[jonwicken]

Hi Lindsay,

Thanks for your reply and for giving me the age on the 1845 death certificate. The Richard Bellinger who married Hannah Wilkins was 30 on his 1843 death certificate which ties in with the 1841 census (where his age is not rounded down) for him to be born in 1812-1813. He therefore does not appear to be either of the two baptisms.

I am wondering if it is possible that both the 1804 and 1817 (born 1803) baptisms are for your Richard. I know this may sound a bit confusing but I think this could be possible.

As the baptism was in 1817 when the child was said to be 14, it seems to me that it could have been done then in relation to an apprenticeship. According to the certificate if Richard was born in 1803 he would have been 14 and this was the age children were usually apprenticed.

But what if his parents wanted him to be apprenticed but he wasn't yet 14? The Richard born and baptised in 1804 would only have been 13. With no one knowing any different, could it be possible that the parents had him baptised a second time but this time giving an older date of birth to 'make' him 14.

It may sound unlikely but a teenage child was a financial 'burden' and it does seem a bit unlikely that there were two Richard and Hannah Bellingers, neither of whose marriage can be found.

Anyway, just a thought.

Jon