Mary Ann Harper is my great grandmother on my father's side. The earliest record I have of her is her marriage in April 1883 to John Stanley Wright (who was born Stanley Reynolds Wright, and variously called himself Stanley or John Stanley in later life, but that's another matter!). At her marriage, she gave her father's name as James Harper (deceased) and her age as 18, giving a year of birth of circa 1864 or 1865. In the censuses in 1891 and 1901 she gave her place of birth as Dudley, Staffordshire, and ages consistent with a year of birth between 1863 and 1865. But I haven't been able to find her conclusively in the 1871 or 1881 censuses, and I can't find a record of a Mary Ann Harper born in the right period in the right area with a father James...

Except, that is, for Mary Ann Harper born in Darlaston to James and Betsy Harper in December 1865. But she is single and resident with her parents in both 1891 and 1901, so doesn't seem likely to be my Mary Ann Harper.

Did my Mary Ann invent a father at her wedding, to conceal the fact that she was illegitimate? Was she not born in Dudley at all? Or have I missed her somewhere along the line?

Margaret Ellen Roberts is my grandmother on my mother's side, and I have traced her marriage (to Thomas Jones in 1924) and her death (in 1931), both in Merthyr Tydfil. At her marriage, she gave her age as 26 and named her father as Henry Roberts (deceased), Slate Quarryman. At her death, her age was given (by her mother-in-law) as 26 again!

So her birth lies somewhere between circa 1897 and 1905, and most likely at the early end of that range — why would she have lied at her marriage, especially as the age she did give was 8 years older than her 18-year old husband?

Searching the 1901 census and birth records gives me two candidates:

1. Margaret Roberts, aged 3; born in Bontnewydd Carnarvon; living in Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil; the daughter of Henry Roberts a Coal Hewer Under Ground. This Margaret's birth certificate shows her as Margaret Ellen born in August 1897. I haven't found a death for her father yet; at various times in his life he was also a Labourer, a General labourer, and a Coal Miner.

2. Margaret E Roberts, aged 2, born and living in Troedyrhiw Merthyr Tydfil, the daughter of Mary Roberts widow. This Margaret's birth certificate shows her as Margaret Ellen born in December 1898, in the same house that she lived in two years later, with father Henry Roberts a Colliery Timberman. Her father died in the same house in January 1899; at various times in his life was a Coal Miner, a Lead Miner and a Collier.

So the occupation of Slate Quarryman doesn't really fit for either of the fathers, both of whom were born in North Wales, so could conceivably have quarried slate in their youth... And the birth dates for both candidates fit.

I've tentatively settled on candidate 1, because Bontnewydd is at least in North Wales, and Mum once said her mother had been born near Machynlleth, and because the Cefn Coed connection matches some vague statements made by my mother about her childhood. But I need to prove it conclusively one way or the other before I invest further effort in this branch of the family.