Find Ancestors

You may simply have to be patient, and wait for documentary proof.

Have you made any attempt to contact the GR member who has Samuel Ramsden 1861 in his tree?

Also, put your own tree on here - NOT living people - and hope for contact from others

Yes I got that thanks, that's why I am still trying to query stuff, I have ordered Florence's certificate, do think that fits but it will fill in all the bits, like the address at the time.
All help is appreciated, I really would like to follow up to date on this if there is still family alive. Thanks again

You’re making far too many assumptions. You need to take stock and get some proof

I posted the Ramsden -Watson marriage record, purely as a possibility, but you have no PROOF that it is your relation unless you get a copy of the cert.

Just adding the names to your records doesn’t make them your relatives.

Hi - yes Florence's son is Allan A in my records and is definitely correct - it has Ramsden as the mother, I slipped in my text there. However I agree the marriage shows to Alan Watson, because everything else fitted I assumed that there had been an error as seems to often happen with names. Now I am worried I have the wrong one even though it seems to fit, maybe he didn't get married?? Any ideas anyone?

"I am struggling at present to find a census record to prove I have the right household for Alan A Watson (1936) son of Florence Ramsden who appears to have married Joyce M Poxon (928!) in Barnsley (sth Yorks) in 1963, they have two sons born 1966/8 (Carl and Geoffrey Alan). I have all documents OK but checked here and FMP and can find no census record to show the household to prove the right household. It appears from here that Joyce gave birth at age of 40 and 42 - somewhat old but not uncommon. There is another Joyce M in Haenor Derbyshire who is younger but doesn't seem to fit. The Barnsley address does seem to fit as there is family there. Can you help please?"

There seem to be a couple of anomalies with this

Florence's son was not Alan A but ALLan A. The marriage to Joyce Poxon was to ALan and not Alan A

You can look at Electoral Rolls here on GR.

Select "Electoral Rolls" under "Search" at the top right of this page.
Enter name and year of birth.
If you know where the person might be living, add the town, or even just the county, or the first name of a spouse who might be listed with them, in the "optional keywords" box. If not, leave that blank.
And of course click "search now".

If you're lucky, you MIGHT find an entry you can recognise as the right person.
But there will also be entries for unrelated people with the same or similar name.

By address only - at the main public library for the relevant area

Is it possible to access electoral roles locally if necessary

If they haven't opted out of the public ER, you could trace them on FMP, but I really think you ought to verify your info before even thinking about contacting people

Thanks! is there a way of locating addresses, I understand about privacy, but would really like to trace them as present day 'family' that I am not in contact with.

There are NO available census records after 1911

If you want to be CERTAIN - get a copy of the marriage cert for Florence. At the moment it's speculation that the marriage is hers.

And please be more careful about what you post regarding people who may be living.

I also want to get an address so that I can follow up as hopefully these should still be alive

Hi again
I am struggling at present to find a census record to prove I have the right household for Alan A Watson (1936) son of Florence Ramsden who appears to have married Joyce M Poxon (928!) in Barnsley (sth Yorks) in 1963, they have two sons born 1966/8 (Carl and Geoffrey Alan). I have all documents OK but checked here and FMP and can find no census record to show the household to prove the right household. It appears from here that Joyce gave birth at age of 40 and 42 - somewhat old but not uncommon. There is another Joyce M in Haenor Derbyshire who is younger but doesn't seem to fit. The Barnsley address does seem to fit as there is family there. Can you help please?

I should try to get the newspaper up there to take an interest, I think it could prove an enjoyable read in excerpts for those in the relevant areas - maybe when I have more meat on the bones of things.

Thanks LancashireAnn, it was Liz I was trying to find early on further to the blogt hat I foudn on googleand that she did 15 years ago but didnt show any link to her. However, I already have a veryold copy of the book which is what started me on this journey. I have since acquired a newer copy of it, it is a very enjoyable read although I haven't read it in detail yet. It mentions many of the places he visited around Consett

Google ‘Allan Ramsden travels with a caravan’ and you will find a link to kit grandfathers book’ posted byLiz

There were two Watson/Poxon births in the 1960s .

You'll find them on FreeBMD

Hi again and many thanks again!
I am still going through all your notes and thought I should get back to you.
Thanks ErikaH for the info on George Watson, I did have a different marriage with Florence and Robert Clarke (Rotherham) which seemed to make sense but now I see this looks a better match.
Lancashire Ann – you mention ‘…a post by hi grt grandaughter’ it would be very useful if you could give me any info about which G grandaughter that was and any link to it? Thanks re the Auston reference, I think we have now established that should be Anston in South Yorkshire/Worksop (near to me ??)
Argyllgran, Thanks for your help re census, I have been entering the date to refine the search of course. Thanks for your guidance there though. I don’t have to use credits now as I have full membership, I have now only just started to look at FMP.
Re the Watson thing – my mistake there, I skipped a page and didn’t see the details – oops!
The Birkinshaw link is very interesting as I have met and visited the offspring in the 60s. They still exist having the local Butchers shop in Staincross and Mapplewell . There was a farm and shop (Robert) the other had a plant hire company in the village.
I am currently locating the son of George (Alan A Watson) as there is just a chance he is still alive (born 1936) or He may have family. I do have a record which shows an Alan A marrying a Joyce M Poxon 1963 but haven’t found a family yet.
I have now found Allans birth record in the Worksop area (local authority for N & S Anston – although Anston is regarded as part of Sheffield)
Thank you all again, I am still finding nuggets as I read again through your info.

Re Allan Ramsden -

you mention an Auton in the Durham area.
I don't think there's any need to worry about looking for that.

Although he was almost certainly born in the Rotherham area, his family moved from there, and lived in the Durham area.

In 1951 they're in Cockfield; in 1861 in Barnard Castle; in 1871 in Hunwick, Co Durham.
By 1881 he's married and living in Barrow in Furness; in 1891 in Consett & Knitsley.


Although his mother was born in Whitby, his father was born in Bramley, Leeds - so the family origins weren't in Durham area.

This is the family in 1911. I know it doesn't say he was born in Barnsley in 1903 - but censuses don't always say what you expect.:

George Watson
in the 1911 England Census
Name: George Watson
Age in 1911: 7
Estimated birth year: abt 1904
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Staircross, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: South Shields
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Street address: Tyne Dock Southe Shields
Registration district: South Shields
Registration District Number: 556
Sub-registration district: South Shields
ED, institution, or vessel: 68
Piece: 30327
Household Members:
Name Age
Andrew Watson 30
Elizabeth Watson 40
George Watson 7
Hilda Watson 6
Alice Watson 4
Herbert Watson 1

HIs siblings' births:


WATSON, HERBERT HARTON mms BIRKINSHAW
GRO Reference: 1910 M Quarter in SOUTH SHIELDS Volume 10A Page 797

WATSON, HILDA RHODA mms BIRKINSHAW
GRO Reference: 1905 M Quarter in BARNSLEY Volume 09C Page 217


WATSON, SARAH ALICE mms BIRKINSHAW
GRO Reference: 1906 S Quarter in BARNSLEY Volume 09C Page 190


Staincross was part of the Barnsley registration district until 1938.