Genealogy Chat

On looking at the 1891 census for Walter G Thayer, I notice that he's living just a couple of houses along the road from Alice Wright and the Porter family!

Yes I noticed that in passing. I assume that's how she met him or, perhaps not and that's why she was living with her aunt! I like your theory on the Bedminster marriage.....:-)

I think this is "Willie"

Name: William Thayer
Birth Place: Pill, Bristol, Somerset, Newport, Mon
Death Date: 8 May 1915
Death Location: France & Flanders
Rank: Private
Regiment: Monmouthshire Regiment (Territorial Force)
Battalion: 1st Battalion
Number: 2080
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

:-(

Jude

Ah AG...such intrigue :-)

That 1880 marriage was between William Henry Wright aged 25 Bachelor son of William Wright.

And Mary Ann Wright "Widow" aged 34 - father Robert Steer

Jude

Yes, I had noticed that later marriage when first looking for their marriage, but had opted for the 1871 one, because they were both born in Devon (per 1881 census), and because of the surname Steer.

So did Mary Ann have two husbands with the same name? Or was the first perhaps illegal in some way - bigamous? Or are these two totally different couples who happen to have the same names?
The 1880 marriage would explain the stepchildren question.
But if both marriages were the same couple, the children would have actually been William's children, not "step" - perhaps the clerk was as confused as I am!
The "step" part was added as an afterthought on the image.

It gets worse.....I can find a birth for Fanny Steer in Crediton to match the Fanny Porter who is Alice's aunt.....but I can't find her as a sister to Mary Ann with father Robert.......it seems totally inconceivable that they are two separate couples but the links keep breaking :-(

so maybe the 1871 marriage will have to be purchased :-)

:-S

Actually, come to think of it, the second marriage must be the correct one, as William would only have been 15 or 16 in 1871.

Or maybe that's why the first marriage wasn't legal - maybe he lied about his age ?

You're right about Willie's death:

THAYER, WILLIAM

Rank:
Rifleman
Service No:
2080
Date of Death:
08/05/1915
Age:
19
Regiment/Service:
Monmouthshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Panel Reference
Panel 50.
Memorial
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Additional Information:
Son of Walter and Alice Thayer, of 76, Mendelgief Rd., Newport, Mon.

Ah thanks for the Willie death.....yes I wondered about William's age - maybe that explains it. Definitely top of the list to buy :-)

On the 1880 marriage spinster is crossed out and "widow" inserted.

Jude

And this possibly explains why we can't find Alice in 1911 - census returns for Mendalgief Road go from number 56 to number 98 :-(

Fanny's father was Robert, according to her marriage details:


England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1940 about Fanny Steer
Name: Fanny Steer
Gender: Female
Father's Name: Robert Steer
Spouse's Name: Joseph Porter
Spouse's Father's Name: Joseph Porter
Marriage Date: 21 Mar 1869
Marriage Place: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England


But she's not with Mary Ann and family in 1851.
The only Fanny Steer to show up in 1851 records in Devon was born in Ilsington, which is a good 15 miles away from Colebrooke, which is given on all other census records for Fanny Porter nee Steer. And her father's John.

"Your" Fanny's birth was registered in Crediton reg district, which is correct for Colebrooke. Ilsington is in the Teignbridge reg district.

"On the 1880 marriage spinster is crossed out and "widow" inserted."

Maybe that's the only way they could describe her, if she'd been "married" and had children, but wasn't actually currently married. Or maybe she objected to being called a spinster when she'd been "married" for nine years!

Ah AG thanks for Fanny's marriage - so at least that link is rejoined - sharing father Robert - even if I can't pinpoint them together. Fanny of course is one of those odd names......for ages had my great grandmother as Fanny Cox/Hyde - my mother had always told me her father called his mother-in-law Frances. And although she had been called Fanny in censuses, she was born and died as Frances although she married as Fanny.

Anyway, hubby (who works nights) has gone to bed for a few hours sleep so he can wake early and watch El Classico.....so while the cats away, the mice will play :-)

P.S. Your avatar photo - who is it? Looks remarkably like George VI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha! ha!
That's my father and me, in 1947 - and we have no royal connections!

At least as far as I know . . . .

Are you sure lol :-)

Well I now have the certificates and have solved the mystery - but what a lot of untangling I have had to do!

Firstly, Alice Mary Wright was born in Newport on 27 September 1872. (that's the easy bit)

OK the marriage took place on 23 October 1871 between Mary Ann Steer, spinster of Colebrooke Devon, daughter of Robert Steer and William Henry Wright of Holy Trinity Pillgwenlly Monmouthshire, bachelor, son of Samuel Wright. Both full age.

The witnesses were Maria Steer and John Wright.

I have found William Henry in the 1871 census living in Newport with brother John Wright - both born Colebrooke Devon in 1848 and 1846 respectively.

So Albert Arthur Henry is born in 1874 and then William Henry dies in 1875.

Then on Christmas Day 1880, Mary Ann Wright, widow, aged 34 , daughter of Robert Steer marries William Henry Wright aged 25 son of William Wright. This explains why Alice and Albert are shown as step-children in 1881 census.

I haven't found the connection between Samuel and William Wright but I bet there is one :-)

Jude

I think Samuel and William were brothers and therefore the two William Henrys were cousins :-)

Jude

OK ...update...the two William Henrys were indeed cousins...

Maria Llewellyn and Albert Henry Wright married in Christ Church Pill Somerset. HIS banns were called in Newport (confusingly he lived Pillgwenlly Newport, commonly known as Pill). It seems Maria, for some reason, was living in Pill, Somerset at the time of the wedding. Witnesses were |Mary Jane Llewellyn, her sister, and Thomas Thayer who was her brother-in-law's brother (or father)

So not found Alice (Thayer) in 1911 but understand why....case closed :-)