Hi all, This is a bit of a long shot - and a bit complicated so please bear with me. My ggrandmother was Alice Terry b1863 who married William Pratt. In 1891 they are living at 20 Conway St, Hove with children John 8, William 6 and Florence 4. In 1901 Alice Pratt is a boarder at 23 Suffolk St, Hove. She is boarding with Henry Colbourne 49, Charlie Colbourne 16, Charlie Baker 44 (also a boarder), and her children John 18, William 16, Florence 14, Percy 11 and Herbert 8 (actually Hubert). She is described as married as is Henry. I have also traced Henry's family - he married Ellen Bridger and was with her in 1891. My grandmother was born in November 1902 - although she was always unsure of her actual year of birth. It wasn't until my mum and I started looking into the family that we noticed that my grandmother was christened Dorothy Victoria Colbourne Pratt. This got us thinking and the more we have looked into it the more we are convinced that she was the illegitimate daughter of Henry. Henry died 11/04/1902 at 23 Suffolk St and Alice was the informant. We cannot find a positive death for William Pratt - nor find him in 1901. We also cannot yet find Ellen Colbourne in 1901 although we know she was still alive. What I have found is the military records of one Harry Colbourne b1882 who was one of Henry and Ellen's children. When he signed up aged nearly 19 he gave his name as Harry Randall. In 1901 there is a sworn affadavit from him to say that this was a mistake and that his real name was Harry Colbourne as indicated by his birth cert - he had obviously been asked to produce it for some reason, possibly because he was about to marry. All of his other records confirm that he was indeed the son of Henry and Ellen. If anyone is still with me <g>, the questions I now have are: Why did Harry call himself Randall? I assume that he wanted to distance himself from his father but why Randall? I cannot find that his mother remarried. Where was Ellen in 1901? Where was William Pratt in 1901 - or when did he die? I hope that someone can solve this little mystery for me. We will never be certain that Henry is my ggrandfather but the circumstantial evidence is growing! BTW - Colbourne is spelt many different ways but I have just stuck to the most commonly occurring one here. many thanks in advance, Anne _________________________________________________________________ Telly addicts unite! http://www.searchgamesbox.com/tvtown.shtml