I have an elusive great great grandmother, Jane Wilson, born about 1846. The first definite documentation I have is her marriage to Martin Beston in Sunderland in 1868. She was able to sign her name. Her father is listed as Joseph Wilson, a wool sorter. I have found Jane and Martin in the 1871 census in Mexborough. Jane gave her place of birth as Bingley. 2 daughters were born in Mexborough in 1872 and 1874. Before 1881 Jane had died and Martin moved back to co. Durham. The 2 girls are living in Manningham in 1881 with Joseph Lister (born 14 August 1838, father Joseph) and his wife Ann (born 15 August 1839, surname unknown). Joseph was a woolstapler and the family later moved to Burley in Wharfedale. The Listers were relatives of Jane Wilson and the 2 girls regarded them as their parents. It seems possible that Mrs Ann Lister was Jane Wilson's aunt, so finding a marriage or her maiden name might help my search. I have looked in the 1851 census and Jane is not in Bingley area. There is a Jane of the right age in Bradford with father Joseph but the whole family were born in Halifax. There are numerous Jane Wilson birth registrations in the GRO index, including many in Bradford area but none of the ones I enquired about had a father named Joseph. I have been unable to find a death registration for Jane Beston, but I may have missed it or her name may have been mis-spelt (I did look for the most usual variations but some of the films are very faint). I think that the death would have to be registered in the 1870's but it would not have been compulsory to register the birth in 1846. Perhaps she was wrong about her place of birth or the census enumerator wrote it incorrectly. Perhaps the family had left Bradford before 1851. I have been stuck with Jane Wilson for 3 years and may never find anything else, but if anyone has any suggestions on how I can proceed, or if a Lister researcher has knowledge of Joseph and Ann, I would be pleased to hear. Best wishes, Gillian