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  1. #1
    whymeonlyme
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    Default James Christy or Christie bap 25 Mar 1804

    This one has me wondering whether I have placed his mother correctly. I currently show in my tree that James' mother Susannah Christie married James Hammond two years after his illigetimate birth (from above bap in Albury, Hertfordshire, England), but then I find a second baptism record in the name of James Hammond in Manuden, Essex on 26 Jul 1807.

    Why would he then go back to the name Christy as a surname in his marriage to Sarah Tharby on 6 Nov 1830 in Manuden, Essex?

    I am thinking I have the wrong mother. Any thoughts anyone?

  2. #2
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    This sort of scenario isn't as unusual as you might think. People were as confused then as they are now about "real" or "legal" surnames. So you can find that people who have quite happily used the stepfather's surname throughout their childhood, felt the need to revert to their birth name on marriage to make sure that it was all legal.

    If everything else ties up and supports your findings. my feeling is that you're OK and have the right mother

    Out of interest, did he continue to use the Christie surname? I have someone in my tree, also illegitimate, who used one surname in census returns and and another for registering his children's births.

  3. #3
    Coromandel
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    Is he the James Christy, publican, on the 1841 census in Rye Street, Bishops Stortford?

    James Christy, 35, publican, y
    Martha do, 35, y
    Eleanor do, 9, y
    Emily do, 7, y
    Henry do, 5, y

    HO 107/434, book 1, f.30, p.10

    If so it looks as if he has remarried by then. There is a likely marriage for him and Martha in 1840 at Bishops Stortford St Michael; FamilySearch shows the ages (both James and Martha were 36) but not marital status. You should be able to get a marriage certificate for this marriage or a copy of the entry from the parish register. If James was illegitimate, the certificate/register probably won't tell you anything about his father. However, the names of witnesses may be interesting.

    Ten years later James and Martha were still in Rye Street (HO 107/1706, f.373, p.10). His birthplace is shown as Albury, Herts, which fits with the baptism you found.

    Regarding the James Hammond baptised at Manuden on 26 July 1807, FamilySearch shows him as the son of John and Susannah (not James and Susannah), according to FamilySearch. If you haven't already done so I would recommend checking the original parish register to see what it says. Also, if he is a different person from your James Christie, you should be able to track him separately: is there a burial for him, perhaps? Or can you find him somewhere else on censuses?

  4. #4
    whymeonlyme
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coromandel View Post
    Is he the James Christy, publican, on the 1841 census in Rye Street, Bishops Stortford?
    Yes thanks, spot on. Also well spotted with the John, not James Hammond on the baptism record - its funny how your mind can read what you want it to read sometimes isn't it?!? I believe he was previously married to Sarah Tharby 6 Nov 1830, with whom he had the three children who appear in the 1840 census with him and his second wife. I have ordered James' marriage certificate to Martha in 1840, you never know I might get lucky with info from that. Otherwise I'm still stuck...

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