Find Ancestors

im becoming very confussed with some people in my tree. my great grandad is john aspin born 1877 blackburn to parents james and elizabeth aspin. his birth certificate says mother formerly smith. john has an older sister called sarah ann born 1875-burnley, dont have her birth cert as i cant find her, however there is a sarah ann smith born right place, right year with mother elizabeth (IGI). John also has a younger brother thomas aspin born 1880. i did what a fellow GR member suggested and ordered that certificate which has come this morning. Assuming that i have the right thomas, it says father james aspin mother elizabeth formerly hirst. (at least i think thats what it says) I have been trying to find the marriage of elizabeth smith to james aspin with no success, so im looking for a marriage of elizabeth hirst and james aspin cant find that either.

Do you have them on the 1881 census? joanne

These are the nearest from Lancashire BMD, not much good: Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1875 Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference ASPIN James HOLDEN Elizabeth Lower Darwen, St James Blackburn CE25/1/179 ASPIN James LEAVER Betsy Blackburn, Christ Church (with St Matthew) Blackburn CE4/2/53 Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1876 Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference ASPIN James GARSIDE Betsy Taylor Register Office or Registrar Attended Rochdale RM/48/138 Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1884 Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference ASPIN James EATOUGH Elizabeth Register Office or Registrar Attended Hyndburn RM/68/60 Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1888 Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference ASPIN James HARGREAVES Elizabeth Burnley, Holy Trinity Burnley CE104/8/467 It does show just how many James Aspins there were who married an Elizabeth, though! (I included the Betsy entries as Betsy can be short for Elizabeth.) Could be that they didn't actually get married, but it is so much harder to prove that a couple didn't get married than it is to prove that they did! Kate.

This is them on 1881 census. Elizabeth dead by next census. spelling changed back n forth between aspen and aspin-should be aspin. Eliz. Aspen abt 1847 Burnley, Lancashire, England Wife Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record James Aspen abt 1841 Burnley, Lancashire, England Head Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record John Aspen abt 1878 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Son Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record Sarah Ann Aspen abt 1875 Burnley, Lancashire, England Daughter Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record Thomas Aspen Blackburn, Lancashire, England Son Habergham Eaves Lancashire

I assume these are them: Eliz. Aspen abt 1847 Burnley, Lancashire, England Wife Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record James Aspen abt 1841 Burnley, Lancashire, England Head Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record John Aspen abt 1878 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Son Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record Sarah Ann Aspen abt 1875 Burnley, Lancashire, England Daughter Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record Thomas Aspen Blackburn, Lancashire, England Son Habergham Eaves Lancashire thomas is 11months old joanne

i have the birth cert that matches up to him being 11 months. pretty sure that its the right certificate, but i also have the correct cert for my g grandfather. would ordering her death cert give me anything?

You can never tell if the death certificate is going to help until you get it! Most likely the informant will be her husband, but there is always the possibility that it will be some other relative, such as her mother or brother, which could crack the whole case! But unfortunately you can't tell in advance. I have ordered a few death certs just on the offchance myself! Kate.

On the 1891 census there is an Elizabeth Rawcliffe with Aspin children and there is this marriage entry.. Marriages Sep 1884 Aspin Elizabeth Blackburn 8e 532 COUNSELL Catherine Blackburn 8e 532 Duckworth Lawrence Blackburn 8e 532 RAWCLIFFE James Blackburn 8e 532 It's worth a look... 1891 census.. Name: Elizabeth Rawcliffe Age: 40 Estimated birth year: abt 1851 Relation: Head Gender: Female Where Born: Blackburn, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Blackburn Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch Town: Blackburn County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Source information: RG12/3407 Registration district: Blackburn Sub registration district: Blackburn Southern ED, institution, or vessel: 36 Folio: 121 Page: 19 (click to see others on page) GSU Number: 6098517 Georgina.

thanks kate, i have never ordered a death certificate before only marriage and birth so i dont really know whats on them. the case is harder in that my grandfather died when my mum was 3 weeks old, so my mum knows little abt her fathers family, likewise my grandma didnt know much about them either and the ones she knew where her age rather than the previous generation. i tell you this family line is driving me nuts. im going round and round in circles. lou

I dont want to overload you but;- 1871 census View Record Elizabeth Hirst abt 1847 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Wife Habergham Eaves Lancashire View Record William Hirst abt 1845 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Head Habergham Eaves Lancashire

Aren't we looking for an Elizabeth born in Burnley? Kate.

thanks for all that. the elizabeth rawcliffe isnt mine as elizabeth died mid 1880s and james is on the 91 census as widow with the 2 boys. sarah ann is missong but i have found her else where. i did check that entry and its not any names i recognise. jim, will have a look in to that entry. tell me, is it quite normal that her birth place is wrong- census says burnley but ive only got her on one census so its possible that its wrong.

kate, i believe we are looking for elizabeth in burnley but i have only seen one census entry for her and that is in 1881, so im wondering if thats correct although her first child is born burnley. however blackburn and burnley run in to one another. (so my mum says)

Hi Is this James in 1871? if so he is down as married?? James Aspen abt 1841 Burnley, Lancashire, England Head Blackburn Lancashire View Record James Thomas Clegg abt 1870 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Lodger Blackburn Lancashire View Record Mary Clegg abt 1841 Burnley, Lancashire, England Lodger Blackburn Lancashire View Record Mary Jane Clegg abt 1871 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Lodger Blackburn Lancashire joanne

hi jo i think that is him. according to free bmd, there is only one james aspin born in or around burnley in the right period. so i assume that is him, in which case i have his birth certificate.

So I guess it's back to Elizabeth who is the problem!!! joanne

i wanted the marriage entry so i could confirm that i do have the correct james in the earlier census'. but i guess at this rate its not going to happen! im still not sure if sarah ann is his daughter or not either. i have james in 1861 (if its the right one) living in habergham eves which is where he was in 81.