Good evening, For the past couple of decades I have been frustrated in not being able to trace one of my maternal lines back. My great-grandmother was a Jane FENN (1880-1970) - one of twenty children to John Fenn (1854-1940) and Jane Hewitt (1858-1920) - married 4Jul1875. I have John for sure in the English census images from 1871 to 1911, it being the 1911 census that states that John and Jane had twenty children of which seven had died. I have the baptisms, BMD and census for most of the children - they are not the problem. It is John's parents that are killing me. The 1871 census gives his parents as Thomas and Elizabeth FENN. In 1861, I think I have John living with his Aunt and Uncle - Christmas and Mary Anne Loveday. 1861: RG09/1242 f108 p04 1871: RG10/0654 f706 p38 1881: RG11/0654 f050 p07 1891: RG12/0427 f011 p15 1901: RG13/0445 f070 p43 1911: RG14/2251 RD26 ED01 SN40 John's birth is recorded variously as Leeds (1861), Sheffield (1881, 1891, 1901, 1911) or just Yorkshire (1871) - so the odds are in favour of Sheffield. In his marriage records, John's father is Thomas FENN (labourer). The 1871 census shows his parents as Thomas and Elizabeth (Ancestry shows the surname as Fein - and I can see why - as there is a . above what looks like the i). My main problem is that, other than 1871, I can't find Thomas (b 1831, Yorkshire) and Elizabeth (b 1829, Huntingdonshire). Someone (Ancestry family tree) has found a possible marriage with Elizabeth Andrews (York 23 667, Jun 1846). The mists are because of another Thomas FENN married to an Elizabeth - this one being born in Staffordshire. Any advice and guidance would be VERY welcomed. It is one of the few personal lines I've not been able to drive back into the 18th Century. [By the way - I see John was in the railways - as were most of his brothers.] Regards Chris