Genealogy Chat

My ex-husband's family (and therefore my children's) are reportedly connected to the Bowes Lyon's. I've so far managed to trace back to my ex-husband's Great Grandmother Margaret Bowes, who married Matthias Ovington on 26/12/1898, when they were both 22 years old (found that on the marriage certificate). Margaret's father is listed as William Henry Bowes, so I started a search for a William Bowes with a Daughter Margaret in the census records. Typically I have come up with two families with a Father William and Daughter Margaret. (The Margarets' being born a year apart and typically in the same area). Neither says if the William has the second name of Henry. I've found a birth record for a William Henry Bowes in December 1849 at Stockton &c (not sure what the &c stands for) but I'm assuming that could be Margarets father. Both Margarets I've found are born in Newcastle around 1876/7. I don't know what 'my' Margaret's Mother's name was either, otherwise that would help. The Ovington's & the Bowes all came from around the Newcastle/Durham areas.

I'm not sure what to do next to try and confirm which family is the right one, unless I order the birth certificates for both Margaret Bowes, to be sure of getting whichever one is the right one with William Henry Bowes as her father. Does anyone have a suggestion as I feel like I've hit a brick wall. I've tried familysearch and scoured endless BMD records. I seem to have a mental block and wondered if anyone could look at it from a new angle for me. Is there something obvious that I am missing (apart from brain cells?)

I have some basic info on how the Bowes Lyon family were formed, and have traced the Bowes right back to the early 1300's, but it is the bit between Margaret Bowes 1876/7 and where it meets the older generation of Bowes around the 1700's, who were Earls of Strathmore etc, that I am really struggling with now.

Many, many thanks in advance to anyone who can shine any light on this for me !

Gerry