These things happen when the people are registering the death of someone and never knew the deceased parents so names can get all mixed up. I have found this when the mothers name was Marion and it is registered as Mary. His second wife so I would imagine she never knew his mother. I have in my family a father registering his first born and I can just imagine someone saying to him "Mother's name" and he registered the child with HIS mother's name! Hope this helps. Regards Eleanor -----Original Message----- From: Kylie [mailto:wencheh@optusnet.com.au] Sent: 23 March 2005 21:44 To: MIDLOTHIAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [MLN] Clutching at straws I'm starting to think its time to throw a tanty! I thought that maybe I could get more clues to finding my William Noble's (Pilot in Leith) death by finding his wife's death certificate. Her name is Janet Edmonstone and on their marriage certificate it said daughter of John Edmonstone (Porter in Leith) so following that I found that she was born approx 1806. I found a certificate that has a Janet Noble, widow of James Noble, Pilot. She lived in Yardheads, Leith (which is the last area I can find my Janet residing in) and her father is listed as James Edmonstone. The age at death and the year would make her born in 1801 and to a different set of parents. The informant is listed as nephew and is the son of another of James Edmonstone's daughters. I have looked up marriages and cannot find a Janet Edmonstone married to a James Noble. It is SO so close with all the information but if I took it as gospel its not her. Can I assume that they got her fathers name wrong on her marriage certificate and her husbands wrong on her death certificate? There are no Johns in the family until Janet and Williams son Alexander had a son but John Logan Noble is named after Alexander's wifes family. I am stumped on both William AND Janets deaths. To top it off Scotlands People doesnt have death records before 1855, I suppose I will have to bite the bullet and pay a fee to the GRO for them to search for it. If anyone would like to impart genealogical wisdom on this I would be oh so grateful. Pulling my hair out, Kylie