Marriage Records Question

[lorisarvendu]

Hi there

Why do some marriage records have an odd number of names, especially on Ancestry? What does it mean when you find a particular Volume and Page has 2 women but only 1 man listed? I'm searching for evidence of a particular marriage sometime prior to 1882 and I haven't been able to find it. But some of my hits have shown more women than men. Does this mean that one of these might be my marriage?

Why is one of the grooms not shown? Is this a transcription error peculiar to Ancestry, and am I likely to find a more correct set of records elsewhere?

I hope i've explained myself properly here.

Cheers

Dave

[Jimmy]

Some entries are so hard to read, that they miss the names off.

Post what you are looking for and we can try and help you.

[lorisarvendu]

Charles William Hill marrying Mary Jane Robinson anytime prior to 1890. Anywhere in the country. Probably no sooner than 1842 though, and probably no earlier than 1881 since I can't seem to find them on the 1881 census.

Big job huh?

Actually let me clarify that. Their son was born in Shepherds Bush in January 1882. By the 1891 Census he was adopted into another family, after living in a Childrens home (probably the Fulham Workhouse). His birth certificate says his parents are married in 1882. There's no proof that is true of course, but if I could find some marriage record prior to 1882 that would prove it was.

[Jimmy]

I have had a look can't see anything, perhaps the never mariied.

[Jimmy]

Do's the birth cert give an occupation for the father, or an address, or any other details.? what was the name of the child.

[lorisarvendu]

Well most of the details are here:
viewtopic.php?f=78&t=10050

I'm pretty certain they weren't actually married. In fact I'm tending towards the idea that Charles William Hill may well have been fictional...or even that Mary Jane Robinson could be as well. I don't know how much proof was needed in the 19th Century to register a birth. If you could go along and just give a whole load of false names then anything's up for grabs really.

On a happer note I have managed to trace the Pankhurst family (who my ancestor was fostered by) all the way to Canada, and am now in email contact with a descendent of my Great-Grandfather's foster-parents. Unfortunately they have very little information about their branch of the family and none about the Hill connection.

Even more annoyingly, the records for the Hammersmith & Fulham Workhouse are missing for the years 1881 to 1891, exactly the years where I might find my ancestor's admission and departure details.

My only hope is to become famous so the BBC will ask me to appear on "Who Do You Think You Are?".

[Jimmy]

There is a Charles Hill that is an upholsterer,

1881. 9 Eastbank Rd, Middlesex.
Charles Hill 32. upholsterer.
Elizabeth Hill 36.
Charles E. Hill 7. Son.
Fredk. G. Hill 5.
Hetty M. Hill 1.
Mary Mole 29.
Fanny Morriss 30.
Jessie Millard 11.
(not transcribed)

[lorisarvendu]

That's an interesting catch.
It's quite possible that his middle name is William and he is the father. If so, then Mary Jane is pretending that she's married to him and putting his correct details on the certificate in order to legitimise her child.

I shall investigate this Charles Hill further. Thanks for that.