Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1

    Default Forgive the dumb question...

    If there are multiple potential people with same name and DOB, what's the best way of finding which is the right one? I have no idea on parents names so wouldn't have a clue on what's right or not...

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Brick wall demolition expert!
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    3,642

    Default

    There is no easy way. You need as much information as possible before proceeding. Why not give us a clue as to what you are looking for, and precisely what information you have, bearing in mind the forum's rules that you cannot post information about living people?

  3. #3
    Loves to help with queries
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Ashurst, near Southampton
    Posts
    145

    Default

    Would place of birth on certificate/GRO help you? As Megan said, a little more information might be helpful.
    Colin

  4. #4

    Default

    Thanks for the answers so far. Yes, indeed a birth cert would be very useful but DOB is around 1830 and neither GRO nor FreeBMD have data before about 1837. Where else do people look?
    I am in the process of looking through census records for 1841 but it's still almost impossible to know which William is the right one. William is a very common name of the time.
    PS: I will be in London in June (live in NZ), is there anywhere I could go to look for records more easily than online? I assume ordering certs etc still take the same amount of time to retrieve except postage would be quicker!

  5. #5

    Default

    William Keeling, father of Rupert Francis Keeling. Born around 1830, somewhere in Derbyshire. Looking for parents, I've found at least 3 or 4 possibilities (both birth details and census records of 1841 where he would've been around 10 years old or so).
    No other info!
    I think he died young as it appears that his wife Eliza was a widow in 1861 after one of his sons (Rupert) was born in 1855.
    Geneology software is hinting that he may have married again to an Anne something but I haven't got that far yet. Looks like he married in 1854 to Eliza Gibbs as on Rupert's birth cert.

  6. #6
    Dundee10
    Guest

    Talking

    Sorry, repeating what has already been posted, don't know what happened there

  7. #7
    Dundee10
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jjsebba View Post
    Looks like he married in 1854 to Eliza Gibbs as on Rupert's birth cert.
    The marriage certificate should give you his father's name and occupation and then you can look for a baptism. How do you know that William was born in Derbyshire?

    Quote Originally Posted by jjsebba View Post
    Geneology software is hinting that he may have married again to an Anne something but I haven't got that far yet.
    He married again after he died?

  8. #8
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,620

    Default

    First of all, is Rupert a direct ancestor of yours? And you've proved it, through the purchase of birth and marriage certificates through the generations?

    In 1861 Rupert (indexed as Ruperts on FMP and Rupeits on Ancestry) is aged 5, born West Hallam, and living with mum Eliza and younger sibling Hannah in Ilkeston. Census reference RG9/2436 folio 77 page 41.
    West Hallam is in Shardlow registration district. The registration district for Rupert and Hannah's births. Both have mother's maiden name of Gibbs.
    Which would match the GRO Index which has a William Keeling on the same page as Eliza Gibbs, marriages, June quarter 1854, Derby registration district.
    Do you have the birth certificate for Rupert and the marriage certificate for William and Eliza? If so, what occupation is given for William on both of them, and on the marriage certificate does it give an age for William, plus a father's name and occupation? If William had been married before (see next paragraph) he should say he's a widower, but many a lie (from white to very black!) has been told on certificates. If you're talking direct ancestors you have to be prepared to spend a bit (though it usually turns out to be a lot! ) of money to prove that ancestry.

    This next bit is making assumptions, which is why you need those two certificates.
    Based on Rupert and Hannah's birthplace being West Hallam in the 1861 census, there is a likely William Keeling living in West Hallam in 1851. Aged 23, coal miner, born West Hallam, with wife Ann, aged 20, born Ilkeston. Census reference HO107/2141 folio 422 page 21.

    Death registration for a Ann Keeling, aged 22, Shardlow district, December quarter 1852.

    There's a marriage registration for a William Keeling with an Ann Hanson on the same page, September quarter 1848, Shardlow registration district.
    That Hanson surname would connect with the John Hanson, nephew, who's with William and Ann in 1851.

    Going further back, in 1841 there's a William aged 14, living in West Hallam, with a 35-year old Mary, and various younger Keelings. One of whom is a Francis. Census reference HO107/188/15 folio 14 page 23. Re Mary's age, remember that in 1841 people's ages were rounded down to the nearest 5, so Mary could have been aged between 35 and 39.

    FamilySearch have a baptism for a William Keeling, son of Francis and Mary Keeling, in West Hallam on 12 November 1826.

    There's a death registration for a Francis Keeling, aged 41, June quarter 1839, Shardlow registration district.
    And a William Keeling, aged 36, December quarter 1860, Shardlow registration district.

    Early birth and death certificates can be purchased slightly cheaper if you opt for black-and-white PDFs instead of fancy coloured certified certificates. Sadly all marriage certificates are full priced. Always order direct from the GRO.
    https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

    Pam
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  9. #9

    Default

    Hi Pam, this is immensely helpful. I have placed an order for the two certs you suggested and will try fill in the gaps from there! THanks again for your time and valuable info and tips.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: