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Afternoon everyone

Does anyone have any suggestions on which way to go please?

Here is the (next) problem:

I am going backwards with Smiths (and those who married them). I have the birth certificate of Robert William Smith (1870) and his wife Eliza (nee Steele) and know about the children which are on this thread:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1304044

but I am now chasing after his mother! Jane McKenzie Nelson. So .....

I have got the birth certificate of Robert William Smith born 1870 - his father is shown as William Smith (but could be Robert William as shown on Robert 1870's marriage cert!!) Occupation: Marine and his mother is "Jane SMITH formerly McKENZIE NELSON".

According to the Census records, Jane (McKenzie Nelson) Smith was born in Glasgow in 1831/1832, had 3 sons Henry (1865), Robert William (1870) and Reuben (1873) and on the 1881 Census she was with them and her husband William (1830).

So is this their marriage? -

Civil registration event: Marriage

Name: SMITH, William
Registration district: [?] Wandsworth
County: London
Year of registration: 1865
Quarter of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: [?] 1D Page no: [?] 976
William Smith married one of the following people

MCKENZIE, Jane
WHYMARK, Caroline

COTTERELL, George

If it is - where does the Nelson come into it? OR was she married before to someone called Nelson? So far I have been unable to find a McKenzie / Nelson marriage.

I have also (sort of) discounted that the McKenzie was a middle name – as if the marriage posted is correct it was used as her surname.

There are other strange things – she is on the 1871, 1881, 1891 (widow) but with her brother in law – William Smith aged 70 (born 1821). I cannot find her on the 1901 which might be explained by this death:

Name:SMITH, Jane
Registration district: [?]Whitechapel
County:London
Year of registration:1901
Quarter of registration:Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at death:70
Volume no:1C
Page no:178

So any suggestions re any other marriages, census appearances – anything before I take the plunge and put the Wandsworth marriage cert on my list of 'must haves'?

Thank you

if you already have a thread on this family you should continue to use that one rather than start another - research is very likely to be repated with two postings on the same family

OK - will move it to previous thread - although the other was Steele/Thompson - just hi-jacked by Smiths

MOVED to


http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1304044

But JannieAnnie's above query doesn't overlap with her previous post!!

It doesn't breach the GR rule that the same or similar material cannot be submitted more than once.

Christina :-S