Dear Listers, At the suggestion of another lister (and at the risk of boring everyone to death), I am posting my father's family history in the hope that someone will recognise his father as a family member. I am completely stuck because I have so little information about him. I do not know where he was born or when he came to Birmingham to live. Anyway, here we go: My VALE and PETTITT (Petty) families are: My father was William Pettitt Vale. Born 13.7.1907 in Ladywood district. Living at 10 Brixham Rd., Rotton Park, Birmingham. Worked for Birmingham City Transport at Tyburn Road, Erdington. In Tyburn Road Home Guard during WWII. Married - Dorothy Edith Billing on 25th July, 1938 in Tatworth, Somerset. They moved to Olorenshaw Rd., Sheldon, Birmingham. He had a sister - Winifred Laura Vale Born 29.12.1903. Married Harold Page in 1930. Their parents (my grand parents) were: William Vale (born 1872/73) and Annie Elizabeth Pettit (Petty) (born 1874/75) Married on 29.12.1902 at St.James' Church, Handsworth, Staffordshire. Their ages on the marriage certificate were 29 and 27 respectively. They both died in 1944, she in Birmingham where they both lived and he in Leicester just after Annie. He was a storekeeper in 1902, but went on to be a gas meter reader later. One of the witnesses at the wedding was Nellie Pettit, Annie's sister. Now have death certificates for both grandparents. First Great Grandfather's Family William's father (my g.grandfather) was another William who was a Cabinet Maker on the marriage certificate in 1902. He lived at 31 New Summer St., Birmingham. (I presumed this was the address as it was on my grandparents' marriage certificate as the address of the groom, although this address was that of the Pettit's on the various censuses.). He may not have been born in Birmingham but in Bengeworth in Worcestershire as this seems to tie up with a family there who were carpenters and joiners in the 1881 census. My grandfather was aged seven then, born in 1872/73 at Evesham. This family is on the 1881 Census and, if this William is my g.grandfather, he was 56 then, his wife Anne being 47. However, this is only supposition at the moment. Second Great Grandfather's Family Annie's father was Phillip Henry Pettit (Petty) (born 1846/47) who was a Caretaker in 1902 but a Furniture Porter in the 1881 Census. He lived at 5 Belle Vue Terrace, Brewery St., Birmingham. (See below). Phillip Henry Pettit and his wife are in the 1881 Census. She was also named Annie Elizabeth (born 1849/50) and they had another daughter called Emily *(born 1877/78), three years younger than my grandmother, Annie. Also a daughter, Nellie (Ellen) * (born 1883/84). They all lived at 460 Park Road, Birmingham. Phillip was born in Birmingham and his wife and children in Handsworth, Stafford. They also had a lodger, James Daniels, a Glass Blower aged 32 in the Census. I have since found that they had a name change from Petty to Pettit with details as follows: PETTY - PHILIP HENRY S/O Charles & Mary born 14th Jun 1845 baptised 24 Jul 1845 At St Philip's Church (now the Cathedral) Birmingham PETTY - Charles married Mary Grinrod 28th Dec 1829 St Bartholomew Edgbaston (then in WOR now part of B'ham) GRO INDEX - PETTY - PHILIP HENRY married Jun Qtr 1873 Registration District West Bromwich Cert' number 6b 1036 Bride - Annie Elizabeth Cottrell PETTY - ANNIE ELIZABETH birth March Qtr 1875 West Bromwich District Cert number 6b 764 (West Bromwich is the Registration District for Handsworth) COTTERELL - ANNIE ELIZABETH bap 25th Feb 1849 at St James Handsworth dau'of Charles & Ann The 1891 Census shows the Pettit family as follows: 31 New Summer St., Birmingham - Sherbourne Works - a Chandelier Manufactory PHILLIP H PETTIT Head M 45 Stationary Engine Driver Born-Birmingham Annie Pettit Wife M 41 Caretaker of Works Born - Handsworth Annie E Pettit Dau Sgle 16 General Servant Born-Handsworth Emily Pettit Dau 13 Scholar Born - Birmingham Nellie Pettit Dau 8 Scholar Born - Birmingham The 1901 Census shows the PETTIT family as follows: 31 New Summer Street (Radcliffe House), Birmingham. (This is also the address of William Vale on the marriage certificate in 1902) PETTIT Philip Head M 55 Engine Driver Born - Birmingham PETTIT Ann E Wife M 52 Born - Handsworth PETTIT Ann E Dau S 26 Born - Handsworth (my grandmother) PETTIT Nellie Dau S 18 Born - 1883/84 - Birmingham MARGETTS Emily M Dau M 23 Born - Birmingham MARGETTS James J Son in Law 23 Born - Birmingham * Emily married James Thomas Margetts (a bricklayer)on 29th September, 1900 at St. James' Church, Handsworth, Birmingham. They lived at 93 Hingeston St., Brookfields. They had at least two children - Phyllis Millie - born 18.3.1902 and Hilda Ann - b. 15.7.1909. James served in WW1 in the Royal Engineers, Service No. 241821. James' parents - James and Mary Ann, lived at 95 Clark St., Ladywood. He died in 1930 and she in 1935. Nellie married William Steed about 1906 in Birmingham and died in1968. Sorry everybody that this is so longwinded but I am hoping for a breakthrough at last!!! Margaret from Hampshire