My Great Grandfather BRANTON, Thomas was born in England on 24 March 1845 to James & Ann BRANTON. Family has told me that he was born in Corwall or Devon. Have not found any trace of him in those two areas :help: Please

I couldn't resist your headline grabbing "24 year brick wall"!

I have recently had some success in re-visiting FreeBMD. I have found two direct ancestors that were just not there in my previous searches, so obviously a good number of records continue to be transcribed.

I have searched for your Thomas Branton and found the following, and all details fit. Have you seen this entry before and discounted it for some reason?

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page

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Births Mar 1845
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BRANTON Thomas Bideford 10 63

Jan

If you think what Jans found is likely,let me know and I will look in Bideford parish church records for a baptism in 1845 and see if the parents match those you have given :D

I can only find one Thomas Branton 1845 +/- 5 years in either Devon or Cornwall.
The above birth registration in the BMD is the same one as in the 1851 and 1861 census below, the problem is he was the son of Richard and Jane- not James and Ann.

1851 England Census
Registration district: Bideford
Sub-registration district: Bideford

Name Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish County/Island

Richd Branton abt 1801 Hartland, Devon, England Head Hartland Devon
Jane Branton abt 1811 Hartland, Devon, England Wife Hartland Devon
James Branton abt 1838 Hartland, Devon, England Son Hartland Devon
William Branton abt 1841 Hartland, Devon, England Son Hartland Devon
Thomas Branton abt 1845 Hartland, Devon, England Son Hartland Devon
Sofia Branton abt 1849 Hartland, Devon, England Daughter Hartland Devon


1861 England Census

Name Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish County/Island

Ann Kimpthorne abt 1817 Moorwinstow, Cornwall, England Head Morwenstow Cornwall
Mary Kimthorne abt 1841 Moorwinstow, Cornwall, England Daughter Morwenstow Cornwall

William Grills abt 1843 Moorwinstow, Cornwall, England Servant Morwenstow Cornwall
Mary Mugford abt 1784 Moorwinstow, Cornwall, England Lodger Morwenstow Cornwall
Matilda Trick abt 1846 Poughill, Cornwall, England Servant Morwenstow Cornwall
Thomas Branton abt 1846 Hartland, Devon, England Servant Morwenstow Cornwall

In the parish registers of Hartland there is no Thomas Branton baptised anywhere around 1845.

Found this though

02-Apr 1828
Richard Branton bachelor Hartland to Jane Branton spinster Hartland Witnesses William Branton (mark of) Samuel Cloutman signed
both bride and groom made their mark

The 1851 census above says Thomas was born in Hartland, but in
Registration district: Bideford
Sub-registration district: Bideford

So the Bideford registration would be the same Thomas.

Births Mar 1845
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BRANTON Thomas Bideford 10 63

I think what ramases meant was that Hartland might not have been his true birth place or he wasnt baptised,which would confirm parents.

OH!!! ok- lol- makes sense. (blush)