Can you explain these strange coincidences?
QMy great great grandfather, John Ferris, married Elizabeth Smith in 1866 in Hayes, Middlesex, age 20. His father was named as “Charles Ferris, labourer”, and in all future records he states that he was born in Wantage. John’s age at marriage suggests that he was born c1846, but I can find no supporting birth or baptism record.
There are two records in Gloucestershire Archives ( gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives) relating to a John Ferris in 1863 and 1864, who was accused of committing crimes in Kempsford, Gloucestershire. In the first he is described as being from Kempsford, but in the second he is from Wantage.
There is a birth record for a John Ferris born 1844 in Kempsford, son of Charles, but this seems to be a different person altogether. This one married a Sophia Lodge in Kingswood, Gloucestershire, in 1866, and in every record states that he was born in Kempsford in 1846. So how can I trace ‘my‘ John’s correct parents? Jane Munday
AFirst I would build as full a biography for both men as possible, tracking them in every census, birth, marriage and death record available. This works well for Kempsford John, but Wantage John is more elusive.
It’s also important to clarify that Kempsford and Kingswood have not been confused: the marriage at Kingswood is registered in the Keynsham Registration District, while Kempsford lies in the Cirencester District.
No birth registration can be found for Wantage John, but then until the 1870s many births were not registered. Also online baptism indexes often do not cover the 1840s, so it may prove helpful to check Wantage parish baptisms from indexes compiled by Oxfordshire Family History Society ( ofhs.
org.uk) or the registers at Berkshire Record Office ( berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk).
In addition to the coincidences above, there is the complication of the entries in Gloucester Gaol Registers 1863 and 1864. It seems clear that these relate respectively to each of the Johns: online images on ancestry.co.uk give different personal descriptions. For instance Wantage John in 1864 is also registered as “Faring” – is this an error, or a clue? Check local newspapers for details of the offences.
Perhaps Wantage John was visiting relatives in Gloucestershire when he committed his offence. Gaol records mention a Charles Ferris who was convicted of destroying threshing machinery at Fairford (near Kempsford) in 1830, which is worth investigation.
Finally try searching indexes for any Ferris in Wantage. I have not found Charles there in 1841 or young John in 1851, but the surname certainly occurs. Perhaps John moved there as a youngster and forgot he was born elsewhere? Margaret McGregor