[Michael]

Originally Posted by Merry

Sorry, didn't see you there Phoenix!

Having looked at other threads here, this is def the right man:

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bi...try&h=13803967

as his son, James, marries Selina Protheroe (sp?) and there's a thread about her.

Originally Posted by Merry

So, as you said, Phoenix, he married too soon to give his father's details. I suppose we need to know his age from all available censuses.

Yes, that's the one. The reason he's so tricky to pin down is that his given age never increased by exactly 10 from one census to the next!

1841: 25

1851: 40 (his name was crossed out on the form - presumably because he was at sea on census night - and Catherine's written instead, but the birthplace is given as Exeter which is definitely his not hers, so I'd guess the age also refers to him)

1861: 48

1871: 62

1881: 70

Catherine died in 1872; in 1881 Robert is living with Ethel Alice Norman, who is recorded as his wife - although I haven't found any record of their marriage. Find A Grave has an Ethel A Norman buried in Swansea in 1883, which might well be her but I wouldn't be too confident of it. I'm more certain of Robert's death: 5th October 1884, Swansea. Unfortunately all my certs are at home so I can't check what age was recorded on there.

Based on the above, potentially born any time from 1809 to 1816. At least he's consistent with his birthplace, which is always recorded as Exeter.