There are many marriages at Bradford parish church during the 1850s witnessed by the same William HOLMES, including some of my BOTTOMLEYs. From the 1851 census, it would seem he was the Parish Clerk. Until I found this out, I had been thinking he was a relative of Martha HOLMES who had married John BOTTOMLEY in Halifax. Now I realise there's no connection. Are the names of Parish Clerks recorded anywhere? In particular, was a John THOMAS Parish Clerk at Halifax parish church in 1844? Howard Geddes