Answers

DARVILLE/DODD, [Hertford], mid 19th century

June 2001

Lucille Robinson (lue80 @t hotmail.com) of Brighton, East Sussex, reports that submitted IGI records (on familysearch) say that William Taylor DARVILLE was born in 1843 at Starch Green, St Stephen, Hertford; Fanny DODD was born 1847 Starch Green, St Stephen, Hertford; and William Taylor DARVILLE married Fanny DODD on 4 Oct 1868 St Stephen, Hammersmith. She has confirmed the marriage is indexed at the GRO as Dec 1868 Dist. 1a  85. Their 6th child, George Frederick DARVILLE was born 15 Mar 1882, Hammersmith. The confusion is caused by different information on William and Fanny, also posted on the IGI. I have tried to contact the submitter of this information with no success.

My hope is, that as the mystery unfolds, I can verify that William is the son of John DARVILLE and Charlotte TAYLOR (m. Old Church, St Pancras 26.5.1833). John being the brother of Thomas who married Eliza SLOW, who's origins lie in Hemel Hempstead.

I am afraid that you appear to have been led astray by some of the many errors in submitted data on the IGI. There is no Starch Green or St Stephen at Hertford - but there was a Starch Green and a St Stephen in Hammersmith - which is where William and Fanny were married. If the following record [Source: FHL Film 1341013 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 0057 Folio 57 Page 43] from the 1881 census CD of a family living at 5 York Road, Hammersmith, is yours, there would appear to be no obvious connection with Hertfordshire:

William DARVILLE, 35, builders labourer, born "Missendon" [possibly Great Missenden], Bucks
Fanny DARVILLE, wife, born Hornsey, Middlesex
Five children Alice (11), William (8), Elizabeth (5), John (3) and Rose (1) - all born at Hammersmith, all but Rose recorded as scholars.
Mary A. YOUNG, widow, lodger, laundress, born Alverstoke, Hampshire

Your action should be to buy the marriage certificate whose reference you have - which will give the father's names of William and Fanny - and to read the web pages The Limits of Familysearch and The Dangers of Internet Genealogy.

See also SLOW/BUCK, Flamstead/Hemel Hempstead area, 1500-2001

Lucille Robinson (lue80 @t hotmail.com) responded Thank you for your very informative answer to my DARVILL/DODD query.
They are the family residing in Hammersmith in 1881 so it has helped me a lot.
Thanks too for drawing attention to the SLOW/BUCK tree.  My Thomas SLOW is, in fact, the older brother of William. Some months ago I made contact with Karen, who also helped me, and we were thrilled to learn that we are distant cousins.
I browse your site regularly and must congratulate you on your knowledge and your willingness to share it.