Until about five years ago I was unaware that my family had any Dorset connections.

I moved to Weymouth in 1959, with my parents thinking we were all London based.

I had my first computer six years ago and I started looking into my family tree.

I discovered a long history of family in Sherborne with a family name of Aman/Amans (some various spellings).

This family are on my mother’s side, my great grand mother being Elizabeth Amans, born 1848 in Sherborne but moving to London after marriage to Fred Faithfull.

I now have about 120 people in this tree going back to Mary Amans, born about 1685 in Sherborne who never married but had three illegitimate children, Rebecca 1708, William 1710 (my 5 times great grand father) and Simon 1720.

My problem is that I have found another family from Sherborne, also called Amans but cannot find a connection to my family.

I have traced this family back to Thomas Amans, also illegitimate, born 1809 and married to Keziah Deacon, born 1811.

They had seven children, Merrit, b.1823, Elias b.1834, James, b.1836, Racheal, b.1838, Maria, b.1840, George b.1843 and Thomas (no birth date).

Given the unusual surname and the fact that Sherborne is a small market town, even smaller over 200 years ago, there must surely be a connection even if it is farther back in time than I have been able to get.

I suspect that the Thomas 1809 in the second family is a brother of one of my family or the connection is farther back in time.

I have about 48 people in this second family.

Can anyone with family tree knowledge or local Sherborne history knowledge help me with this very intriguing problem?

Contact peewee14h@outlook.com

Peter Walker

Chafeys Avenue,

Weymouth