This is the first time I've read this and won't jump into making any suggestions where to look as I got lost half way through the thread
But I just wanted to say something that reminded me of an incident in my own family, you are talking about an Esther and a Bridget both with a surname which could be misinterpreted when written.
I had an aunt who was called Delia, in fact they even called their daughter Delia, of course I thought that was her name didn't I? ....... Until I found the married on LancashireBMD when I told my mother that uncle must have been married twice as the wife's name was something totally different. Oh no, she said, she just didn't like the name Bridget!!!
Now why do our ancestors just live their lives to confuse us!
Annie, I hope your Irish naming sequence is right, I have my fingers crossed with my own grandmother's family. On the 1871 census I discovered a first son who must have died young, otherwise it wouldn't have worked, but the only confirmation I can give is that the 3rd son was most definitely named after the father.
By the way, I love the name Aggiebagwash, takes me back to my childhood when the wash-house was just around the corner.
Mary
