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Jillianiris
17-09-2005, 9:19 PM
Does anyone know of this surname? In my tree I have a marriage at Pyrton in 1797 between James Tagg of Bisham Berks and Lydia Snowhouse, place of birth given as Britwell Salome, c 1777. I can find no record of her birth and no others of that surname wherever I look. I've tried various creative spellings and German translations but to no avail.
Can anyone help please?
Jill

Peter Goodey
18-09-2005, 9:51 AM
I assume you must have seen my reply to your message on the Berkshire board, although you haven't acknowledged it.

You have misinterpreted what I said. Being shown as "of Britwell Salome" in a marriage entry does not imply that she was necessarily born there, simply that that was where she had been living immediately before the marriage. You said you had other evidence to suggest that she was born in Reading. It is quite possible for her to have been born in Reading and to have been living in Britwell Salome 20-odd years later.

You say "wherever I look" but where have you looked? If you've been looking at the IGI, forget it - it doesn't cover Oxfordshire. You need to start looking at some actual parish registers. If you no idea how to go about that, just shout and we'll suggest something.

Jillianiris
18-09-2005, 10:04 PM
You're right in that I'm not sure how to access parish registers. I have managed to do so for another line in my tree, in a different part of the country, but it's a bit hit and miss. I know of 2 others who have been researching Lydia for a while and got no more details than I have.
That line seems to have been submitted to IGI by members of LDS, with their names and addresses given. Does that mean they're inviting correspondence, do you know?
You asked where I'd looked. Well, in particular I was looking for the surname Snowhouse to see if it still exists anywhere. So I looked on the census, in ancestry and british-genealogy.com; in phone books, google, the other census info that the LDS site gives, and anything else that came to me at the time. I found no-one else of that name. It was on genesreunited that I came across the two other descendants of Lydia and Britwell Salome, though IGI gives Reading as place of birth.
I only found Lydia 2 days ago but am thoroughly 'hooked' on finding out more about her. Thanks for your helpful suggestions.
Jill

Peter Goodey
18-09-2005, 11:08 PM
"IGI gives Reading as place of birth."

You've got me really puzzled now. I can only see the one entry in the IGI and that doesn't seem to mention Reading. As I mentioned in the Berks forum, that entry is from a published index. I don't see SNOWHOUSE anywhere else - not even a patron submission. So where or how did you find the Rading reference?
Secondly if you mention where you are situated geographically, it might help us to suggest a feasible way forward for you. It's likely to mean some real research away from the keyboard.

Geoffers
19-09-2005, 8:37 AM
You're right in that I'm not sure how to access parish registers. I have managed to do so for another line in my tree, in a different part of the country, but it's a bit hit and miss. I know of 2 others who have been researching Lydia for a while and got no more details than I have.
That line seems to have been submitted to IGI by members of LDS, with their names and addresses given. Does that mean they're inviting correspondence, do you know?
Like Peter, I too am sceptical of the information you have found. The IGI, as with most transcribed sources, contains errors. It is only my personal opinion, but I would always work on the basis that member submitted information to the IGI is normally little more than fiction. The other two people you have contacted may have used the same 'source' as yourself - if the source is worng then all three of you are compounding an error.

Come forward in time to the earliest documented source that you have; this may be a census return, birth certificate, marriage certificate, whatever. Now work back from there. By all means use the IGI as a source for ideas - but - an entry which appears there is not proof of an event having occurred.

continued......

Geoffers
19-09-2005, 8:39 AM
part 2......

Parish Registers can normally be accessed through a Records Office. You have to visit yourself or hire a researcher.

For Oxfordshire there is:
http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/index/things_to_do/oro.htm
also there is the Centre for Oxfordshire Studies (COS)
http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/index/things_to_do/cos.htm
confusing having the two, but think of the COS as being mainly for local history; but also having transcripts of registers, the index (1858 onwards) to wills, the GRO index and some other stuff.

Berkshire Records Office also appears on a web-site
http://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/

continued.....

Geoffers
19-09-2005, 8:42 AM
part 3.....

Using parish registers is not difficult and they contain a lot more information than the IGI.

I would recommend beginning with the 19th century registers to get used to the handwriting and information recorded; them work back in time. Parish registers can be "a bit hit and miss", which is why census returns can be useful in locating where a family lived prior to civil registration.

There are many guides to using parish registers and researching family history; but also use these forums. There are many people who have a great deal of knowlegde and are only too happy to try and point you in the right direction.

Geoffers

Jillianiris
19-09-2005, 3:53 PM
Thanks for your help, Peter and Geoffers. I've retraced my steps and found how I got my information.
By backtracking on the LDS website I learnt that my great- great-great grandmother was named Susannah Tagg.(The names and places seem to fit with what I already know from family). I looked at the Individual Record for Susannah, and found her parents were James Tagg and Lydia.
From there I clicked 'Family Group Record'. It was on this that Lydia 's birth was given as 'about 1777, Reading, Berks.'

On Ancestry.co.uk I found the marriage recorded in the Oxfordshire Parish and Probate Records, Register of Marriages. There the couple are named as James Tagg of Bysham, Bucks and Lydia Snowhouse of Britwell Salome with the marriage taking place at Pyrton, Oxford.

On the LDS site, under Susannah Tagg's Individual record, there is a section for Submitters' Details. It gives one couple's name and address twice and another man's. It also gives microfilm and submis 1777, Reading, Berks.'

It's useful to know that this may not be reliable. The Family Group Record lists 12 offspring, most born in Bisham but 3 in London. I wondered about the accuracy of this because two of the children were baptised 3 months apart, one in each place. Not impossible, I know, but it made me wonder.

I live in Yorkshire, so am not in a position to follow this up in person at present. Again, thanks for your help.
Jill

mortieau
12-11-2005, 10:57 PM
Hi Jill,
I have a copy of the 2/11/1797 marriage register entry for Lydia Snowhouse & James Tagg. The parish clerk's writing is quite clear and does say Snowhouse and is definitley one word. Other info on it is James was a resident of Bisham, "Bucks" (it was'nt in Berks till the 19th century) and Lydia was a resident of Britwell Salome, (Oxon) the witnesses were James's brother William Tagg and Hannah Clark (the daughter of James & William's mother's 2nd husband). Only Hannah signed her name, the others made their Mark X. Married by Banns. It does not say if they were bachelor, spinster or wid.

In the 1841 census HO 107/11 Bisham Street%ouse and is definitley one word. Other info on it is James was a resident of Bisham, "Bucks" (it was'nt in Berks till the 19th century) and Lydia was a resident of Britwell Salome, (Oxon) the witnesses were James's brother William Tagg and Hannah Clark (the daughter of James & William's mother's 2nd husband). Only Hannah signed her name, the others made their Mark X. Married by Banns. It does not say if they were bachelor, spinster or wid.

In the 1841 census HO 107/11 Bisham Street, Bisham, Berks
'Lidia' Tagg age 70, not born Berks
David Shaw age 25 born Berks
'Hanna' Shaw age 20 born Berks ( Lydia's daughter)

Lydia's death certificate says she died 3/8/1844 in Bisham age 72
Lydia in the Bisham burial register says she was buried 7/8/1844 age 70

There seem to be 3 theories as to why her name is unique
1. The parish clerk misheared her name (ie it was something like Stowhouse) but I have been unable to find any lik2C Bisham, Berks
'Lidia' Tagg age 70, not born Berks
David Shaw age 25 born Berks
'Hanna' Shaw age 20 born Berks ( Lydia's daughter)

Lydia's death certificate says she died 3/8/1844 in Bisham age 72
Lydia in the Bisham burial register says she was buried 7/8/1844 age 70

There seem to be 3 theories as to why her name is unique
1. The parish clerk misheared her name (ie it was something like Stowhouse) but I have been unable to find any likely suspect
2. That Snowhouse was Snow- House , but again all the Lydia Snow or Lydia
House in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon area seem to be accounted for (ie they married or died)
3. That she was an orphan and was found say on the steps of a Mr Snow's house or some place in the area called "the snowhouse".

What I have not seen is the entry for the Banns, to see if they say Snowhouse. The Oxfordshire Record Office web site is unhelpfull as it only lists what transcripts it holds not microely suspect
2. That Snowhouse was Snow- House , but again all the Lydia Snow or Lydia
House in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon area seem to be accounted for (ie they married or died)
3. That she was an orphan and was found say on the steps of a Mr Snow's house or some place in the area called "the snowhouse".

What I have not seen is the entry for the Banns, to see if they say Snowhouse. The Oxfordshire Record Office web site is unhelpfull as it only lists what transcripts it holds not microfilm of the registers, and they do not have a transcript of the Pyrton Banns.

Best
John B

Jillianiris
15-12-2005, 2:20 PM
Thanks for that information John. I haven't followed this up for some time so apologise for the delay.
I'm particularly pleased to see that Lydia's daughter married a Shaw...my surname now. Hanna was certainly a late child: Lydia must have been 50. It's a wonder she lived to her 70's after bearing all those children.
I'm really pleased you've been able to 'put some flesh' on Lydia's bones, even if we don't know her true origins.
Jill