Rosemary Hill (Dinasaur3 @t aol.com) of Hastings says: My great grandmother was Mabel Rose Catherine AYLOTT and married George Henry HILL in 1920 at St. Mary's church in Hitchin. According to her daughter Mabel's mother's name was Ruth. However she did not know her maiden name as her mother died when she was only a child and was unable to tell her. I would like to know what her maiden name was and who her husband was and where they lived.

The information you want should be relatively easily available to you if you purchase the appropriate birth and marriage certificates from HALS - coupled with the use of the online censuses.

In particular I note that a search of the 1901 census shows that there was a 3 year old Mabel Aylott living at Weston (near Hitchin) who may well be your great grandmother. A visit to the census web site will allow you to purchase a copy of the census return. This will give you details of the whole household - probably including her parents and siblings. Because she was born and married in Hertfordshire you should be able to purchase the relevant certificates from HALS, and these (possibly plus some further certificates) should allow you to locate the previous generation in the 1881 census. You may well find that by repeating this process you can follow your ancestors back to the start of civil registration without too much difficulty. You may well find that some of the other advice pages on this site are of use to you.

March 2003

Mrs Glen Hickson (Glen.Hickson @t btinternet.com) writes:  Mabel, spelt Mable is shown on the 1901 Census, aged 8 living in Hitchin with John 51 an engine fitter, Ruth 42, Frederick 11 and Charles 7. All born Hitchin except Ruth (Ippollitts)

The following is from the Hitchin St Mary Parish Register.
7/8/1892 Mabel Rose Catherine AYLOTT d. John/Ruth Parcell's Yard Engine Fitter.
Frederick John was baptised on the same day.

In 1881, John AYLOTT 30 was unmarried, an engineer's lab., living at Parcell's Yard with his mother and handicapped brother.
Sarah Plaiter W. 70 Silsoe Beds
Charles Nil   U. 33 Hitchin     Idiot

The only Ruth b. Ippollitts aged c.22 is living in the following family at Titmore Green, Little Wymondley.

John BIRD Coal Merch M 49 Ippollitts
Catherine      Wife  M 49 Lt Wymondley
Ruth      Plaiter    U 22 Ippollitts
Joseph    Ag Lab     U 21    "
Julia     Plaiter      17    "
Rosetta      "         13    "
Edith                  12    "
William                 9    "

Given Mabel's middle names of Rose and Catherine; this could be the correct Ruth.

Checking FreeBMD: a John AYLOTT marries in Dec Qtr 1888 in Hitchin with the same ref. as a Ruth HOWARD- 3a 645.
Not immediately encouraging but further checking shows a Ruth BIRD marrying in Sep Qtr 1883 in Hitchin with the same ref. as a George HOWARD- 3a 533. Unfortunately I was thrown off the site before I could check if George had died.

As Chris says, purchasing the certs. will confirm or refute this.

November 2004

Pauline Lee (tlee @t lemaitre.com) writes My name prior to marriage was Aylott (DOB 1949)  I am aware that my family were in Weston and indeed looking through the details I have been able to ascertain so far, I had a great aunt called Mabel Victoria DOB 1897 whose married name was Garrett.  She had a number of siblings called Agnes Dorothy (Single), Bernard married Gerturde Bodsworth (My grandparents), Sidney, George William and Thomas.  It appears there were 4 other children born, (no names known).

Thanks for your contribution. It confirms that there were two Mabel Ayott living in or near Hitchin in 1901 - and it would be interested to know if they are related in an earlier generation.

=======================

Colin Wilson (crwilson @t btinternet.com) writes: Rosetta Bird was my greatgrandmother, and married my greatgrandfather Alfred Charles Wilson in 1892. He came from Hatchen Green Harpenden. They had 2 sons- Harold William (my grandfather) & Alfred John. In 1901, they took over a bakers at 60 & 62 Holywell Hill,  St Albans. Rosetta died in 1902 & is buried in St Albans Hatfield Rd Cemetery. My greatgrandfather then married Florence(?) & had 4 daughters.

As this is effectively a new thread it is appropriate to show the 1901 census entry for the Wilson family living at 60 Holywell Hill, St Albans

You should be able to find Florence's maiden name by buying the birth certificate of any of the girls. It should then be straightforward to find the marriage certificate, and almost certainly Florence (under her maiden name) in the 1891 and 1901 census. See the Tutorial for examples of how to do this.