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Thanks - so now I know how he got rid of Emma or Emily Mary Bass nee Simpson. How did he get rid of Harriett with whom he died the knot in October 1898.

If by any chance he did fall for the younger girl and go through with the charade (maybe she needed glasses) the two fathers were not there to object were they? Then there are a few offspring to chase up. Frederick W Bass born 1921. I did a tree search for Beatrice but no answers yet. Not many people bother to let you know one way or another do they.

I am worried about the overlap of Beatrice and Sarah - a minor detail now that my fertile imagination is running riot with this. Sarah died in 1934 and he definitely was the grieving husband. She was the only one of his wives that my grandma was pally with. A double life? Maybe not. I'll never know unless someone comes forward. I have his army photo on my wall. Looks more like Ben Turpin than Errol Flynn.

Incidentally the signature on the Beatrice marriage cert is not unlike the ones on his army papers.

Well, he was with Sarah in 1932:

London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965
Name: William Alexander Bass
Year: 1932
County or Borough: Camden
Ward or Division/Constituency: St Pancras
Street Address: 23 Churchill Street

Sarah is at that address with him.

I think this might be the other William with Beatrice:

London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965
Name: Beatrice Bass
Year: 1932
County or Borough: Tower Hamlets
Ward or Division/Constituency: Stepney and Stoke Newington
Street Address: 59 Pole Street

At that address is a William Bass.

Yes Marie. Could well be him. His wife Sarah died in 1934. So he was alone. He visited my Gran now and then but the WW2 interrupted most of that. I have looked on the voters lists for 1930 and see a Beatrice Bass living at 59 Pole St Stepney with a William Bass, Sophia Rumfitt (Beatrice's mother) and Alfred & Florence Bartram - relatives of his brother's daughter Lydia. That William may be a son of theirs or maybe he was left on their polling list?

By 1950 Beatrice and a William are at 89 Gold St Stepney with a Frederick W and a Ronald Bass. I found a marriage for Frederick W to a Marie A Cardy. However I am not doing anything else until I rule out whether we have the real McCoy so to speak.

Yes Marie. Could well be him. His wife Sarah died in 1934. So he was alone. He visited my Gran now and then but the WW2 interrupted most of that. I have looked on the voters lists for 1930 and see a Beatrice Bass living at 59 Pole St Stepney with a William Bass, Sophia Rumfitt (Beatrice's mother) and Alfred & Florence Bartram - relatives of his brother's daughter Lydia. That William may be a son of theirs or maybe he was left on their polling list?

By 1950 Beatrice and a William are at 89 Gold St Stepney with a Frederick W and a Ronald Bass. I found a marriage for Frederick W to a Marie A Cardy. However I am not doing anything else until I rule out whether we have the real McCoy so to speak.

We're obviously looking in the same places Jennifer!

What else do you know about Harriet Herbert? When/where born, etc.

I'll see if I can dig anything up on her.

The point is still that Beatrice married a William Alexander Bass. Maybe he dropped the Alexander bit? Did WAB and Beatrice have sons and one called William and WAB fled to Sarah and left her with the kids. WAB could not be at more than one place at a time - OR COULD HE? Maybe I'll try and look for a second WAB death?

Thanks Marie. I'm afraid I don't know much on Harriet nee Herbert apart from the marriage cert. Hackney Registry Office - 29 Oct 1898. Harriet Herbert aged 25yrs spinster. 132 Shacklewell Lane, daughter of William Herbert deceased a ship's carpenter. Witnesses - B N?Bradford and W J Cone and B Cone (both Cones on the bottom line so look like a married couple (she had crossed out "Mrs" which had been in front of B Cone)

Jennifer, I'm not convinced that they are the same chap - too many variables.

Going now, but will have another look tomorrow.

Thanks Marie, I am hoping that someone can prove that it is not the same man - but the surname is too common.
Sleep well, regards, Jennifer

Thanks Marie, I am hoping that someone can prove that it is not the same man - but the surname is too common.
Sleep well, regards, Jennifer

Marie, I have had further thoughts on this matter and, after reading the newspaper article about his first wife Emma Simpson committing bigamy, I am wondering if he and his second wife Harriet Herbert actually produced a son and named him after daddy. I think the dates could fit. When WIlliam came out of the army he maybe took up with Harriet Herbert but they could not tie the knot until he traced where wife no.1 was living. What do you think? Thanks for all your help so far. It is great to have someone to bounce ideas off! regards, Jennifer

That sounds like a plausible theory Jennifer, the timing fits.

Hello again Marie, Since our last exchange I have discovered that the said Harriett Herbert, 2nd wife of William Alexander Bass, was born in Gloucester to parents William and Elizabeth Herbert. William Herbert was a ship's carpenter. She was the youngest child and had siblings Thomas Herbert 1852, Mary A Herbert 1854, Margaret Herbert 1860, Isabella Herbert 1861, Julia Herbert 1865, Barbara Herbert 1868-1953 and lastly Harriett 1874. Barbara Herbert married a William J Cone and this couple were the witnesses at the marriage of Wm Alexander Bass and Harriett Herbert in 1898. I can still find no trace of Harriett - ie any children born to the marriage - not can I find a death registration. Any such information could unlock the whole mystery for me. Hope you don't mind me taking up some more of your time. Kind regards and thanks, Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, I remember this one well!

I have work tomorrow so off to bed but meanwhile could you give the details of what it says for WAB on the 1898 marriage?

Have just had a quick skim of his divorce papers on Ancestry which confirms he had no children with Emily/Emma.

Just found Harriet in 1901, looks like she also had a sister Elizabeth born c1857

TAYLOR, Issac H Head Married M 45 1856 Trimmer Sunderland, Durham
TAYLOR, Elizabeth J Wife Married F 44 1857 Sunderland, Durham
TAYLOR, Issac H Son Single M 17 1884 Apprentice For Blacksmith Sunderland, Durham
TAYLOR, William B Son Single M 15 1886 Apprentice For Carpenter Sunderland, Durham
TAYLOR, John B Son Single M 12 1889 Sunderland, Durham
TAYLOR, Alfred H Son Single M 10 1891 Sunderland, Durham
TAYLOR, David B Son Single M 4 1897 Sunderland, Durham
SPARK, Dora Daughter Single F 12 1889 Sunderland, Durham
HERBERT, Mary A Sister Single F 47 1854 Sunderland, Durham
BASS, Harriet Sister Married F 27 1874 Gloucester

Piece: 4710 Folio: 50 Page: 9
Registration District: Sunderland
Civil Parish: Sunderland

Address: 14, Ropery Road, Sunderland County: Durham

(I know Ropery Road!!)

EDIT:
Mary Ann is still with the Taylors in 1911 but no sign of Harriet.

This is the marriage of Isaac and Elizabeth so it looks like she's been wed previously:

England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915

Name: Isaac Taylor
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1898
Registration District: Sunderland
Inferred County: Durham
Volume Number: 10a
Page Number: 1043

Records on Page:
Name
Joseph Mills
Elizabeth Jane Spark <<
Isaac Taylor <<
Mary Webster

Hello Marie, Hope you were not up half the night with these dead people! Thanks for the further input. I found Harriett on Ancestry on a Public Members tree - KKilpatrick4609. The elder sister of Harriettt - Barbara Herbert married a Wm J Cone so I know it is right. Just had a message to say she knows nothing of that branch of the family. On her tree I can't see a sister Elizabeth so you maybe know more than she does. (or he).
The marriage of William ALexander Bass and Harriett Herbert took place at Hackney Registry Office on 29 October 1898. He described as 33 years old and a Carman of 89 Bouverie Road, Stoke Newington - son of George Bass an agricultural labourer.
Harriet - 25 years old spinster of 132 Shacklewell Lane, daughter of WIlliam Herbert deceased a ship's carpenter. Witnessed top line - BN Bradford, bottom line Mrs B Cone & W.J.Cone - (Harriett's sister Barbara and her husband)
I've not worked out how I can copy over to you the reply I got from the Ancestry Kilpatrick person. Thanks for your help. Have a good week. I'm off to the dentist now!
Regards, Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, no - I went to bed at a sensible time!

Can you copy and paste the text from that message?

Just working on some background to Harriett's family to see if we can get any clues to finding her.

This is the 1891 for that previously unfound sister Elizabeth:

SPARK, William H Head Married M 65 1826 Block & Mast Maker Sunderland, County Durham
SPARK, Elizabeth J Daughter Widow F 35 1856 Sunderland, County Durham
SPARK, Dora Granddaughter F 2 1889 Sunderland, County Durham

Piece: 4131 Folio: 53 Page: 30
Registration District: Sunderland
Civil Parish: Bishop Wearmouth
Municipal Borough: Sunderland

Address: 24, Potts Street, Bishop Wearmouth, Sunderland County: Durham

The actual image says Elizabeth is daughter-in-law.

Seems likely this is the first marriage for Elizabeth:

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1882
CARR Sarah Sunderland 10a 859
HERBERT Elizabeth Jane Sunderland 10a 859 <<<
Self John Edward Sunderland 10a 859
Spark James Sunderland 10a 859 <<<

The 1911 shows that Mary Ann Herbert is still with her sister but Harriett is gone, so did she remain in the Sunderland area?

TAYLOR, Isaac Hudson Head Married M 56 1855 Coal Trimmer Sunderland Monkwearmouth
TAYLOR, Elizabeth Jane Wife Married 13 years F 55 1856 Durham Sunderland
TAYLOR, John Taylor Son Single M 22 1889 Hand Driller Durham Sunderland
TAYLOR, Albert Edward Hudson Son Single M 20 1891 Hand Driller Durham Sunderland
TAYLOR, David Scott Son Single M 14 1897 Durham Sunderland
HERBERT, Mary Ann Sister In Law Single F 57 1854

RG number: RG14 Piece: 30172
Reference: RG14PN30172 RG78PN1740 RD555 SD1 ED29 SN302
Registration District: Sunderland
Sub District: Sunderland West
Enumeration District: 29
Parish: Sunderland

Address: 12 Close St Sunderland County: Durham

Hi Jennifer
I am sorry but cannot give you any info on Harriett Herbert following the line of a grand uncle, as for contact with living descendants on that line I have a 1st cousin 1x removed but she knows nothing about the family, wish I could help you more. just to let you know how I fit in
Harriet Herbert (1874 - )
sister-in-law of uncle of wife of grand uncle
William Herbert (1826 - )
father of Harriet Herbert
Barbara Herbert (1868 - 1953)
daughter of William Herbert
William James Cone (1864 - 1903)
husband of Barbara Herbert
Charles Cone (1825 - )
father of William James Cone
Charles Henry Cone (1860 - 1909)
son of Charles Cone
Clara May Cone (1893 - 1974)
daughter of Charles Henry Cone
George William Money (1892 - 1966)
husband of Clara May Cone
George John Money (1870 - 1937)
father of George William Money
Charles Frederick Money (1893 - 1959)
son of George John Money
Betty Isabel Money (1922 - 2009)
daughter of Charles Frederick Money
Kaye Joy Kilpatrick
You are the daughter of Betty Isabel Money
Good luck with your search
Cheers
Kaye Kilpatrick