Thanks Jean for your reply and google search. From the last google search, it appears that Thomas L joined the RN as a boy in 1866-8, which means he must have been born early 1850's not in 1864. I have sinced received further information that Thomas was in the African Campaign-on "Rattlesnake" at Ashantee 1873-1874 and Bombardent of Alexandria in 1822 when he was a Petty Officer. on "Inflexible". I think the only census he could be on would be in 1861 and that he may have been born between about 1852-1854. Grace