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Missing marriage

Posted by Lesley Whiteman on 17/4/2018, 3:34 pm

Hello all
I am searching for a marriage between John Parnell and Martha Douse(Doust). I have browsed through parish registers on Find my past and Ancestry with no luck.They may have met in Paignton as they are on the 1861 census separately.I next find them in Wolborough in 1871 census,this states that they are married. Their only child John was baptised at Bovey Tracey April 1872. By 1881 Martha and her son John are working on a farm owed by William Bastow at Lower Brimley. Her Husband John being in the asylum at Exeter due to a fall from a horse.Martha gets baptised again Sept 1888 at Bovey Tracey, which states she is Parnell by marriage.I also have Johns birth cert which confirms Martha Parnell formally Doust as his mother.I have more info ,but does anyone have any suggestions on where else I can look please.
Lesley wh

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Lin on 18/4/2018, 5:13 pm, in reply to "Missing marriage"

There is a marriage on FreeBMd, Totnes registration district, June qtr 1864 5B 339, which only shows one spouse. There are normally 4 entries per page. It may be worth applying to the GRO for the marriage certificate, clearly stating the known bride and groom, the GRO will not issue a cert if the information given does not match. Civil registration started in 1837, so the marriage may well have taken place in the Register Office.

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Lesley Whiteman on 18/4/2018, 7:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

Dear Lin Thank you for your response. I think I will take your advice about applying to the GRO.
I think I found the marriage you suggested on Find My Past this says the spouse was Mary Jane Boon.But it is possible that there was a mistake.It may take time but I think the GRO index is my best bet. They check one year either side. And as you say no charge unless the names match.These were my 2X great grandparents,so it would be good if I could find this. Again many thanks I will post again if I have any luck, but it could take time.
Lesley

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Karen Newman on 18/4/2018, 8:22 pm, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

I think that this couple did marry. If you check the 1871 & 1881 censuses, you will find Mary (Jane) Parnell.

It is entirely possible that John and Martha did not marry. Or that one of them married someone else.

It is curious that Martha was baptised as an adult in her ‘maiden’ name. The addition of the note referring to her married name looks to me as if it was not written at the time of the entry.

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Lesley Whiteman on 18/4/2018, 10:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

Dear Karen
Yes I agree it is possible that they did not marry. I suppose they may have been less than honest on the birth of my great grandfather. But I have papers on John senior admission papers to the asylum in which the doctor states that Martha is married to John. Also on Martha's fathers death cert the witness is his son in law John Parnell. I will keep looking for a bit longer. I do want to look into Johns time in the asylum. On a visit to Devon I did find the medical notes for the last three years of his life, he was there for nearly thirty years. It made very sad reading. Anyway many thanks for your interest
sincerely
Lesley

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Karen Newman on 19/4/2018, 5:16 am, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

I have a similar situation. One of my Devon ancestors is shown as married in 1871, but no sign of husband.

They are together in 1881, having moved to London.

First child born 1872. But on the birth cert, he is 6 months old when the birth is registered.

Several other children are born, all registered with the 'married' name.

When the mother dies in 1887, she is registered under the 'married' name.

The father marries shortly after her death, and declares he is a widower.

I am darned if I can find a first marriage, though.

I suspect the delay in registering the first son was caused by a will they/won't they marry situation.

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Lesley Whiteman on 19/4/2018, 9:03 am, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

Dear Karen
I have a similar story to yours. My great grandfather John Junior ends up in London in 1891 with his wife. Martha is also there.Martha baptism is also a mystery as her brothers and sisters are baptised in the Hen Street Baptist Church in Bovey Tracey, but the records on line seem to end in 1837 before Martha was born in 1838. But the church seems to be still in use after this. Her mother Mary seems to be quite involved with this church. I have been wondering how complete these records are. This may be the reason Martha gets baptised again.

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Judith on 19/4/2018, 1:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

Were children registered as Doust or Parnell? There is a John Doust and a Martha registered bovey Tracey between 1861 & 1871

Re: Missing marriage

Posted by Lesley Whiteman on 19/4/2018, 1:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

Hello Judith.
I am looking for a marriage between Martha Doust and John Parnell between those dates. Martha's parents
also lived in Bovey Tracey,and their names were John Doust and Mary Kingwill Doust.
The Children of John Doust and Mary Kingwill Doust were baptised with the name Doust.But i cant find their daughter Martha as being baptised. She was born 1839
The only child of Martha and John Parnell,also named John was baptised in 1872 under the Parnell surname. Many thanks

update missing marriage

Posted by Lesley Whiteman on 14/9/2018, 12:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Missing marriage"

Dear All especially Lin Judith And Karen who responded to my thread. missing marriage for John Parnell and Martha Doust. I took the advice and had the GRO index searched from 1864 - 1872 with no results. so I assume they did not get married. I can't think why as Martha does not seem to have married anyone else.And I have checked all the john Parnell marriages between this time and they all check out as other John Parnell's.Martha was a Baptist and John an Anglican. The only child(my great grandfather) born to them was baptised Anglican. All of Martha's siblings were baptised At Hen street baptist church. Martha was born in 1838 and I can't find any record of her being baptised which seems strange. I will see if the Devon Archives might have any records of the Hen Street baptist Church Bovey Tracey. but I just wanted to thank those who have given me advice. not forgetting Jeff Ellis who helped me with another search. Many Thanks

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