Theresa, I think your Goss family can be found by searching for Gorse. In the 1841 census a Thomas Gorse (40, keeper) can be found at Checkley, Staffordshire with his wife Sarah (40) and children Joseph (17), Charlotte (13, spelled Sharlot), William (10), Miram (7, spelled Myrom) and James (4). Charlotte, William, Miram and James were all baptised at Uttoxeter. In the 1851 census Thomas Gorse (53, from Mackworth, Derbyshire) and his wife Sarah (55, from Colton, Staffordshire) can be found at Norbury near Uttoxeter with Thomas shown as a gamekeeper. Sarah died in 1852 (see FreeBMD) and Thomas remarried in 1853 to Agnes Forrester. Thomas died in 1871. Thomas Gorse married Sarah Johnson on 4th September 1815 at Mackworth, Derbyshire. Two children to a Thomas and Sarah Gorse were baptised at Mackworth - Catherine in 1818 and Mary Ann in 1821. There was another son at Uttoxeter in 1840 - Samuel who died the same year. Thomas Gorse was born on 18th August 1797 and baptised on 27th August 1797 at Mackworth, Derbyshire and his parents were given as James Gorse and Sarah Ratclifff. Richard

Richard, Brilliant work. And heaps of perseverance. Would you mind letting us in on how you found it. I tried surname variants and occupation at Find My Past. And obviously Gos* at Ancestry wouldn't work for Gorse. We might all learn something. I'll bet in the end it was simple. Peter

Well spotted Richard! And to add to the information that Richard found for you, Theresa, are the following extracts from Norbury & Roston PR Transcripts, all at Norbury church: 21 July 1846 Sarah GORSE of Roston buried, aged 48 19 August 1870 Thomas GORSE of Norbury buried, aged 74 15 April 1895 Agnes GORSE als GOSS of Roston buried, aged 92 6 December 1904 Charlotte GOSS of Rocester buried, aged 76 18 April 1843 Catherine GORSE, full age, spinster, of Doveridge, father Thomas GORSE, Gamekeeper married Joseph HARRISON, full age, bachelor, Farmer, Roston, father Joseph HARRISON, Farmer, by licence. Witnesses: John CLARKE/Dinah HARRISON 26 July 1853 Thomas GORSE, full age, widower, Gamekeeper, Norbury, father deceased, married Agnes FORRESTER, full age, spinster, of Ellaston, father deceased, by licence. Witnesses: John CLARKE/Georgiana DUCKERS There is a death registration in the September qtr 1846 at Uttoxeter reg district for a Sarah GORSE but although the PR Transcript definitely states 1870 for the burial of Thomas GORSE, the death registration looks to be in the September qtr 1871 at Uttoxeter reg district so I would guess that the PR Transcription should read 1871 and is an error. Janet I think your Goss family can be found by searching for Gorse. In the 1841 census a Thomas Gorse (40, keeper) can be found at Checkley, Staffordshire with his wife Sarah (40) and children Joseph (17), Charlotte (13, spelled Sharlot), William (10), Miram (7, spelled Myrom) and James (4). Charlotte, William, Miram and James were all baptised at Uttoxeter. In the 1851 census Thomas Gorse (53, from Mackworth, Derbyshire) and his wife Sarah (55, from Colton, Staffordshire) can be found at Norbury near Uttoxeter with Thomas shown as a gamekeeper. Sarah died in 1852 (see FreeBMD) and Thomas remarried in 1853 to Agnes Forrester. Thomas died in 1871.