Hi Jean, thank you for your reply. The information I have gathered from the census’ are that he was born in Upton as you pointed out from the 1901 census and that he was born in 1857. However in another census his name is listed as William James Howell and born in 1855, Margaret Jane is also listed as Jane Margaret…from this I assume the name mix up was just a census error as all the childrens’ names and DOBs are correct.

Unfortunately I cannot find any trace of James being born in Upton or surrounding areas for either of those dates and sadly the other ancestry tree is my cousin’s who has got incorrect information, a real pain when Ancestry keeps trying to give me ‘hints’!

I don’t know a huge amount about adoption in the 1800’s apart from there was no need for documentation which makes my search a real struggle if this story is to be believed. And although a child out of wedlock is not impossible (a female on my father’s side had 6 before marriage!) I agree that the Isle of Man residency does make it unlikely.

I wonder how my grandmother knew about Costain the builders…she lived her whole life in Malvern and none of my family would have any working connection to the Costain Group. After talking to my mother she said Costain the road builders?! It remains a mystery!