Genealogy Chat

Just a quick update for everyone who helped on this one.... I renewed by subscription for here on 14th April and since then been amazed at what I have found out. This saga in particular means that I have made contact with some cousins and my mum has found a living half sister who is 83! Lavinia Tower Clarke - nee fox was my grandads first wife. They had triplets in 1920 - can you believe that?? Everyone is so pleased so thank you to everyone who helped with this. xxxx

Her birth name was Eileen Dora Mason and her adopted name was Eileen Mary Heaton. I'm pretty certain they didn't marry though now... I have done a search under here for Lavinia Fox and it has brought up a possible contact for a Lavinia Tower fox born arounf 1895 in Gravesend... All I can say is thank you..so much....

Oh, I know...... If the 1915 marriage IS for your Fred, then the woman he married should be the Lavinia from the 1901 census I posted, so we already know her father's name and her age. I would say if those match from the marriage cert, then Bob's your Uncle! Merry

Perhaps they didn't marry? Given he had a wife and was obviously not divorced. However, this does mean your gran probably knew the truth about him rather than him duping her into marriage and not mentioning the other wife. It was extrememly common for an unmarried woman to pretend, when registering the births of her children and (in this case) when registering the death of her ''husband'' - no one would ask for any proof of her marital status......but if they did have a ceremony, then she might have thought she truly was his wife/widow. It's hard to call! Did your gran have an unusual name - have you searched on both names or just on Fred C Clarke? One of my bigamists married the second time using his own father's name!! Merry

Mum is going to be pleased...I think?? She was a little upset when she realised her parents weren't married but if I can find her some brothers or sisters... ;o) I suppose everyone thinks the same, but if only these people were alive to tell us why things really did happen in the way they did....My imagination works overtime!!

Our very first step before we had the puzzle if the death certificate was to try and find when him and my grandma married. Couldn't find anything after searching right after mum and her brother were born. Maybe I'm not searching the right places as it took me hours and it has just taken you wonderful people minutes!! I was searching for Frederick C though?

Oh sorry, yes, I forgot you said he didn't marry your rellie.....I was thinking he was like my own family and prefered bigamy, so I was imagining you comparing the father's details from the two certs!! Well, the good thing about legitimate marriages is that, other than lying about ages a bit sometimes, generally people told the truth, because they were usually not trying to hide anything. But that won't help you to know it's him! Thinking....................... Merry

I hate to say it but do you think your grandfather married twice (polite way of saying bigamist)? Have you found any other marriage for him? Suzanne

On the index search page just put in Lavinia Tower without a surname and it pops up. Suzanne

The death entry was on Ancestry transcribed stuff The birth was on FreeBMD and Ancestry The marriage was from Family Relatives (transcribed BMD's 1866-1920) Merry

Surely it must be??? Too many coincidences? Can you tell I am getting overexcited? Mental note to calm down... How would I know though from the marriage certificate that it's not him if I don't have that much info about him? Grandma lived in Kent area and we believed that's where they met...somehow ended up in Wiltshire then Somerset. Maybe he was trying to lose someone.....?

We thought exactly the same!! Mum always said they were very poor, probably because he was paying for wife and possibly more children. Grandmas's (adopted) parents disowned her because he was so much older. Now appears it was because he was already married and she never married him!! Mum was always quite sad as she never had much family.....but I might find some half brothers and sisters for her??!!! So how did you all find it so quickly? I thought I was gonna get a hernia these past few days. ..and it all started out as such a normal week...

First step - get the marriage cert. What if it's not your Frederick? You wouldn't want to go off on a wild goose chase! Merry

So, is she his REAL wife!! LOL Found out he had died and thought, 'Blowed if I'm having that person (sorry, your rellie!!) saying she is the widow''! Merry

I am truly astounded - something that I thought I would never find and you wonderful people have done it in minutes??!! How on earth??? So he was married.....any tips for the next step I take in searching for more information? I have just been to speak to my husband - had to pick his jaw up off floor.

Marriage? Fox Lavinia Spouse: Clarke Hackney. 1b 1277 Q2 1915 Spouse is down with turned-about forenames: Clarke Charles F Merry

Oooh, well done, Merry and Suzanne? Abyone else think its significant that Lavinia's dad is called Frederick C?? Olde Crone

Wow - you're good!! How on earth did you manage to find that so quickly? I did see the death one but wondered whether it would be her - assumed that it was possible that she may have remarried. How did you find the birth - you can tell I'm new!! So now I have a possible maiden name I can search the marriage records again...?

and the 1901 census: Frederick C Fox abt 1873 Gravesend, Kent, England Head Milton Kent >>>>Lavinia Fox abt 1896 Gravesend, Kent, England Daughter Milton Kent Mary A Fox abt 1877 Nk, London, England Wife Milton Kent Sylvia Fox abt 1900 Northfleet, Kent, England Daughter Milton Kent Violet Fox abt 1899 Gravesend, Kent, England Daughter Milton Kent John R Walles abt 1882 Gravesend, Kent, England Brother Milton Kent Merry

Cant be many Lavinia Towers? Name: Lavinia Tower Fox Year of Registration: 1896 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar District: Gravesend (1837-1941) County: Kent Volume: 2a Page: 517