Hi all, I am new to this list but have been looking for information on my ancestor George Bessant of Eling for almost 30 years. Geoge Bessant was born between 1820 and 1825 at Eling, Hampshire, depending on the census and other sources of information. His marriage in 1856 to Catherine Wiley at Binstead, Isle of Wight states that his father is (or was) Charles Bessant a yeoman. on the 1841 and 1851 census of Eling a George Bessant can be found that loosely fits the criteria for George's birth. However, in both cases he is not with his family. 1851 pooks green, Eling census shows Thomas Mansbridge head married 26 ag lab. born Eling Emma " wife married 23 Eling Emily " dau 3 scholar Eling Emma Matilda " dau 1 Eling George Bessant lodger 28 ag lab Eling In 1871 at Ryde, Isle of Wight shows: George Bessant Head mar 46 domestic Hants Kate wife mar 32 Queens Co. Ireland Kate dau 13 Hants John son 12 Blacksmith Hants Thomas son 10 scholar Hants Emily dau 8 Hants George son 5 Hants Elizabeth dau 6 Hants Frances dau 4 Hants Esther dau 1 Hants In 1881 George is no longer with the family. Dead or away isn't known. His son Thomas also is not on this census. Not known if he's dead or left the country. I would appreciate any information about George that would lead to the discovery of his parents. I am also attempting to locate living relatives of this family. I am in touch with cousins through his daughter Kate who married a Cass and has living descendants on the Isle of wight and the mainland. I would like to find out what happened to Thomas. No information at all. George son of George is found on the 1891 census at Southampton aged 25 occupation mariner serv. RNR and is with his sister Elizabeth's family Southampton 1891 census 2 Terminus Ter London Spirit Store. T F Mason head 37 licensed victualler pub Southampton Elizabeth wife 28 Ryde, Isle of Wight Frederick 15 errand boy Southampton Harry 12 Southampton Arthur 10 Southampton Alfred J 5 Southampton Ernest 4 Southampton Gertrude A. 2 Southampton Augustus F. 6m Southampton George Bessant brother in law 25 mariner serv. RNR Ryde No further information is known about George born 1865 John Bessant was married at Portsmouth and had one son who lived. He eventually moved to Bournemouth at 53 Gladstone and his son John also appears to have married but, it's not known if there were any children or what happened to this John Bessant beyond 1940. The other two daughters esther and emily both married and had children. Esther married James Thorne and Emily married William Phillips. They continued to live on the Isle of Wight. The Thornes lived in the Chale area and their children appear to have not married and had children. It's not known about the Phillips children. Elizabeth married Thomas francis Mason at Southampton in 1884. So Frederick, Harry and Arthur Mason do not share the Bessant ancestry. I would like to hear from anyone descended from these families or appreciate any information about them. One possibility I am considering persuing is using DNA to find a connection between my Bessants and the Bessants of Eling. In order to do this I would need to find a living male Bessant from my family. Regards, Rick Marion Milton, Ont.