Keeping with Essex lot......

[Harrys mum]

I have my great grandfather's birth cert for 1857

William Ketley born 15th April 1857. I know this is his birthday.

The cert has his father as Joseph instead of James, but the mother is correct, Eliza formerly Tunbridge. The birthplace is Great Waltham instead of Mashbury.

James and Eliza's first child was born Great Waltham (where Eliza came from and where she and James married).
Second child born Mashbury.

William is their third child and I'm not worried about the place of birth as Eliza could have been visiting her parents.

Somebody suggested I look at the "original" birth reg to see whether the father is James or Joseph, but I have no idea how to do that.

I know the abbreviations for James (Jas) and Joseph (Jos) could be mixed up.

Is it possible and if so, how????

[KiteRunner]

If the one you have is from the GRO then you could order a copy from the local register office for the area, and ask if they can do a photocopy of the certificate rather than copying it out which some local offices do. But they may say they can't do a photocopy. I think some local offices would just check their copy of the cert for you if you ask them to confirm whether the father's name is Joseph or James on it, but it depends whether it's a helpful office or not! I suppose the other thing you could do is see if there is a baptism for him.

[Harrys mum]

Thanks KiteRunner..

I got the cert from GRO. I think they are the only ones who'll post to Australia.

I do have his baptism in August the same year at Mashbury and his father is James there, so all is fine there.

[Mary from Italy]

Did you see the submitted baptism entry on the IGI for a brother of the same name who died in infancy, father James?

[Harrys mum]

No....****off to IGI****

[Harrys mum]

Ahhhh Mary......not a brother.

That little William's mother was Eliza Ayley not Eliza Tunbridge.......I've come to know that family quite well.

[Mary from Italy]

Ah, right, sorry :(

[Harrys mum]

Don't be sorry, Mary..........................I was given a copy of the family tree done by a great aunt. She had that little fellow as my great grandfather......lol

Took me about four years to find he'd died and we had the wrong family.......lol

The problem is there are still people out there who refuse to believe he is not the right fellow.......

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

You could try emailing Chelmsford reg office and explain. If you send them a copy of the cert that will help them find it easily in their records and will prove you already paid for a copy!

The Register Office,
17 Market Road,
Chelmsford,
CM1 1GF.
Tel: 01245 430700. Fax: 01245 430707.
E-mail: chelmsford.ro@essexcc.gov.uk