Find Ancestors

Betty: It's going to cause all sorts of confusion if you completely rewrite your original message after people have started replying to it!

Thanks Reg and everyone else for your help, it just get more difficult as you go on doesn't it. Why don't they all just stay at home with mum and dad and not bother getting married, would make thing a lot easier for us. Big Thanks Reg. Betty

By the way, the Bridget I posted is definitely your relation.............I also found the marriage info for you. Reg

You have to employ a process of elimination..........use the data you are sure of to search in the census following a possible marriage, then look for the records to back up - or disprove - what you find. Reg

Hi helen, I didn't know you could search the Durham marriages on this site, never heard of it before, will give it a try though. Betty.

This one's details match Mary's If you look through the beta records on Ancestry, you should be able to find the marriage...........look for the groom first, then cross-refer for the bride. Florince Doughty abt 1898 Galesheall, Durham, England Daughter Benfieldside Durham View Record John Doughty abt 1869 Darlington, Durham, England Head Benfieldside Durham View Record Mary Ann Doughty abt 1873 Blackhill, Durham, England Wife Benfieldside Durham View Record John Glancey abt 1875 Blackhill, Durham, England Boarder Benfieldside Durham View Record Sarah McNally abt 1852 Ireland Boarder Benfieldside Durham Good luck Reg

Hi again Reg, This is the family in 1901 census. Sorry Reg Elizabeth 1881 is missing too. 1901 View Record Margaret Collins abt 1882 Blackhill, Durham, England Daughter Benfieldside Durham View Record Mary A Collins abt 1858 Scotland Wife Benfieldside Durham View Record Michael Collins abt 1888 Blackhill, Durham, England Son Benfieldside Durham View Record Patrick Collins abt 1891 Blackhill, Durham, England Son Benfieldside Durham View Record Peter Collins abt 1872 Blackhill, Durham, England Son Benfieldside Durham View Record Phillip Collins abt 1874 Blackhill, Durham, England Son Benfieldside Durham View Record Teresa Collins abt 1893 Blackhill, Durham, England Daughter Benfieldside Durham View Record Thomas Collins abt 1844 Ireland Head Benfieldside Durham View Record Thomas Collins abt 1885 Blackhill, Durham, England Son Benfieldside Durham Betty

Hi Betty County Durham marriages are searchable on the Durham County Council website and you are given the name of the spouse. 1892 Durham Northern Bridget Collins married John H McCall http://www*durham*gov*uk/gro/newgro*nsf Regards Helen K

Yes Reg, That looks like Bridget, Thanks for finding her. There were 10 children in this family. Betty

Hi again Reg, Forgot to say all the other brothers married later on they were quite a bit older. Betty

How about this one in 1901? Thomas Collins abt 1883 Blackhill, Durham, England Heworth Durham View Record Bridget Mc Call abt 1876 Blackhill, Durham, England Wife Heworth Durham View Record James Mc Call abt 1901 Windy Nook, Durham, England Heworth Durham View Record John H Mc Call abt 1871 Windy Nook, Durham, England Head Heworth Durham View Record William Mc Call abt 1898 Blackhill, Durham, England Heworth Durham This is the only Bridget born in the right year and right place who is a wife. So it was easy to find on the census And the other half of the marriage info is John Hudson McCall Reg

Hi Reg, Yes they were two sisters, the only two who married before 1901 census, have put page and vol info of Bridgets marriage but don't know who she married. Mary Ann, I have no information about her marriage at all. Sorry Reg. Betty

Are you saying that the two women you name were sisters? And that you need both marriages? Reg

Hi Reg, Thanks for the offer to look up the marriages, so far I have only found two females who were in the 1891 but not the 1901, think both were married but know Bridget was. Bridget Collins 1875 Blackhill County Durham (lanchester distric) October-November- December 10a 496. Mary Ann Collins 1873 Blackhill County Durham (lanchester district.) Betty

Give us some names, ages and birthplaces, and let us see what we can find............ Reg

Hi Elaine, No sorry I didn't make it very clear, The first marriage was in 1892 In Lanchester Durham I have the page and volume number but don't have the name of the person she married. I thought she must be married as she was on the 1891 but not on the 1901. The rest of the children must have married after 1901 census. Betty

Are you saying that the marriages took place before the 1901 census ? and that the married couples are on 1901 ? Then the answers will be on FreeBMD. If the people married after 1901 then I'm afraid that yes you will have to purchase the certificates ..... unless they married THIS side of 1912, in which case the surname of the partner is listed on the index. Unfortunately, this hobby is NOT cheap and its certainly NOT easy. Your not the only one or the first to have to consider buying more than 1 cert !! Elaine ;-)

Hi everyone thanks for replying to my message, sorry I was up to nearly 7am this morning, had to get some sleep. Anyway all the marriages took place in Durham first one I can't find, second in 1892 and the rest would be after this but haven't got that far yet but they were in 1901 cesus. The problem is another family I have also have a great number of children too, will be trying to find their marriages later on. Betty

When did these marriages occur? And in which country? Unless you give us that info, the advice won't be accurate. Reg

The snag is that if you don't know who the children married, unless the surname is unusual, there may be several possible candidates and even with the certificates, there is no guarantee that there isn't someone with the same father's name getting married. As has been said, you can make intelligent guesses, using Freebmd and the censuses.The period where you really have to get certificates is 1901 - 1911. It is beyond first hand memory and there are no later censuses to check against. Even with uncommon names, you can make mistakes if you don't get certificates. One of my Skillings moved from Sunderland to Sussex and had children in the same registration district as another, indigenous Skillings with the same forename. I got hopelessly tangled up and even thought the Sussex man had married bigamously until I had sight of the certificate.