the finbows

[hobbes]

Hi

I've become a little stuck on the Finbow side of my ancestors. I have a William Finbow (born ~ 1830 in ? Hadleigh, Suffolk) married to an Eliza Davy in 1853 in Bosmere, Suffolk, but I'm having trouble locating early census information on him to link him to his parents (I have 1861 onwards). I think his father was James, but a search showed a few different William Finbows around that time and I'm not sure which one he is.

Are there any hints to find the missing census data or baptism?

Thanks

[Merry]

If there are several, wouldn't it be safer to get their marriage certificate to get William's father's details?

[Nell]

I agree with Merry, if you have several chaps to choose from (and in 1841 the ages aren't always accurate as they were supposed to be rounded down) you need more information from his marriage cert which would give his father's name and occupation - and possibly other family members as witnesses.

You could find his baptism in the Hadleigh baptism register - but there might be a few other William Finbows about which might make finding the right one tricky. If you had his father's name that would make it easier to locate his baptism - unless of course he was illegitimate!

[Merry]

Bear in mind an alternative spelling is Phinbow!

[Merry]

The Baptist church birth record for the son of James and Esther says he was b at Otley, which is some 13 miles from Hadleigh, so I would only go with those parents (if that's the one you meant), with a lot more supporting evidence.

Birth - William Finbow 28 MAR 1830 Baptist, Otley, Suffolk

[hobbes]

I have found his marriage certificate which lists his father as James, but no hints other than the fact that he is a labourer. All the census information (1861, 1881 and 1891) lists William as being born in Hadleigh, but I have two possible christenings for William. There is one in Otley, and the other not stated - same month (march) but a year apart - 1830/1831. Both list parents as James and Ester, but Otley seems a long way from Hadleigh and I can't find the 1841 census to link him. By 1851 James was listed as James Shinbow, but by that stage William must have moved out

[Merry]

It's lucky in 1851 the household has some unusual first names - Esther and Joshua for starters. Joshua, aged 11, was born at Hemingston(e), so I tried Joshua in Hemingstone in 1841 and the family are listed by Ancestry as Phinbon. They have William aged 10 with them.

[hobbes]

that's fantastic - thanks a lot for that.