1850. All the census data says he was born in Bromsgrove. > > But there was no birth of a Thomas between 1851/53 - FreeBMD & Ancestry. > > I think he was Thomas HANDS, born to Joseph HANDS and Ann BROWN in the > September quarter of 1849. > > Please does anyone have Worcester Church Records of the marriage for > 1879? I'm after Thomas father, so I can evidentially link him in to my > 700 years of HANDS'. > > > Kind regards > > Mike > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ENG-WORCESTER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message