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I've posted this on the Surrey board, but it's possible he moved away and goodness knows where, so...

I'm currently trying to track down William Grayson (b.1805, Mortlake, Surrey).  He appears on the 1841 census with his wife, Mary.  But from then on, the censuses have Mary and their children but no sign of William.  She's always given as "married" rather than widowed.  He was definitely alive in 1869, as there is a newspaper article (Surrey Comet) about someone stealing some cabbages from him!  He was a market gardener.

His wife Mary died in 1877 and I have her death certificate which suggests William was still alive (states her occupation as wife of William Grayson, not widow).

I'm trying to find a death record for him but so far without any success.  Any help appreciated!

Thanks for your reply.  I did come across the 1755 baptism and wondered if he was just baptised a few years after birth or if he got his age wrong later in life (both obviously a possibility).

Do you know if all Hertfordshire baptisms are available online?

Hmm, in hindsight I should have realised the problems with any historical document.  I think I'll blame my temporary insanity on having 2 children under 2!

Thanks for all the replies though!

Does anyone know... If a father died prior to one of his children's marriages, would he always appear with 'deceased' after his name on a marriage certificate?

avm228 - possibly!  But if that record is him, then surely that marriage was legal as Rosanna had been dead several years at that point?

William Grayson was born during Rosanna's lifetime (1806).

iluleah - the will is fascinating (it's my husband's family, I've never come across any of my ancestors writing wills!).  It bequeaths a fair amount of money to a couple of women (£19 and £50)who don't have the Grayson name, but presumably William's daughters (although oddly they're not stated as such).  His son doesn't appear at all until the second page.  Then there's a whole section about if his son should be made bankrupt, which I haven't transcribed yet, but his son was made bankrupt in 1850.

Another thing that might help me at some point is there was a case brought by William Grayson (not sure which one yet, I'm guessing the "reputed son") against Martha Deakin, the other executors of the will and what appear to be William's grandchildren, in 1845.  I'm just waiting on the National Archives for that.

Curiouser and curiouser...