Genealogy Chat

I have always been told that my Great GFather was Andrew North Taylor and that his parents were Harriet ? and David Taylor. It's given me the run around for long enough so I sent for his birth cert - just received it and there is no father on - just Harriet Taylor formerly North. Also on the application form someone from GRO has written 're-do as adoption' but adoption is then crossed out. See below for the rest of the puzzle. Debby

On 1861 he's showing as aged 5 and Andrew Mitchell - Mother Harriet Mitchell widow plus 3 older siblings showing as in laws to Harriet and 3 younger siblings showing as Mitchell. On 1871 he's showing as Andrew N Taylor aged 15 - Mother Harriet Mitchell widow plus the 3 younger siblings showing as Mitchell. Can't find him at all on 1881. On 1891 he's now with his wife Emily (nee Britton) and son Mitchell Taylor - my grandad. Can you work it out? Debby

Hi Debby, tough one!! Can you tell us where he was born and where he was on the censuses?? Also do you have his marraige cert or do you know when & where he was married? Kx

Hi Debby We need to verify a marriage between David Taylor and Harriet North for a start!! Any idea where or when? There are hundreds of David Taylor's on Ancestry....can you narrow it down and I'll take a look for you. Then work from there. I would'nt worry too much about the adoption bit...might be a genuine written error??

Hi, I can see them on 1871. Andrew born Ecclesfield Yorkshire and Harriet born Idle Yorkshire ages 15 & 54. Iv'e got Harriet in 1881 age 66 - shall we suppose she married in Yorkshire in the Ecclesfield area? Kx

He was born on 1st Feb 1856 in Eccleshill, Bradford, West Yorks. He married Emily Britton Sep 1/4 1887 in Bradford. On all the censuses he's living in Eccleshill 1861 13 Lord Fold 1871 16 Bank 1891 28 Stoney Lane 1901 Stoney Royd I've just found a Harriet Taylor marriage in Bfd Dec 1/4 1857 - can't make ref out 9b 63? Same 1/4 there are 5 possible Mitchells - again can't make the ref out - not very clear! Debby

I've also got a Harriet North marrying a Joseph Taylor Dec 1/4 1837 another Harriet North Jun 1/4 1841 but there's 4 entries for the women and only 3 for the men! I'm going onto 1837 again! Debby

just did some calculations and Harriett would be over 40 years old when Andrew was born!! MMMM... If I don't get back to you soon, its because its nearly midnight here... :o)

I see what you mean about 1881.... not a sausage!! Harriet was an old mother wasn't she? I see from 1881 that her last child was born in 1861 which makes her 46 at this time! There's nothing showing for marraiges on the IGI. Going for a sandwich now - back shortly. Kx

Thanks Babs & Karen Much appreciated! Debby

Debby have you searched all of eccleshill in 1881? Just wondered as I am currently doing it on Ancestry. Let me know if I'm wasting my time...... LOL Kx

He's definately not in Eccleshill in 1881 !!! This guy is driving me batty now......!!!! I'm gonna search some more now...

I'm not having alot of luck, have got to go to a meeting now - catch up with you later........ Kx

Karen I can't find him anywhere in 1881 but I'm not too worried about that - I just want to know who his father is! Why is he showing as a Mitchell on 1861 but a Taylor on 1871? This is what's on 1861 (Isobel found me it a while ago) Harriett Mitchell 44 Widow Joshua Taylor 17 Son in Law Jane Taylor 15 Dau in Law Joseph Taylor 13 Son in Law Sarah Taylor 12 Dau in Law Andrew Mitchell 5 Son Grace Mitchell 3 Dau William Mitchell 1 Son David Mitchell 5mths Son Why are the first 4 children showing as in laws to Harriet? Why is Andrew showing as a Mitchell when he's a Taylor? I've also just realised that on his birth cert his name is showing as Andrew North - I'm even more confused now! Debby

The phrase 'in law' might mean step-son or step-daughter rather than what we mean by in-law nowadays. Have to think about this one... Is it possible that Harriet was married to a Mr. Taylor who already had some children and who was the father of Andrew but after Mr. Taylor's death she married Mr. Mitchell who kind of adopted Andrew so they changed his surname to Mitchell but then Mr. Mitchell died? It's so annoying when people marry and die between censuses!! Kate.

And as for his name being given as 'Andrew North' on the birth certificate, that will just be because they didn't put the surname in the box for the baby's name, just the first name(s). So his full name would have been Andrew North Taylor.

Kate I'm thinking on the same lines as you Mr Taylor had 4 children with ? Then he married Harriet North and had Andrew North Taylor - Mr Taylor died - Harriet married a Mr Mitchell and had 3 more children but then he must have died as she's showing as a widow on 1861. My brain has now gone numb! Thanks for your interest Debby

I think if my theory is correct you would have to go through the GRO indexes on 1837 or Family Relatives or in a records office to find the marriages because I don't think the years in question will be fully indexed on FreeBMD / Ancestry, but I would guess that Harriet North married David Taylor some time after the youngest one of those 'in laws' was born, and that David Taylor died before Andrew was born, and that Harriet Taylor married Mr. Mitchell some time after Andrew was born, and presumably before his next brother or sister was born but not necessarily. Hope this is of some use Kate.

I had a look on http://www.yorkshirebmd.org.uk but there isn't much done for Bradford area yet. These are just possibly yours: the right name/date combinations in the same area (I don't know if it's the right area, of course!)? Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1844 Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Reference TAYLOR Joshua Idle Bradford IDLE/5/87 Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1845 Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Reference TAYLOR Jane Idle Bradford IDLE/6/97 Idle is to the North of Bradford, and East of Shipley. Other Idle TAYLOR births are: Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Reference Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1838 TAYLOR Mary A Idle Bradford IDLE/1/49 Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1839 TAYLOR William Idle Bradford IDLE/2/48 Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1841 TAYLOR (boy) Idle Bradford IDLE/4/14 TAYLOR Elizabeth Idle Bradford IDLE/3/80 Yorkshire Birth indexes for the years: 1844 TAYLOR Jane Idle Bradford IDLE/5/81 There aren't any Bradford transcriptions later than 1845 yet - for births anyway. Christine

There are surname indexes for 1851 Bradford. It may be a long trawl for Taylors, but you would be able to find the Taylor family to establish Harriet's first husband's name.