James Fage born c1851, Bedfordshire

Another sticking point. According to his marriage certificate, my great-great grandfather James William Fage was the son of John Fage. James was known as Jim or Jem and was born around 1850-53 in Biggleswade (1871 census), Beeston (1881 census) or Girtford (1891 and 1901 censuses). He married Sarah Willsher in July 1870 in Sandy, Bedfordshire; his age is recorded as 19 years, suggesting an 1851 birthdate. James' father is shown as a John Fage, a Labourer like his son. Jim Fage was found drowned in the River Ivel in 1902; his age is given as 50 on his death certificate.



James' birth around 1850 is proving elusive. There is a record in the BMD indexes for the September quarter 1853 (3b 279) and another in September 1851, also in Biggleswade, for a John Fage. I ordered this certificate (I can't remember why I did this rather than order the certificate for James. Anyway, John is shown as the son of John Fage, a labourer, and Elizabeth (nee Cocking), and was born in Biggleswade itself. So this could be James' brother ... or not!



John and Elizabeth were married in Northill, Bedfordshire on 13 June 1846 (IGI parish extract). The IGI has a christening record for Elizabeth Cocking, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Cocking, at Sandy on 23 April 1820. The IGI has no obvious birth/christening records for James or his father John.



Maybe it's time to order the James Fage certificate from 1853.