My ancestor Jesse Denton married Mary Ann Hartley in 1892 according to www.lan-opc.org.uk, both widowed, bride's father was William Midgley. Bride's abode Back Drake St, Rochdale.
I'm stuck finding an origin for Mary Ann. There seem to be no convincing census records of a Hartley or Midgley around Rochdale and I cannot find a definite marriage record between her and Mr Hartley (there were a number of marriages of a Mary Midgley in Rochdale between 1864 and 1870 but no spouse name given).
Jesse died in 1900 so Mary Ann if alive would probably still be in Rochdale for the 1901 census. The only likely candidate seems to be a Mary A Denton at 80 Royde St (herself & 2 boarders). She's listed as born in Heptonstall.
I've traced a Midgley family with the father named William through the 1841census (in Heptonstall at this time), 1851 census (when they moved to Todmorden) and 1861 census (still in Todmorden). In 1871 there's a Mary A Kershaw listed in the family as daughter and an Arthur Kershaw (age 2) as nephew. But both their birthplaces are given as Leeds and an 1863 marriage record suggests it was the son Thomas who married Mary Ann Kershaw. Thomas is not listed in the 1871 household so maybe he'd died and Mary Ann had reverted to her maiden name. Arthur may have been her nephew or a brother.
If it was Mary Ann Midgley that married a Kershaw between 1861 and 1871 I cannot find any marriage record.
There is a burial record for a Mary Ann Midgley in 1865 with the abode listed as Hanging Ditch - which was where the Midgley family were at this time. If this is so then she isn't the Mary Ann I'm looking for. The 1891 and 1901 census shows what's left of the family at Longfield Rd, Todmorden - Ben has married and his sister Hannah is still living with them. There's no Mary Ann at this time.
There are a number of Mary Hartleys listed in the Rochdale area in the 1881 and 1891 censuses but none are living in Back Drake St. Similarly there are a number of Mary Midgleys in the area but I haven't found anything I can pin down for definite.
Any suggestions for tracing Mary Ann would be much appreciated!