However, all we can do Paula, is keep trying. My 2XGGF travelled from Somerset to Lincolnshire in the 1790s with a militia unit, which he left in Alford to marry. His was the first instance of the surname Luffman in the north of England. I traced him from Alford to the militia unit through the national archives, but the only baptism I have discovered in Somerset is that of an illegitimate child b1776, mother's name Meatyard, the surname Luffman being crossed through, a device used by some of the clergy when they thought they knew the father.
However, thanks to other Rootschatters I have read a military pension record for him, also at Kew, which solves several mysteries, eg. why only 4 children? Reason, when baby was born re-enlist for a few years, come home, make another baby then enlist again etc. He was invalided out with severe asthma in 1811, and the record gives his place of birth, even to the urban parish concerned, unfortunately York is not in Southwest England, and a search of the registers there shows no Luffman baptisms.so back to square 1.As he joined the militia I think his father might also have had a military connection, and his mother then a teenager may have been a camp follower. Search at National Army Museum for units stationed at York in 1776 drew a blank, they were all fighting in America!The militia were providing garrisons, but which unit is unknown. Search further complicated by 1) his putative baptism was in a border area between Somerset , Dorset and Wiltshire 2) Dorset militia records destroyed by water in the 1920s 3) 13,000+ army muster rolls at Kew. Strangely I got back to him on my first day of researching in 1996. How about that for a brick wall? Don't get me wrong Paula, Rootschat has been most helpful to me, just never managed to deal with this wall.
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