Pushing my luck

[PSM]

Hi, I know I've been doing this a bit lately...  , and this one might be a big ask, but here goes.

I'm after a lookup for Thomas Robinson, b. 1843 in Leek, Staffs. He married Sarah (surname?), b. 1844 in Manchester.

OK, that's what I know, here's what I think, but can't prove: Sarah Ann Harrison, married in Manchester in Dec, 1870

I know all the children's names, Maud, Ellen, Minnie, and Sarah, but not birth dates (just years). I think I can find them out but what I'd really like to know is marriage details, Sarah's maiden name and also some details on both their parents.

Is that too hard without her maiden name or does that just make it more of a challenge and therefore more fun?  If anyone can (wants to try) shed a little light here it would be very much appreciated by this antipodean very amateur researcher!

[PaulineJ]

Can you get anything from the lancashirebmd site?
That'll have the marriages 'paired' as husbnad & wife...

Pauline

[PSM]

Yes, that's where I got the 'I think' info, but I don't know if it's really them without knowing her maiden name.

[PaulineJ]

Ok, so you could get a parish lookup of that dec 1870 marriage (as it was at the Cathedral), saving the cost of a GRO cert.

That'll give the details of age,address, occupation, parents & witnesses which you can compare against census...

Do the kid's ages tie in with a marriage at that (1870) time?
Are her parents nearby, etc,etc...

You may still need a child's birth cert, but it's a step closer without spending too many pennies..

PAuline

[PSM]

That sounds like a good idea, but (green here) how do I get a parish lookup? There were a few Sarah and Thomas Robinson's married around then, hence my doubts.

The kids dob's - Maud 1880, Ellen 18??, Minnie 1877, Sarah 1874, seem to tie in with an 1870 marriage I think.

[PaulineJ]

1881 ref (for others to view)
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1881&indiv=try&h=10300347

Kids usually turn up 6-12 months after marriage, so I'd have expected to be at least one (if not 2) earlier ones from an 1870 marriage..

Can Thos & Sarah be ID'd in 1871?

[PSM]

Do you mean the 1871 census? I havn't found them in any census yet! 

I might have to sign up with anc*****.com I think.

[heywood]

Hello,

I think you need more information and possibly going for a birth certificate would be best.
You have enough information to request one:
Thomas the father is a baker/confectioner and Sarah is the mother's name.
There are a few marriages with possible spouses of Thomas Robinson and Sarah before the birth of the first child.
Sarah, the oldest child on 1881 was born 1874 which is quite a gap from an 1870 marriage.

Free BMD has births for:
Minnie - quite a few  
1879 Maud  Chorlton
quite a few for Ellen too

so Maud looks the best bet. You could specify with the info you have.

good luck
heywood

[heywood]

Do you mean the 1871 census? I havn't found them in any census yet! 

I might have to sign up with anc*****.com I think.

The 1871 is a difficult one - the only one showing is a Thomas born 'Leck'  Staffordshire and living in Salford with a wife Ann - who could be 20 yrs older. He is not a baker and I would have thought he would have been