Genealogy Chat

The only Henry and Mary I can find in 1871 census are Henry age 24 born Darlington and Mary age 17 born Darlington. The marriage to Mary Brown was Dec 1870 and cert says she is 18. 1881 census details are ; Ryton on Tyne Henry Freeman age 36 born Oxfordshire Mary Freeman age 28 born Newcastle Joseph age 7 born Newcastle Jane Lizzie age 5 born Newcastle Robert Henry age 3 born Ryton,Durham Henry age 1 born Ryton, Durham Mary remarries in 1899 (Henry dies 1890) and her marriage certificate says Mary Freeman widow and her father is Thomas Morris. Joseph's mother is Mary Freeman formerly Brown ... the rest are formerly Morris. Have I got two Mary's here or are they the same person? Thank you all for your time in trying to help me.

'Why would she leave the child?' If they really WERE divorced, which seems unlikely, she would not have been able to keep the child - children belonged to their fathers and they automatically got custody of them, except in the most, erm, exceptional cases. OC

Could you give us the details from 1871 census, please. We need to know where these people were born.......... Reg

Ok let me try to explain... Henry Freeman married Mary Brown... father George Brown Dec 1870 in Durham. The first child's birth certificate has Mary nee Brown as the mother. All the rest of the children including my grandfather have Mary nee Morris as the mother. I know for fact that Morris is correct yet I cannot find a marriage for Henry Freeman to Mary Morris. I thought at first that Henry's first wife..Mary Brown must have died but I cannot find a death before the second child (who's mother is Mary nee Morris). Then I thought they may have divorced but why would she leave the child. The child is with Henry and Mary Morris on the next census along with the rest of the children. There is no marriage for Henry and Mary (Morris). I am getting more confused as time goes on. Any help would be appreciated.

Just re read your info. so mums maiden name was Morris and her married name too if the the father was Thomas Morris Im a bit lost!! I think you may have the wrong marraige cert

What makes you so sure that it's the right one? I mean why are you convinced and perhaps we can help. What were the witnesses called?

I would suggest that you may possibly have the wrong cert......what was the name of the husband? At 17, she would have needed her father's consent......... Reg

if you are sure its her then seems she wanted to get married but didnt have permission so she fabricated her name and father BUT if her age is shown then she must have had some sort of a parental permission to give to the vicar

My great grandfather's name is incorrect. It had me stumped for a while. His father's christian name and occupation is correct, and the all the brides details are correct. I don't know if it was an error or deliberate. They were married in the next parish and my great grandmother was 8 months pregnant with my grandfather.

On all the childrens birth certificates the mothers maiden name is Morris yet on the marriage certificate it is Brown. She was definately a Morris as I have her parents marriage. maybe because she was only 17 at time of marriage she used a different name. She has her father as George Brown on marriage cert yet her father was Thomas Morris. This gets more confusing!!

Fictitious father more than likely if someone was illegitimate and wanted to hide the fact Brides surname tho well she may have been brought up by a step dad and adopted his name or was reg in her mums name cos she was illegitimate or all sorts of reasons for a change depends how much you can verify its the right one. Shirley

Is it possible that a person could use a different surname and add a ficticious father to the marriage certificate in order to get married in 1870? I have a marriage which I am sure is the correct one but the surname of the 'bride' and her father are wrong!