Find Ancestors

Thanks Janey

I've looked in freebmd as suggested and the closest match there appears to be Thomas Francis who died in Falmouth in 1875 ( as you have already stated). However, his age is 3 years out.

I have a growing collection of incorrect cerItificates, so think that I will have to admit defeat at the moment unless something else turns up.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
Hilary

There's one you might want to try - age is only slightly off.

Deaths Jun 1875
FRANCIS Thomas 36 Falmouth 5c 153

Death records you can do the same as us:

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

and I think we've all been looking in the 1871 and 1881 already, to no avail. ;)

Remember that the report on the marriage certificate could be inaccurate. If Richard was left with his grandparents and didn't see his father again, he might well report him as deceased -- although odds do seem to be that he was.

Just discovered from my great grandad's (Richard FRANCIS aged 23 ) marriage certificate dated 9 Oct 1886 that his father Thomas Balch FRANCIS is listed as deceased.!

Please could someone check the earlier census that have not been shown overleaf or death records before the above date if it's not too much trouble?

Thank you
Hilary

Such a pity ...... I was getting ready to order the birth certificates too until I realised it was a red herring. Oh well (excuse the pun), these things are sent to try us ..........!

Looks like I may have come up against a brick wall

Thank you for looking anyway.

Best wishes to all
Hilary

That was the idea, Hilary - I found what I thought *had to be* children of your Thomas, but David found a marriage that very neatly accounted for those births completely independently. Ms Balch married Mr Francis, and their children got her surname as a middle name.

Dang, eh? ;)

Hi

I do have the death certificate of Fanny FRANCIS (Nee NICHOLLS) and she is described on it as aged 29 and wife of Thomas FRANCIS, carpenter, journeyman. The informant looks like Elizabeth Allen, definately not Thomas.

Fanny and Thomas did have two children, Richard FRANCIS (my great grandfather) and Agnes Balch FRANCIS born 1861 who died as an infant 26 Jan 1862.

His brothers, Samuel and Richard do not appear to have been given their mother's surname as a middle name but I don't hold their birth certificates.

I've tried in vain to find Thomas on the Cornwall On Line Parish Clerk website and moving to Wells might be a good reason for this but I notice that the names of the bride and groom in Wells do not match mine so this could have been a completely different family .......................?

Can anyone else help solve this mystery?

Thank you
Hilary

David - I missed that Balch-Francis marriage when you first posted it.

Aargh. Quelle annoying coincidence! And to have a son named Thomas, it seems. ;)

Hi

Thanks for trying everyone .........

Thomas' mother, Agnes FRANCIS (nee BALCH) lived alone aged 57 at Queen Street in 1871 and died at Queen Street on 13 May 1880. No mention of Thomas anywhere. His late father Richard FRANCIS died in April 1842.

I had wondered whether Thomas had moved abroad at one stage. The information about the mis-spelt surname and the baby aged 1 is interesting.

Hilary

Did his brothers, Richard and Sameul, also have the middle name of Balch? Might explain the children ?

Sorry edited my earlier post re Francis/Balch marriage

JaneyCanuck

Good point about the possibility of him dying before Fanny.



Hilary,
do you actually have the death cert for Fanny - just wondering if she was described as wife or widow ?


Maureen

So he must have been in Wells in 1881 -- children born there just before and after 1881 -- but I'm not seeing him!

That Thomas Balch Francis b1878 d1880 has to be his child, along with this one:


Births Dec 1883
FRANCIS Bessie Balch Wells 5c 506
Deaths Jun 1887
Francis Bessie Balch 3 Wells 5c 354


The only other Francis birth with Balch as middle name must also have been his child, with Fanny:


Births Jun 1861
FRANCIS Agnes Balch Penzance 5c 367
Deaths Mar 1862
FRANCIS Agnes Balch Penzance 5c 236

Hi JaneyCanuck

Yes trying to find him after death of his wife but did not appear that Hilary had found him in 1861.


Hi mother, Agnes Francis, is still living at Queen St in 1871


Maureen

I think we're looking for him after 1867. ;)

Mind, it's even possible he died before Fanny died.

Marriages Sep 1877 Wells 5c 818

Balch Annie
Francis William

1861 ?
Name: Thomas B Frances
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1837
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Agnes
Gender: Male
Where born: Saveslock, Devon, England

Civil parish: Madron
Ecclesiastical parish: Penzance
County/Island: Cornwall
Country: England

Street Address: Queen St

Occupation: cabinet maker

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Penzance
Sub-registration district: Penzance
ED, institution, or vessel: 23
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 16
Household Members: Name Age
Agnes Frances 48 Tavistock
Thomas B Frances 24
Richard Frances 22 Penzance
Samuel Frances 19 Penzance

There is a site called Genogold which has parish records online, there are some for Devon and Cornwall.
Liz

Not him, but certainly a coincidental name! --

Deaths Jun 1880
Francis Thomas Balch (age)1 Wells 5c 369

A clue to a remarriage maybe?


edit - the birth:

Births Dec 1878
Francis Thomas Balch Wells 5c 531