I've being trying to track down the baptisms of the children of Louisa HOLFORD (nee GREEN in 1866) who lived in the May Hill area. In 1883 she married John HOLFORD and they had five children between then and 1892. John died in 1893 and in 1894 she married Mark HOLFORD and they had a further nine children between then and 1909. The baptisms of the last eight of the second family are on this site, seven in Taynton and one in Longhope, although the father is sometimes transcribed as Martin rather than Mark. However, there seems to be no record of the earliest of Mark's children (also Mark, born in 1895)or any of John's. On the baptismal record of Mark's second child (John HALFORD sic, bap. 28/06/1896 at Taynton) there is a memorandum "Baptisms at the Mission Room May Hill 1899". Is it possible that all the previous children were baptised at this Mission Room, separate records were kept and these are no longer extant? Kelly records in 1923 that a Mission Hall was built at May Hill in 1879 but there seems to be little further information about it.I have, of course, thought about the possibility that none of the missing children were actually baptised or were baptised out of the area but family sources indicate this is not very likely. I have also made the assumption that there are no gaps in the relevant transcribed records. Any rays of light would be greatly appreciated.

http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bmd/

Births: HOLFORD - mother's maiden name GREEN (21 children in total) from 1884 til 1912 -

1884 - Mildred Kate - Gloucester, Huntley **
1886 - Herbert William - Gloucester Huntley
1887 - Edward John - Gloucester, Huntley
1890 - Elsie - Gloucester, Huntley **
1892 - Ernest - Gloucester, Huntley
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1894 - Mark HOLFORD - Forest of Dean, Gloucester, Newnham

1891 Census, Longhope,
Huntley, May Hill

HOLFORD

John - 31 - Gen. Lab. born Taynton
Louisa - 25 - born Huntley
Mildred Kate - 6 - born Longhope
Edward John - 3 - born Longhope
Elsie - 1 - born Longhope **

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(Gloucestershire accent - not sounding their H's)

ALFORD - Longhope - 17 August 1884

Mildred Kate -

parents : John (labourer) & Lousa
residence: LONGHOPE

Elsie's baptism at LONGHOPE - 2 March 1890

ALFORD

parents: John (labourer) & Louisa,

residence: Longhope

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all the children are christened ALFORD at Longhope

Herbert William - 21 February 1886
Edward John - 18 January 1888
Ernest - 10 April 1892
Mark - 23 December 1894 (parents: Mark & Louisa)

Solved in a flash! Soundex didn't get to grips with that one. I suppose I've been away from Gloucestershire for so long that the missing h didn't occur to me. Many thanks.

With Gloucestershire grandparents and Wiltshire born myself - we never sounded our H's either, so it seemed worth trying - but you can also put a % in the surname box - and just a christian name - and approx date and place - this often works.