I am trying to trace the parents of Herbert James Cole, (who married Catherine Snow in Liverpool in 1928).

He was born in 1900. I cannot find a single census record for him. I know he was the Sunday School Superintendent of Bunyan Meeting in Bedford. (They gave him a clock on "the occasion of his marriage."

I know the COLE family had their own family pew in this chapel (having seen it as a child). They lived in a road an easy walk to the river, we always crossed the bridge fairly close - Howbury Street it was.

I am pretty confident his father and upwards on the paternal line were all Herbert, as it's written in an old book we have.

Can anyone shed any light at all, and any information on Bunyan Meeting late 1880s-1920s would be very much appreciated.

I think Herbert James' sister was Lily, who had a half-sister Alice. Lily didn't marry. Maybe Lilian? There is a tree with Herbert and Lilian on, but the dates are wrong.

1901 census
68 The Grove Bedford
Sarah Wooding head widow 63 b Northants Blington
Hubert T Cole son in law marr 30 Commercial traveller timber b Thaxted Essex
Mary E Cole dau marr 30 b Bedford
Hubert J Cole grandson 7mths b Bedford
Florence E Sykes single mother's help b Thurleigh Beds (see below)

Herbert Thomas Cole m Mary Elizabeth Wooding BEdford June quarter 1899

Mary Elizabeth Cole age 37 died at Bedford June quarter 1908

Herbert Thomas Cole married Florence Elizabeth Sykes at Bedford Sept quarter 1909

Herbert Thomas Cole of 147 Howbury St, Bedford died on 23 Dec 1931. His wife Florence Elizabeth Cole was one of the executors

They show in the 1911 index without a problem Herbert Thomas Cole 40, Florence Elizabeth Cole 30; Herbert James Cole 10; Katharine Mary Cole 8; Lily Butlin Cole 7; Alice Elizabeth Cole 2 mths

I have a book about the Bunyan Meeting but there's no mention of any Coles in it

Further to info David gave...father Herbert Thomas Cole in 1901 is shown to be born in Thaxted Essex. So...here he is in 1881.It seems Herbert Thomas Cole's father is not another Herbert but Joshua George Cole.
Living at Tannery, Great Dunmow Essex
Joshua Geo. COLE Head 41 Thaxted, Essex, Builder Valuer Employing 4 Men And 1 Boy
Mary Ann COLE Wife 38 Colchester,Essex Builders Wife
Henry Geo. COLE Son 15 Thaxted,Essex Builders Son
Agnes Mary COLE Daur 12 Thaxted,Essex Scholar
Herbert Thos.COLE Son 10 Thaxted,Essex Scholar
Clara Annie COLE Daur 8 Thaxted,Essex Scholar
Emily Bertha COLE Daur 6 Gt Dunmow, Essex Scholar
Florence Julia COLE Daur 4 Gt Dunmow,Essex Scholar
Elizabeth Rose COLE Daur 2 Gt Dunmow, Essex
Mercy Jane COLE Daur 11 w Gt Dunmow, Essex
Laura Louisa BRADBROOK Servant Springfield Essex

The family has moved to Bedfordshire by 1891-Thomas's parents die in Bedfordshire as shown on Free BMD
Deaths:
Joshua G. Cole Dec 1915 Bedford Reg. Vol 3b pg 385(age 76)
Mary A. Cole Mar 1898 Bedford Reg. Vol 3b pg 224 (age 55)
Thomas's parents marriage:
Mar qtr 1864 Colchester Reg.
Joshua G. Cole
Mary Ann Seabrook
So the family appears to be an Essex family originally,that move to Bedfordshire before 1891.
Interestingly I found Joshua & Mary mentioned on Essex History House site
http://www.historyhouse.co.uk/placeT/essext04v.html
Case
Defendent:Thomas Merritt 26 stone mason
Victim's:Mary Ann Cole,John William Cole,Joshua George Cole
Fraud
Thaxted
Calendars of prisoners for Essex Quarter Sessions, Essex Assizes and Special Sessions of Gaol Delivery,
1866 Q/SMc 9, Essex Record Office

Hope this helps
Pamela

Hello

Thank you very much for this effort, and apologies for the delay in getting back to you - I have to do this in little chunks (like most I guess) otherwise I would be easily distracted by it!

The thing I am having trouble with now, is finding Herbert Thomas Cole on the 1901 census.

What I know is that he married twice, my grandfather Herbert James, his sister Mary (Katharine Mary) and Lily, were all half siblings to Alice, ie, Florence was their step mother.

I have no trace of either marriage!

Many thanks for anything anyone can do!

Thank you for both of your posts, and clarifications, I have grasped it now.

There was definitely a "Cole" pew, I remember seeing it labelled!