Genealogy Chat

I am trying to trace Fanny Potters parents - I have found her with her exact DOB on 2 census but I can't make head or tail of the parents - or even if they are the same family.
Census 1861
Head – Frank Potter – no year of birth but age looks to be around 40
Elizabeth Potter - Wife - 1833
Martha Potter – 1831 daughter - widow
Arthur Potter – 1857 son
Fanny Potter – 1853 daughter
Hannah Potter – 1861 daughter
John Potter – 1859 son
Richard Potter – 1851 son
Sarah Ann Potter – 1861 daughter

Census 1871
Head - William Potter – 1819
Martha Potter – 1831 Wife
Fanny Potter – 1853 daughter
John Potter – 1871 – son of daughter
Mary Jane Potter – 1862 daughter
Sarah Potter – 1861 daughter
William Potter – 1852 son

thanks in advance

For info, so we have some idea of where to look.

You won't find an exact DOB on any census - just a year of birth and this is often out.

Census 1861, age 10 == b 1851, but as census was taken early part of the year, has more chance of actually being born 1850

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Nelson Street, Snenton, Radford, Nottinghamshire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Frank Potter Head Married Male - - Lace Maker Loughborough, Leicestershire, England
Elizabeth Potter Wife Married Female 28 1833 Needle Woman Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England
Richard Potter Son Unmarried Male 10 1851 Threader Cannington, Somerset, England
Elizabeth Potter Daughter Unmarried Female 4 1857 - Cannington, Somerset, England
John Potter Son Unmarried Male 2 1859 - Cannington, Somerset, England
Hannah Potter Daughter - Female 0 1861 - Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England
Martha Potter Daughter Widow Female 30 1831 Lace Mender Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England
Fanny Potter Daughter Unmarried Female 8 1853 - Carrington
Arthur Potter Son - Male 4 1857 - Carrington
Sarah Ann Potter Daughter - Female 1 1860 - Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England


** Have tick on FMP to show have looked up record before??

Censuses do not give DOB - only age, from which year of birth is estimated

POTTER, SARAH ANN WILDIN Order
GRO Reference: 1859 S Quarter in RADFORD Volume 07B Page 172

On your other thread re deceased online, you say she is married to Henry, father William? Can you give those marriage details please.

??
Although registration started in 1837, it was not until the latter 1870's that it became a 'must' - but even then not all were

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
POTTER, MARY JANE WILDIN Order
GRO Reference: 1861 D Quarter in RADFORD Volume 07B Page 170

POTTER, ARTHUR WILDEN Order
GRO Reference: 1856 S Quarter in BASFORD Volume 07B Page 117

I think there's another thread about this woman - rings bells for me.

Clearly two families in the household in 1861

Martha can't possible be Frank's daughter, on two counts

One: age
Two; if she was his daughter and a widow, her surname would be different

On the other thread re Fanny

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1371074

County Nottinghamshire
Place Nottingham
Church name (with link) St Mary
Register type (with link) Transcript
Marriage date 15 May 1880
Groom forename Henry
Groom surname CRESSWELL
Groom age 26
Bride forename Fanny
Bride surname POTTER
Bride age 27
Groom father forename Henry
Groom father surname CRESWELL
Bride father forename William
Bride father surname POTTER
Notes Bride signed X.
Transcribed by John Turton
Credit John Mellors

https://www.freereg.org.uk/

also on other thread posted by Chris Ho

Baptism
Place Carrington
Church name (with link) St John
Register type (with link) Unspecified
Baptism date 10 Apr 1864
Person forename Fanny
Person sex F
Father forename Thomas
Mother forename Martha
Father surname POTTER
Person abode Carrington
Father occupation Lace Maker

(also same below)

Mary Jane POTTER Baptism 10 Apr 1864
Sarah Ann POTTER Baptism 10 Apr 1864 Nottinghamshire
Richard POTTER Baptism 10 Apr 1864
Arthur POTTER Baptism 10 Apr 1864 Nottinghamshire Carrington

Another spanner in the works

POTTER, HANNAH WILDIN Order
GRO Reference: 1861 J Quarter in RADFORD Volume 07B Page 195

POTTER, JOHN WILDEN Order
GRO Reference: 1850 D Quarter in BASFORD Volume 15 Page 430

POTTER, RICHARD WILDEN Order
GRO Reference: 1851 J Quarter in BASFORD Volume 15 Page 472

POTTER, RICHARD WILDEN Order
GRO Reference: 1852 M Quarter in BASFORD Volume 02C Page 472

Marriages Jun 1850 (>99%)
Donald Elizabeth Basford 15 705
Peach Ann Basford 15 705
Potter Sarah Basford 15 705
Potter Thomas Basford 15 705**********************
PRICE William Basford 15 705
Spray Joseph Basford 15 705
WATHER Joseph Basford 15 705
Wildon Martha Basford 15 705***********************

Marriages Jun 1850 (>99%)
----------------------------------------------
Potter Thomas Basford 15 705
Wildon Martha Basford 15 705


County Nottinghamshire
Place Basford
Church name (with link) St Leodegarius
Register type (with link) Unspecified
Marriage date 19 May 1850
Groom forename Thomas
Groom surname POTTER
Bride forename Martha
Bride surname WILDON

Marriages Dec 1869 (>99%)
POTTER Martha Nottingham 7b 382
POTTER William Nottingham 7b 382

So Fanny named her stepfather when she married - not unusual.

Results:
Name: Age at Death (in years):
POTTER, THOMAS 31 Order
GRO Reference: 1861 M Quarter in RADFORD Volume 07B Page 123

I have Fanny Potters age/DOB from the headstone where she is buried with Henry Cresswell - I know that these 2 married as I have the original of Elizabeth's birth certificate.
I always search with at least a year either side if I don't have any other source.
William is named on the records as her father on Free Reg
County Nottinghamshire
Place (with link) Nottingham

Church name (with link) St Mary

Register type (with link) Transcript

Marriage date 15 May 1880
Groom forename Henry
Groom surname CRESSWELL
Groom age 26
Bride forename Fanny
Bride surname POTTER
Bride age 27
Groom father forename Henry
Groom father surname CRESWELL
Bride father forename William
Bride father surname POTTER
Notes Bride signed X.
Transcribed by John Turton
Credit John Mellors
File line number 6579

@ Erika H I had wondered if there was a 2nd marriage somewhere

You can't even rely on headstones having the correct information. On one of my grandmothers headstones it says she died age 44 - she was 42.

On my other grandmother's headstone it says she died 21st June - she died 4th June.

I have both birth certificates and both death certificates.

Even certificates can't always be relied on. The first of the grandmothers above added 5 years to her age when she married (there was a 19 year age difference between her and her husband). I don't think he ever knew her true age - hence the wrong age on her headstone!

Kath. x

First name(s) Martha
Last name Wildin
Birth year -
Baptism year 1830
Baptism date 13 Aug 1830
Denomination Anglican
Church St Stephen
Baptism place Sneinton
Father's first name(s) Robert
Father's last name Wildin
Mother's first name(s) Frances
Mother's last name Wildin
Residence Old Snenton
County Nottinghamshire
Country England

Martha's parents


1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Spring Place, Basford, Nottinghamshire, England

Robert Wildin Head Married Male 56 1805 Machine Smith Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Frances Wildin Wife - Female 57 1804 Needle Woman Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England


and siblings etc

1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
King Street, Basford, Nottinghamshire, England

Robert Wheldon Head Married Male 47 1804 Machine Smith Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Frances Wheldon Wife Married Female 47 1804 Machine Smith's Wife Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Alice Wheldon Daughter Unmarried Female 18 1833 Lace Mender Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Eliza Wheldon Daughter Unmarried Female 15 1836 Lace Mender Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Robert Wheldon Son Unmarried Male 14 1837 Machine Smith Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Hannah Wheldon Daughter - Female 12 1839 Lace Mender Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
John Wheldon Son - Male 10 1841 Scholar Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Harriett Wheldon Grand Daughter - Female 3 1848 Scholar Carrington, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription
Richard Slaney Lodger Unmarried Male 21 1830 Machine Smith Carrington, Nottinghamshire, England Transcription