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I have the marriage certificate for my great nan and grandad. Thomas Pickering and Susannah Thompson.
Thomas's father is a James Pickering, a quarry man.
The marriage took place in Dalton le Dale, Durham, 1892.
The witnesses look like Edward Harold, and Rose Ann Dargan.

My problem is, I cant trace James Pickering back. I did think he may be married to Hannah French, but this James died before Thomas was born. There is no indication of him being deceased on the certificate.

1892 December 10a 624.

for info

Record Transcription:
1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census

8, Robinson Street, Houghton Le Spring, Durham, England



Thomas Pickering

Record: Census Record

Location: Durham, England


First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Thomas Pickering Head Married Male 53 1848 Horsekeeper At A Colliery Durham, England
Susannah Pickering Wife Married Female 28 1873 - Durham, England
Thomas Pickering Son Single Male 6 1895 - Murton, Durham, England
Florence Pickering Daughter Single Female 3 1898 - Rainton, Durham, England
May Pickering Daughter Single Female 1 1900 - Durham, England
Mary Thompson Mother-In-Law Widow Female 80 1821 - Thorpe, Yorkshire, England


Thomas Pickering's Census Details
Details taken from the original census record.
First name(s) Thomas
Last name Pickering
Relationship Head
Marital status Married
Sex Male
Age 53
Birth year 1848
Birth town -
Birth town as transcribed CHURCH MERRINGTON
Birth place England
Birth place other as transcribed -
Birth county Durham
Birth county as transcribed DURHAM
Occupation Horsekeeper At A Colliery
House name -
House number 8
Street Robinson Street
Town Houghton Le Spring
Parish Houghton Le Spring
Country England
County Durham

Kirk Merrington Church of St John

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Merrington Church Tower

In the civil parish of Spennymoor.
In the historic county of Durham.
Modern Authority of Durham.
1974 county of County Durham.
Medieval County of County Palatinate of Durham.

Lynn ...................

Many of us have found that fathers are not shown as deceased on a marriage certificate when they are

It often depends on how the vicar asked the question and how it was answered ..........

If the vicar asked "What is your father's name?"

Many people answered just with the name, without volunteering any extra information.

Thus "deceased" would not be written unless the vicar then asked "and is he still alive?"

If the vicar asked "What is your father's name, and is he still alive?"

The reply would include both the name and the information that he was deceased or not.


Another variant is when a father is declared deceased when they are still alive! That can happen if ....

a) the father had left home and people assumed he was dead

b) the person getting married doesn't want father to know or to have to give permission

c) the person getting married is illegitimate but is covering the fact by inventing a father's name.

Have you identified Thomas in census prior to his marriage? 1892 seems a bit late for a first marriage. Does the marriage certificate say he is a Bachelor or Widower? (Although that might not necessarily be correct!)

There are a number of Thomas Pickerings born c 1848 in Co. Durham but Mariners and Butchers in 1891 probably not Colliery workers 10 years later in 1901?

Wonder about this Thomas - original says born Merrington -

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Sniperley Farm, St Johns Green, Witton Gilbert, Chester Le Street, Durham, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Robert Shepherd Head Married Male 29 1862 Farmer Durham, England
Martha Shepherd Wife Married Female 21 1870 - Durham, England
Elizabeth Shepherd Daughter - Female 2 1889 - Durham, England
Annie Shepherd Daughter - Female 0 1891 - Durham, England
Mary E Stobart Servant Single Female 18 1873 General Servant Durham, England
Thomas Pickering Servant Widower Male 42 1849 Farm Servant Durham, England
Robert Pagon Boarder Single Male 29 1862 Farm Servant Northumberland, England

Thomas is a widower on marriage certificate. He is 44 and Susannah 22. I have looked for first wife. I came up with Mary Moore, but this is not certain.

In 1881 i have a Thomas Pickering age 31 and Hannah Pickering age 60, as boarders with the Kennedy family.

My family do not seem to do anything straight forward.

Re Hannah and Thomas:

Thomas Rickson
in the 1851 England Census
Name: Thomas Rickson
[Thomas Pickering]
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1850
Relation: Son
Mother's name: Hannah Rickson
Gender: Male
Where born: Merrington, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Merrington
Ecclesiastical parish: Merrington
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Street address:
Registration district: Auckland
Sub-registration district: Bishop Auckland
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors:
Household schedule number: 19
Piece: 2385
Folio: 6
Page Number: 5
Household Members:
Name Age
Hannah Rickson 31 - widow, Brancepeth, Durham.
Elizabeth Rickson 10
Hannah Rickson 8
Mary Rickson 1
Thomas Rickson 1
Sarah Parkinson 30 - lodger
Thomas Hitchen 11 - lodger's son [Kitchen ? ]
Margret Hitchen 7 - Lodger's daughter
Robert Hitchen 3 - lodger's son
Stepsen Hitchen 3 - lodger's son
Elizabeth Parkison 6 Mo - lodger's daughter

Thomas Pickerney
in the 1871 England Census
Name: Thomas Pickerney
[Thomas Pickering]
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1850
Relation: Servant
Gender: Male
Where born: Brancepeth, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Silksworth
Ecclesiastical parish: Silksworth
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Registration district: Houghton Le Spring
Sub-registration district: Houghton le Spring
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Household schedule number: 66
Piece: 4982
Folio: 85
Page Number: 16
Household Members:
Name Age
William Leighton 37
Euphemia Leighton 34
John Leighton 7
Mary A Leighton 5
William C Leighton 2
Christiana M Leighton 3 Months
Alexander McGinnity 35
Mary Foster 18
Elizabeth Harrison 16
Robert Burn 82
Thomas Pickerney 21 - farm servant

Think Mary Moore's wrong.....

Hannah continued to have children in spite of being widowed;


Hannah Pickering
in the 1861 England Census
Name: Hannah Pickering
Age: 44
Estimated Birth Year: 1817
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Brancepeth, Durham, England
Civil Parish: Shotton
Ecclesiastical parish: Easington
County/Island: Durham
Country: England
Registration district: Easington
Sub-registration district: Easington
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Neighbors:
Household schedule number: 6
Piece: 3747
Folio: 55
Page Number: 2
Household Members:
Name Age
Hannah Pickering 44 - pauper
Mary Pickering 11
Ann Pickering 8
Jane Pickering 6/12

I found Thomas Dickson but wasn't sure...

????
Record Transcription:
England Marriages 1538-1973
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Is this the same person?
We've found the following potential record matches for the same person in other record sets

Thomas Pickering

Record: Census Record

Location: Durham, England

Year of census: 1841

Thomas Pickering

Record: Census Record

Location: Durham, England

Year of census: 1841

Thomas Pickering

Record: Regimental & service records Record

Location: Lancashire, England

Year of service: 1859

Thomas Pickering

Record: Regimental & service records Record

Location: Lincolnshire, England

Year of service: 1857

Thomas Pickering

Record: Parish Baptisms Record

Location: Durham, England

Year of birth: 1835

Thomas Pickering

Record: Parish Burials Record

Location: Durham, England

Year of death: 1878
First name(s) Thomas
Last name Pickering
Name note -
Marriage year 1871
Marriage date 01 Jan 1871
Marriage place Darlington
Father's first name(s) John
Father's last name Pickering
Spouse's first name(s) Mary
Spouse's last name Moore
Spouse's father's first name(s) Richard
Spouse's father's last name Moore
County Durham
Country England
Record set England Marriages 1538-1973
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Marriages
Collections from England, Great Britain

james pickering married hannah french

1840 auckland co durham

his birth

PICKERING, THOMAS FRENCH Order
GRO Reference: 1849 J Quarter in AUCKLAND UNION Volume 24 Page 23 Order

Possibly James's birth ??


James Pickering
England Births and Christenings
Name James Pickering
Gender Male
Christening Date 09 Nov 1809
Christening Date (Original) 09 NOV 1809
Christening Place KIRK MERRINGTON,DURHAM,ENGLAND
Birth Date 25 Sep 1809
Mother's Name Isabella Pickering

????

i can't find a james pickering death
1840 --- 1851 durham

Thank you. Think I'll go with Hannah French...I think James died about 1846, so he can't be Thomas' father, which is what made me unsure, especially when the marriage certificate did not have him as deceased, but may be Thomas did not want to admit when he died, because that would have shown James was not his father.

If a woman had a child and told the Registrar that she was married and gave a maiden name, even if the husband was not there (eg at sea) or dead, then it was assumed by the Registrar that the husband was the father UNLESS the woman said that someone else had fathered the baby.

In that case, the other man had to be present (or send a letter) that he WAS the father and that he accepted the baby.

It was probably Hannah's story that James was her husband, and Thomas (+ some or all of the other children) assumed that that was the name of his father ........ particularly if he did not know when James had died. And he would only know if Hannah told him!