Who Do You Think You Are Magazine Forum

[SDV]

Hi

I'm looking for the marriage of William MARTIN to Mary Ann NOT SURE.

I know they had a daughter called Emma Frances, born in 1840 in Edmonton. On the birth certificate it states that the mother was formerly known as WRIGHT.

However, I found a later marriage for Mary Ann in 1849 in Tottenham to David DAY. Her father on the register is named as Charles BRADFORD.

On a third marriage in 1865 to James CHAMPKIN in West Hackney, her father is again given as Charles BRADFORD.

Am I looking for an even earlier 4th marriage to a WRIGHT?

From census returns, it would appear that Mary Ann was born c1816 at Shadwell.

I can't seem to find any info about her birth other than from census returns, i.e. no baptism record.

I would also like to find out if William (a coal merchant) and Mary Ann had any other children other than Emma.

[MoVidger]

Could this be Mary Ann's baptism? Father not named Charles, though.

London, Docklands And East End Baptisms
First name(s) Mary
Last name Bradford
Birth year 1815
Birth date 01/08/1815
Baptism year 1820
Baptism date 08 Oct 1820
Address 7 Fox & Goose Yard
Father's first name(s) John
Father's occupation Coal Whipper
Mother's first name(s) Anne
Parish St Paul, Shadwell
Church address The Highway
County Middlesex

For other Martin children, the online GRO index lists these possibilities:

MARTIN, ALFRED MMN: WRIGHT
GRO Reference: 1839 J Quarter in EDMONTON Volume 03 Page 88
MARTIN, CHARLES THOMAS MMN: WRIGHT
GRO Reference: 1843 J Quarter in EDMONTON Volume 03 Page 124
MARTIN, ELIZA DAY MMN: WRIGHT
GRO Reference: 1846 D Quarter in EDMONTON Volume 03 Page 139

[SDV]

Which begs the question if her maiden name given for her children with William Martin was WRIGHT, then the only way her father could be BRADFORD is if she had a marriage before her marriage to William Martin. So am I looking for two marriages: Mary Ann BRADFORD to WRIGHT and a Mary Ann WRIGHT to a William MARTIN. So altogether FOUR marriages!

[MoVidger]

What about Robert Martin, the son born c1837? Could he be from a prior marriage? Does he marry and if so, who is named as father on his marriage certificate?

[SDV]

Not sure. I think he was born before 1837, so no birth certificate. Nor can I find a baptism.

A marriage would be useful.

[MoVidger]

This marriage on Ancestry. Father: William Martin (carman, deceased). It might not be your Robert.

London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932
Name: Robert William Martin
Gender: Male
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 23 Jun 1861
Marriage Place: West Hackney, Hackney, England
Father: William Martin
Spouse: Elizabeth Dunklin
Register Type: Parish Register

1861 census:

Name: Robert W Martin
Age: 24
Estimated birth year: 1837
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Elizabeth Martin
Gender: Male
Where born: Edmonton, Middlesex, England
Civil Parish: Tottenham
Ecclesiastical parish: Allhallows
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street address:
Registration district: Edmonton
Sub-registration district: Tottenham
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Household schedule number: 5
Piece: 793
Folio: 84
Page Number: 1

Possible death?

Name: Robert William Martin
Registration Year: 1864
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Edmonton
Inferred County: Middlesex
Volume: 3a
Page: 106

[SDV]

Mo - thanks for the input, I think the info on Robert is very interesting and possibly a way forward. The marriage you found is definitely the correct one, as one of the witnesses is his mother Mary Ann DAY.

To summarise, we know the following:

Mary Ann UNKNOWN was married at least three times:

William MARTIN - a coal merchant. No record of the marriage

David DAY - a labourer. Married 27 Feb 1849 @ All Hallows, Tottenham

James CHAMPKIN - a house painter. Married 26 Mar 1865 @ West Hackney.

On the marriage certificates for the last two marriages, she states that her father was a labourer named Charles BRADFORD.

She appears to have had at least five children with William MARTIN : George Thomas (bap 14 Sep 1834), Robert William (c1836, no record of baptism), Alfred (bap 21 Jul 1839), Emma Frances (bap 27 Dec 1840) and Charles Thomas (bap 07 May 1843). On the birth certificates of those born after the start of civil registration, Mary Ann's former name is given as WRIGHT rather than BRADFORD. Why should this be? Was their a previous marriage? Or some other reason? Did her mother remarry?

There is another child Eliza Day MARTIN born 1846, who might be the child of either William Martin or David Day. The mother's name is once again MARTIN, formerly WRIGHT. William MARTIN died in 1845.

There is yet another child David Edward fathered by David DAY born 1851. Once again the mother's name is MARTIN, formerly WRIGHT.

My biggest problem is that whilst I know I am looking for a marriage of William MARTIN, I do not know for sure where this marriage took place or the name of the bride. The location is problematic as although the family seem to be Edmonton based, William's birthplace according to the 1841C is simply not Middlesex, whilst Mary Ann was born in Shadwell. As for the name of the bride, should I be looking for a BRADFORD or a WRIGHT?

At the moment I am having difficulty knowing how to proceed.

[SDV]

There is a marriage on 03 Dec 1828 between William MARTIN (bachelor) and Mary Ann WRIGHT (spinster) at Lambeth, St Mary.

I have no idea if this is my couple or not. If it is, I still have no idea why she calls her father Charles Bradford or indeed John Bradford.

[ianbee]

There is also William Martin + Mary Wright
26 Feb 1832, Hackney (St John)

[SDV]

Thanks - that location sounds more likely.

Other questions remain.