Hi Jean

I have a birth certificate for the Gladys that married Claude Henry Joughin. She was born 30th July 1901 F. John James Starkey M. Elizabeth Mary Quayle.

I don't have a cert for the other Gladys, but have seen the entry (I think in Brian's lists) of Gladys Starkey, F Thomas Henry M. Sarah Heaney (my gt gt Grandmother). This Gladys turns up as a witness (with my Grandad James Heaney) at the wedding of Lily (Margaret) to Hubert Geoffrey Lace (of the Lhen). It is this Gladys I knew as a child, living in a big house on Windsor Mount, overlooking the Mooragh Park - she never married.

Margaret (Lily) Lace was actually the daughter (illeg.) of my gt Grandmother Jessie, born at 7 Church St Ramsey 18th Feb 1904 - not the daughter of John James and Elizabeth (that Lily died age 4 months) She (my Lily) and her husband died of flu in 1975 - at Hillside Cottage, Andreas - informant was her sister, my Auntie Laura (also sister to my Grandad James Heaney).

You can now see where my confusion comes from! Both John James' and Thomas Henry's lines used virtually the same names for all their offspring - this makes it very difficult to know which John or James or Thomas etc one has found.

I have no doubt whatsoever that I am linked to both, but how exactly John James and Thomas Henry are related, I have no idea. At first I assumed they were brothers, but although both names show up in both households, the dates don't match (even allowing for the ambiguous dating in the census entries). I'm now working on the assumption that maybe they were cousins - but again, with such similar names running throughout, it's very hard to pinpoint. However - you could be right, and it's all just coincidence!

Jemima (Cain) mother of John James is proving impossible to locate - she shows up on no census or BMD that I have found, as anything other than Starkey - I can't find her prior to her marriage to William. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places?

Anyway, I am coming over on 6th Sept. and hope to do some serious 'digging'. It would be nice to have got as much info as possible before I arrive, as then I can just use my paltry week on the Island filling in any gaps....we shall see!

Thanks for your interest!

Regards, Maggie