Genealogy Chat

Great grandfather was married before he married great grandmother. My dad had been trying to find his first marriage for ages. I finally found her on the 1881 census. I now have her death certificate, 1887, showing her age as 30. Tracking back, I took her year of birth to be 1857, called it 1856 just in case, and thought I would start looking for her marriage in 1872 when she was 16. The fiche drawer started at 1870, so I took them as well. Anyway, went through every quarter of every year, (I have her maiden name to cross check anything) right up to the end of 1887 when she died, and nothing. Would they have to have been married in order for g.grandfather to qualify to register her death, and have the condition widower on his next marriage certificate. His name was James Flew, and hers was Catherine Cross. Any help appreciated.

Hi, Carol It is possible that Catherine was a widow when she married James, even though she was only 30 when she died. Free BMD has two entries for Flew: James Jennings Flew, married Jun 1872, Clifton, 6a 230 James Oliver Flew married Mar 1879, Barnstaple, 5b 683 Neither of these entries has all the women's names that should be there to match the men's names, and the names Catherine and Cross are not among those so far entered. However I have checked the name Cross for the relevant quarters in "1837", but in neither case was there a page index match for anyone called Cross, so whoever these men may have married then, she was not named Catherine Cross. I suppose "Cross" could possibly have been mis-transcribed, though, as another possibility. Free BMD has many entries for Catherine Cross, but none so far transcribed has a male name even phonetically resembling Flew entered, although some pages are clearly also not complete, having only two names as opposed to a mnimum of four (two men and two women). Clearly since Free BMD is not complete, and "1837" is not cross-indexed, there is no easy solution. If you were looking at Lancahire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, or Newcastle, their BMD sites would be alternatives which are instantly cross-indexed, but otherwise I fear the only possibility is to look for marriages of James Flew and take it from there. Best wishes Stan

Thanks Stan, the 2 you mention are the ones my dad found years ago, and have since been disregarded and put in the folder marked `wrong ones` I am certain I have the right one, as the James Flew on the death certificate is listed as being an omnibus driver, which we know to be correct, and the address on the sons death certificates, my father recognises. I looked for districts in Wales as well, as this is where Catherine was born. Also, the former name Cross appears on the sons certificates in 1881. It crossed my mind that they may have eloped and done a Gretna Green job. Did that happen in those days, the 1870s. Does the LDS have the Scottish indesis I wonder. Thanks again for trying.

I have done a free search on scotlandspeople and only 1 death for FLEW, but plenty of CROSS, so I suppose I can rule that out.

Carol, There's this on IGI CATHERINE ANN CROSS Christening: 16 NOV 1857 Newcastle, Glamorgan, Wales Parents: Father: BENJAMIN CROSS Family Mother: MARY Newcastle is in Bridgend. Crista

Thank you Crista, why didnt I think of looking there. According to the census her birthplace is Bridgend, and the date matches.

Carol, I used the batch number listed to find some other brothers and sisters. Looked for them all on 1881 but couldn't find them. Crista

Hi Carol, dont forget until 1926 it was legal for girls to marry at 12 years of age and boys at 14.Just a thought,in VRI2nd edition James Jennings Flew married Lucy Bissix on 21-5-1872 at Bristol.Husband 23,wife 22,husbands father William Flew,wifes father Robert Bissix. Regards Tony

Thomas, we already have this person`s marriage and birth certificate, but our James father is John. I am not dismissing him out of hand, as John`s father was William.

I was wondering about the age limits. the chap at the LDS said that they sometimes married younger. I will double check the ages of both, then try a few years back. If she was born in 1857, she could have married in 1869, the year before I 1870, where I started.

Hi, I had a problem trying to find a marriage. Infact they did not get married until all the children were born. On the birth certificate I got the child was down by her maiden name, she was as her "married" name and formely her maiden name. On all the census she was down as her married name and classed as married, even though she wasn't. If that makes sense????? Jo

I thought of that Joanne, but I checked right through the index, right up to the end of the year when she died. On all certificates I have, her death, 2 childrens` death, she is referred to as Mrs Catherine Flew, formerly Cross. Maybe they didnt marry at all, and she just used his name.

Hi, it was just a thought, may be down the wrong direction. The birth certificate I have says Jacob Wain, Father Jacob Round, Mother Sarah Round, formerly Wain. That is in 1865. . They actually got married in 1871 and very sadly she died in 1872. The ages differ slightly too, 29 in 1871 and 28 in 1872. Hope you find the ends of your search. Best wishes, Jo.