Parish records
Ordering a marriage certificate. John Hall and Isabella Johnson's marriage certificate was obtained, giving details of their ages at the time. Furthermore, John's father was named as George Hall, also a mason, suggesting a family profession. It appeared that the family had originated in Brancepeth, a parish in County Durham.
Using parish records. John's date of birth from his age at marriage was taken to be 1822. This left Michelle with a problem, as his birth lay outside the scope of official registered certificates, which had only been introduced in England in September 1837. Her voyage of discovery led her back to where her family had originated. Michelle travelled to Durham Record Office, where the relevant parish records were stored, in the hope of finding further details of John's baptism and his parents' marriage.
Value of indexing. Luckily, the parish registers for Brancepeth were indexed, and Michelle quickly located the relevant entry. John Hall was baptised on 21 March 1824 - two years later than assumed - to George and Mary Hall, residents of a small hamlet within the parish called Willington. Also listed was an older sister, Isabella, who was baptised on Christmas Day 1821. Their parents were listed as residents of Brandon, another hamlet, but their itinerant lifestyle ultimately frustrated Michelle in her search for either new siblings or the couple's marriage.
Published: 2004-09-13
