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This chap is the Father of one of our village's WW2 servicemen and we are trying to add family to his Military History for the Village Preservation Society.

I have his children 6 of whom (redacted on the 1939 register)....as:

Edward G Beckerley 1920–
William John Beckerleg 1921–2013 (The Military research son)
Vera I Beckerley 1924–
Leonard Frederick Beckerley 1926–2006
Victor Raymond Beckerley 1928–1968
Becky I J Beckerley 1932–
Nora C Beckerley 1934–
Ronald D P Beckerley 1936–

All registered in Bedwellty Mother's maiden name Mitchell.

Now, here is where I am stuck. I cannot find a marriage between Edward Henry Beckerley/g to an Elizabeth Mitchell.

I looked for a marriage between Elizabeth Mitchell and someone else in the village and there is one to Sidney L O Williams. I looked for a death for him in case she was widowed before her marriage to Edward Henry Beckerley but that drew a blank.

We don't need any further history on his siblings ATM just the marriage. I have no ideas as to how to adjust my filters or where else to look.

I do think he was in the USA and Canada between c1907 and c1919 as I have found some travel info and service records but not totally proven.

Any help greatly appreciated please. It would be lovely to have a more complete record for his parents before the info goes on public display.

Thanks for reading

Sue

????

elizabeth could have been married before

Marriages Dec 1924 (>99%)
Beckerley Edward Williams Bedwellty 11a 270
Evans Edwin J Hughes Bedwellty 11a 270
Hughes Catherine M Evans Bedwelty 11a 270
Williams Elizabeth Beckerley Bedwelty 11a 270

Is this his marriage (for verification, for helpers' reference) ? after the births of the older children?

Edward Beckerley
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: Edward Beckerley
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1924
Registration district: Bedwellty
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Spouse: Elizabeth Williams
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 270

Even though you haven't found Sidney Williams's death, it could be that he and Elizabeth divorced.

????

Marriages Jun 1913 (>99%)
Currie Elizabeth A Knibbs Bedwelty 11a 131
Knibbs Thomas Currie Bedwelty 11a 131
Mitchell Elizabeth Williams Bedwellty 11a 131
Williams Sidney L O Mitchell Bedwellty 11a 131

According to Elizabeth's death record, she was born 1892.

Do you know where Elizabeth Beckerley was born?

There was no Elizabeth Mitchell born in Bedwellty district 1891-3 (per FreeBMD).

There were several Elizabeth Williamses.

Possibly a remarriage for Sidney ?? which would support the divorce theory?

Sidney O Williams
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: Sidney O Williams
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1933
Registration district: Bedwellty
Inferred County: Monmouthshire
Spouse: Hilda Drage
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 198


EDIT:

But maybe that's this Sidney:

Births Jun 1915 (>99%)
Williams Sidney O Davies Bedwellty 11a 309

Edward H Beckenly on the 1939 Register

1939 Register Transcription

Beckenly Household (2 People) 13 Alex Road , Bedwellty U.D., Monmouthshire, Wales
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First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule Sub Number
Elizabeth Beckenly 15 Sep 1891 Female Unpaid Dom Duties Married 68 2
Edward H Beckenly 07 May 1886 Male Gen Lab Below Ground Married 68 1


6 closed records

There is this birth that could be a possible if Elizabeth was known by her middle name and just dropped her first name altogether:-

First name(s) FRANCES ELIZABETH
Last name MITCHELL
Birth year 1891
Birth quarter 1
Registration month -
Mother's last name -
District BEDWELLTY
County Monmouthshire
Country Wales
Volume 11A
Page 106
Record set England & Wales births 1837-2006

Even if there was no divorce, it is possible that Elizabeth and Sidney simply split up and because divorce was very difficult and expensive during that period they just either lived with another partner or entered into a bigamous marriage - although this was less likely if they stayed in the same area where people would know them.

Kath. x

Edward & Elizabeth's marriage cert should say if she was a widow, spinster, or whatever.

Thanks for replies so far.

There is an Elizabeth Mitchell living in Fothergills Rd in 1911 aged 19
Birth:

Name: Elizabeth Mitchell
Age in 1911: 19
Estimated birth year: abt 1892
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Tirphil, Glamorgan, Wales
Civil Parish: Bedwellty

That fits with the 1939 dates pretty much.

Edit: Tirphil/Bedwellty and a couple of other districts are entirely interchangeable when census records are completed




:-(

Just to clarify there are just 4 of us who produce all the records we each pay for our own subscriptions and printing materials so work on personal shoestrings. One member buys artefacts, medals and uniforms etc., substantial personal cost to him.

Ordering certs is usually out of the question as we have sooooo many people to commemorate.

If we find grandchildren then they may offer to buy the certs to confirm but we like to give as much info as possible to try and ensure they do not waste money.

Sue

Don't know if any help but this is the marriage for Elizabeth to Sidney- gives her father's name as William John (which fits the 1911 posted by supercrutch):

name(s) SIDNEY LLOYD OWEN WILLIAMS (26 Fothergill Road)
Birth year 1889
Marriage year 1913
Marriage day 8
Marriage month Jun
Place BEDWELLTY
Spouse's name(s) ELIZABETH MITCHELL (22 Fothergill Road)
Bride's age 21
Groom's age 24
Bride's father name(s) William John Mitchell (deceased)
Groom's father's name(s) James Coustantine Williams (Pay master)
Parish Bedwellty
County Monmouthshire
Country Wales
Record set Monmouthshire Marriages

Witnesses: J Price & M Price
------------------------------------

1911
Name: Elizabeth Mitchell
Age in 1911: 19
Estimated birth year: abt 1892
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Tirphil, Glamorgan, Wales
Civil Parish: Bedwellty
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Street address: 22 Fothergills Rd New Tredegar
Marital Status: Single
Registration district: Bedwellty
Registration District Number: 585
Sub-registration district: Tredegar
ED, institution, or vessel: 35 Household schedule number: 131 Piece: 31882

William John Mitchell 57
Margaret Mitchell 56
George Mitchell 22
Elizabeth Mitchell 19
------------------------------------------------------

1901
1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
32, Jubliee Terrace, Bedwelty, Monmouthshire, Wales

William J Mitchell Head Married Male 47 1854 Coal Miner Hewer Margam, Glamorgan
Margaret Mitchell Wife Married Female 46 1855 - Raglan, Monmouthshire, Wales
William Mitchell Son Single Male 20 1881 Coal Miner Hewer Newport, Monmouthshire,
Frederick Mitchell Son Male 15 1886 Shoemakers Apprentice Newport, Monmouthshire
Mabel Mitchell Daughter - Female 14 1887 - Llanfrechfa, Monmouthshire, Wales
George Mitchell Son - Male 12 1889 - Crumlin, Monmouthshire, Wales
Elizabeth Mitchell Daughter - Female 9 1892 - New Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales

Looks like Sidney's death in Australia:

Western Australia Death index Transcription

First name(s) Sidney Lloyd Owen
Last name Williams-Fox
Birth year 1888
Death year 1962
Place Perth
Father's first name(s) James C
Mother's first name(s) Unknown
State Western Australia
Country Australia
Registration number 2669
Record set Western Australia Death index

Thank you for the replies, I'll do some extra research on the info you have kindly given and return to this thread later.

Sue

Not too sure about that death in Australia as the surname is Williams-Fox and there is this person on 1939 who seems to fit with him:

Williams-Fox Household (2 People) Riverside Cottage , Gipping R.D., Suffolk, England
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First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Occupation
Sidney Williams-Fox 30 Jan 1888 Mechanical Engineer Oil
Eleanor Williams-Fox 23 Oct 1884 Unpaid Domestic Duties

This 'may' be their marriage??


Marriages Mar 1916 (>99%)
Evans Laura E Fletcher Conway 11b 689 Scan available - click to view
Fletcher Robert L Evans Conway 11b 689 Scan available - click to view
Thomas Thomas W Williams Conway 11b 689 Scan available - click to view
Williams Dorothy Thomas Conway 11b 689 Scan available - click to view
**Williams-Fox Sidney Smith Conway 11b 689 Scan available - click to view

Transcribed seperately:
**Smith Eleanor H Williams-Fex Conway 11b 659

Of course, he may not have been with Elizabeth by that time and I can't see a birth reg for him in that name.

Trying to follow him further.....................

Dea x

Thanks Dea x

To summarise so far (if you spot an error please point it out) lolol

I can find no marriage between Elizabeth Mitchell and Edward Henry Beckerley/g

There is a marriage between an Elizabeth WILLIAMS and Edward Henry Beckerley in 1924 (Bedwellty).

However there IS a marriage between Elizabeth Mitchell and Sidney Lloyd Owen Williams in 1913 (Bedwellty).

Two births for Williams (nee Mitchell)

Nora born and died 1913 (Bedwellty)
Thomas I born 1918. (Bedwellty)

The first birth for a Beckerley/g nee Mitchell is
Edward G 1920
and a further 7 children up until 1936.

So....is the assumption that Elizabeth Mitchell married Sidney Williams, marriage broke down after having 2 children with him and she had further children with Edward Beckerley/g BEFORE she married him in 1924 but declared her maiden name not her first married name on the birth registrations?

That makes some sort of sense to me.

Re Sidney, he is a bit of a mystery and I'm hoping if he can be found somewhere after 1919 as that would be great.

Thanks for reading and helping

Sue

the Sidney in Australia is the same person- and he did marry again in 1916 to Eleanor:

name(s) ELEANOR HARRIET SMITH
Birth year 1884
Marriage year 1916
Marriage day 01
Marriage month Jan
Marriage place COLWYN BAY
Spouse's name(s) SIDNEY WILLIAMS FOX
Groom's age 28
Groom's father's name(s) James Constantine Williams Fox
Bride's age 32
Bride's father's name(s) Georgins Smith
County Denbighshire
Country Wales
Record set Denbigh Marriages
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Marriages & divorces
Collections from Great Britain

Oooooer........did he just add -Fox to confuse people?

Did he still Father Thomas I in 1918?

PARACETEMOL please

x