Michael,
Thank you so much. I would love to get to the bottom of this if I can, particularly as there's little chance of me getting further back on my Richardson side.
Looking at census info, on 1851 census, which was taken before John b1851 was born, Jonathan is listed as Jonathan, and remains listed as Jonathan throughout all the other ones too.
With regard to the naming thing for Ann Postles mother - more confusion for me??!!
Jonathan Postle and Rebecca Forster had 4 children that I have found.
Joseph b1805 bap 1805 listed as 1st son of ....
John b1807 bap 1810 listed as 2nd son of ...
Rebecca b1810 bap 1810 (at the same time as John) listed as 3rd daughter of ....
Nathaniel b 1815 bap 1815 listed as son of .....
The above records indicate that there should be 2 other daughters somewhere - I've yet to find them.
Then we have Ann Postle b 1819 daughter of Jonathan and Mary.
I can't find a burial record for Rebecca Postle (Forster), but there is a Rebecca Postle aged 60 on the 1841 census living with Deborah/Dorothy Postle aged 21, Elizabeth aged 23. Joseph aged 20 and wait for it, a Mary Crozier with an age of either 30 or 50, there's a blob on the census document so it's not clear which it is, but she is not from Durham and in the other box where it asks whether from Scotland Ireland or foreign parts there's an I !!!! The dates for the children are all wrong, in fact I think they are the children of another Postle family from Weardale (there seem to be a few Postle families in the same area).
It could be coincidence - it's all too confusing. I guess I nned to try and find a birth for Rebecca Forster to know for sure. I think it's going to take me years to get to the bottom of this family of mine!!
Anyway, any help you can give will be hugely appreciated, thanks again for your help to date.
Nadine