Genealogy Chat

Wow! Thanks everyone. I got so excited by June's replies that I went off to do some checking and came back to find all this help! I am starting to doubt the 1901 census - I can't figure how he could have been a blacksmith's assistant if he couldn't see! I have bought a copy of a John James Moss' birth certificate - son of Henry Moss and Ellen Moss (Williams) born 8 February 1866 - but I didn't think this was him as he would have been 35 in 1901 census not 34 and there is no mention of blindness. BUT his father's occupation is a Blacksmith Journeyman. It looks like he might have had a career with horses until the accident and then became a hawker - bit of a comedown I guess. I have a photo of him in perhaps his forties - he's definitely blind and is a big bear of a man with huge hands. Anyway, if the 1871 census is correct and he is living with his grandparents age 4, his mother's name must have been Deeks and not Williams. Aaargh! I have a copy of Thomas' birth certiifcate - that's how I know his parents were John James Moss and Jane Ward. x

Stephanie, If you have a copy of John James Moss' birth certificate .................. are you SURE that this is your John James Moss? 'Cos the difference in parentage means that Juen and I are wrong on at least one census! We need to find his marriage (if there was one), as that will give his father's name. Regarding information on the census ....... remember that it is only as good as the memory of the person giving the information! Ages can be as much as 2 years out ................... they were asked how old they were on the day of the census. If their birthday was the next day, that did not matter. SO .................. don't get hung up on the age on a census ................. I always use the approximate birth year + or - 5 years! Birth place depends on how well someone knew where someone else was born ....................... and whether the enumerator recognized the name. For example, 'He was born in Smiths Johns village' 'Never heard of that, where's it near?' 'It's near Grantham, Lincolnshire' .................. so Grantham goes down on the census. Names vary .................. misspellings by the enumerator, later followed by mis-transcriptions by the person who has transcribed the information to put it on the web. And so it goes! It can be very frustrating working out who is who. The best start is to get work back from the present day, and all the certificates you can. Have to go now for a while ....... physiotherapy calls! Sylvia (in Canada)

Thanks Sylvia - it's all so exciting, fascinating and frustrating at the same time! Working back, my husband's grandfather was Thomas Benjamin Moss born 24/09/07 to John James Moss and Jane Moss formerly Ward. The 1901 census shows John and Jane with two children, Walter and Hilda (my father in laws middle name is Walter and he always wondered where that came from!) That and the fact that John is shown as blind on the census makes me as sure as I can be that he's the one. After that - I am lost.

Marriages Dec 1864 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moss Henry Poplar 1c 1252 Williams Ellen Poplar 1c 1252 June x

Thanks June. I have been trying to find Jane Ward - John's wife to absolutely no avail. I ran a search for ANY Ward married to Moss and found nothing! I think I need to try to find Walter and HIlda (John's siblings) to see if their mother's name is any different. I think he is the Walter James Moss reg Jul-Sep 1894 1c 616 and she is the Hilda Winifred Moss reg Jan-Mar 1901 1c 420 As Thomas (grandad) wasn't born until 1907 (6 years after Hilda) I suppose it is possible that it's a second marriage?