*To Be Archived 24hrs*Getting about a bit

[Carpet Weaver]

Dear All,

I have only just discovered you.

I've been doing this for about five years now and have discovered more than I ever thought possible, thanks to sites like this, through which I have met two fifth cousins once removed (apparently!), to say nothing of the many other willing helpers. Aren't we a nice lot, us genealogists!

I have my father's line (CLEE) back to the middle ages (Ithink that counts as done!), which has taken me to Halifax, Worcestershire, Somerset, Leicestershire (bit sticky, that one), the servants' quarters of the Lincolnshire seat of a Lord Lieutenant of England, and America (we were on the frontier at the time of the Civil War and my great-aunt Sarah would almost certainly have seen and voted for Lincoln).

But my mother's is a bit more difficult. She was a TEALE of Halifax but by the time I write about they are TEAL - no E, we knew about this, although some aberrations occur. Two of us have independently got back to a single mother, Elizabeth TEAL, who had three children in the 1840s. I love this woman. She makes no bones about her sins and never hides that she is an unmarried mother, which must have taken some guts - or obstinacy. But she is a clam. She never mentions her parents (she eventually married her next-door neighbour) and information on the various children's various fathers is dubious, to say the least. The eldest was born to a soldier (which is probably true and would explain the rest of the story) but there is no father mentioned on any other birth or baptism. There is no father on the eldest's marriage certificate but the other two give "Thomas TEAL (deceased)" and "Charles TEAL". By this time, Elizabeth was a SHAW but had declared herself a spinster on her marriage, which was long after the children were born. So why make up names using her own maiden name? But was it the name she was born with? On every census she says she was born in the same place - Lightcliffe - but there are only two churches thereabouts and there's no sign of the baptism of an Elizabeth TEAL (her age is consistent though suspiciously round - 30, 40, 50...). I wonder if she took on the name from one of the fathers?

As usual, I'm confusing myself, hence the post. Another point of view would be very welcome, however outlandish.

[Northern Lass]

Hi Carpet Weaver and welcome to the Forum

I will ask for this to be moved to general disussion where we post any general queries on family history research
we also have lots of other sections to help you hopefully!

If you scroll down the board we have a Black Country Genealogy section so any from that area stick a post there.

Quite a few of us are involved in a Black Country Connections tree seeing how we all link together
click on my website logo to be taken to that website

So good to have you with us

[Jimmy]

You found us then. Welcome.

[grangers14]

Can anyone add anything to this?
Jo