Trying to find Granfather s family
 

Hi , I have come up with a puzzler . My grandfather James Moss was born in Pemberton in approx 1887 , but so was another James moss . I know he married Jane Whalley in approx 1906 at Wigan register office . But I would like to find out which family tree I should follow . It is a puzzler for me as I haven't got a lot of info on him . Any help would be gratefully received. Thanks

Welcome to the forum Qwackers!

The obvious route would be to purchase a copy of his marriage cert as this should supply you with his father's name, so unless both father's have the same name and occupation you should easily be able to get on the right track.

Having said that, I'll have a look to see if there's anything else that might help....

In 1911 there are two (as you said)

James Moss b 1885 Pemberton married to Elizabeth Ann for 5 years

and James Moss b 1887 Pemberton married to Jane for 3 years

So, the second one is yours (the marriage for him and Jane was in 1908)

The first James has a boarder named Jane Moss b 1844 Winstaley, Lancashire. I wondered if she is actually a relation which might be a clue. Of course she could easily be a relation of both James's! lol

On to look at something else....

Things are worse in 1901 as there are three James Moss entries b Pemberton around the same date:

James parents George and Margaret b 1885
James parents Thomas and Elizabeth b 1888
James parents James and Margaret b 1888

Do you know when your James died? Was it after 1939? I could see if he is on the 1939 register with his date of birth?

He's here in 1911; curiously, both James Moss' are hewers at the local colliery.

The other James Moss is here in 1911, with wife Elizabeth.

Going back, I'd suggest - with no evidence, so take this with a pinch of salt - that your grandfather is here in 1891 and here in 1901; I say this because his mother is called Margaret and he has sisters named Mary Jane and Margaret, and your grandfather later had children of the same names.

Gosh, I hadn't realised just how common his name would be in Wigan district!!

There are loads of them! The sub-district is called Pemberton. I don't know if I can separate off the birth entries in that sub-district using Lancs BMD?

You're brave James! We don't want the wrong one at this level of the tree! (Well, we don't want the wrong person at any point obviously, but you know what I mean!)

James, in 1901 there are two James Moss entries with mother Margaret!

Maybe more than a pinch, then. ;)

(I do like naming patterns, though -- if the OP knows of a history of using the same names for children through the family tree then odds are that Margaret Ann and Mary Jane are a useful clue).

- James I'm not saying what your saying is wrong, just that no one wants the wrong grandfather (or great-grandparents) on their tree, so we need to be close to 100% sure!

What else can we do? Buying the marriage cert is the easiest way.....:D

Can we find a church marriage for the James who married Elizabeth Ann and eliminate one father/family?

I have to go and look at cooking something now. Back later.