Lyn Geeves of Basildon writes: I am researching the Geeves family.  My husband's Grandfather, Edgar Geeves was born at Canning Town London in 1875.  His Father, Henry Geeves was married to Elizabeth Alderton on 25 June 1857 at Waltham Cross. (I found this on the IGI but from the census returns I know that their first-born son was born at Waltham Cross and Elizabeth was also born there).

1841 census info: Henry Geeves aged 9 - Father Henry Geeves (snr) Mother Alice Geeves living in Fish St Redbourn. 

1851 census info: Henry Geeves (snr) (Poulterer?) and Alice Geeves living at Fish St Redbourn but son Henry is not listed. 

1861 census info: Henry Geeves  from Redborn and Elizabeth Geeves from Waltham Cross, son Charles from Waltham Cross, living at Canning Town

IGI info: 24 May 1830  Henry Geaves m Alice Grace (note the change of spelling) and 1832 Son Henry Geeves born all of Redbourn.

I have no further information.  I would like to know if you have anything on your own personal database for these names and if you know how complete the parish records are for the Redbourn area.   Also, on researching other branches of the family tree in other areas I have confined ancestors to a certain village only to lose track when a parent has moved in from another parish and thus reached a dead end. - Any ideas.

A booklet "Redbourn Registers 1561-1974" was produced some years ago, apparently linked to a typed transcript of the earlier registers, and there are no gaps in the registers at periods directly relevant to your current research. You should check the HALS site for details of the registers they hold, and the familysearch site for details of the registers available to you on microfilm at your nearest LDS Family History Centre.

It may be that your query relates not to gaps in the registers but to the way they have been indexed and you should read The Limits of Familysearch, which also points to some other problems you may encounter. In the case of the parish of Redbourn some of the registers of potential interest to you are indexed on the British Vital Records Index.

As I am sure you will have noticed the 1851 census transcript for Redbourn shows that Henry (a poulterer) and Alice Geeves had a large family with Sarah (20), Frances (15), Rose (13), Alfred (10), Walter (8), William (6), James (4) and Agnes (9 months) and it is worth noting these names for the reasons given in The Inheritance of Single Christian Names. I expect several of these will be findable on the 1881 census.

In particular you may well have noticed that there was another James Geeves in Fish Street, Redbourn, in 1851. He was 61 years old (?? could be Henry senior's father or uncle ??) and a carrier, born in Redbourn. His wife was Frances (60, born St Albans). He is presumably the James Jeeves, carrier, listed under Redbourn in the 1850 Post Office Directory, and the James Jeeves of Fish Street who is listed as a carrier sending a waggon or cart to London every Thursday in the 1839 Pigot's directory. A James Jeeves, carrying goods from Redbourn to London on Monday and Thursday, is also listed in the 1823 Pigot's directory. Perhaps you noticed his details when you looked at the 1841 census.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.

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