Genealogy Forum UK

I have a pretty little puzzle regarding Florence Ann Etheridge born 1891 in Horsham Sussex to Walter & Rosetta.
I have her census records for 1901 & 1911 and it appears that she married Hubert John Acton in 1916. Hubert was born in 1880 in Guildford (a town where the Etheridges had connections) and died in 1925 on the Isle of Wight.
However, in 1918 Florence witnessed her sister May's marriage to Ernest Pattock and signed herself Florence A Etheridge.

There are other Florence A Etheridges who may have married Hubert, but none who lived in Florence's home town of Horsham, and their are several Florence A Actons who married subsequent to Hubert's death in 1925. I haven't been able to confirm any of them as being born in 1891 and their are a fair few Florence As who were born around 1891.

As far as I'm aware Hubert & Florence had no offspring.

Has anyone got any ideas as to my next move?

How about this,

Marriages Jun 1935.
Acton Florence A. married William F Wraight. Brighton. 2b. 639.

Florence Ann Wraight.
Birth Date: 27 May 1891.
Date of Registration: Jun 1976.
Age at Death: 85.
Registration district: Surrey South eastern.
Inferred County: Surrey.
Volume: 17.
Page: 0977.

William F Wraight.
Birth Date: abt 1877.
Date of Registration: Sep 1939.
Age at Death: 62.
Registration district: Brighton.
Inferred County: Sussex.
Volume: 2b.
Page: 424.

Acton Hubert John of 85 Janson Road, Southampton died 24 September 1925 at Pelham Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Administration London 12 January to Florence Ann Wraight widow.
Effects £600.

Probate Date: 12 Jan 1959.

Wraight William Frederic of 21 Lauriston Road, Preston Park, Brighton, died 11 August 1939 at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. Probate Lewes 29 September to Florence Ann Wraight widow.
Effects £352. 15s. 7d.

Ancestry.

Hubert John Acton.
Spouse: Florence Ann Etheridge.
Record Type: Banns.
Event Date: 27 Feb 1916.
Parish: Holy Trinity, Finchley.
Borough: Camden.
Register Type: Parish Register.

Thanks Jimmy, that's the trail alright, but it's odd, she marries Hubert Acton in 1916, she witnesses her sister's marriage in 1918 in her maiden name, she's named as Wraight in Hubert's probate in 1925 despite not marrying William until 1935 and he dies 4 years later from when she remains a widow 'til her death some 27 years later.

What do you think? A first marriage with an older man regretted immediately (was she pregnant but lost the baby?) then taking up with another, even older, man, and taking his name until he fell ill and they legalised the matter? Or did Hubert desert her and, after a few years alone, she took comfort with William?

The probate date is 1959 not 1925.

SRD wrote:Thanks Jimmy, that's the trail alright, but it's odd, she marries Hubert Acton in 1916, she witnesses her sister's marriage in 1918 in her maiden name, she's named as Wraight in Hubert's probate in 1925 despite not marrying William until 1935 and he dies 4 years later from when she remains a widow 'til her death some 27 years later.

Hubert's death is 1925 but the probate was granted later

Acton Hubert John of 85 Janson Road, Southampton died 24 September 1925 at Pelham Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Administration London 12 January to Florence Ann Wraight widow.
Effects £600.

Probate Date: 12 Jan 1959.

So by then she would have been remarried and rewidowed.

Perhaps she was a suffragette?

(Neat work Jimmy!)

Thanks to you both. That's a long time between death and Administration isn't it? I wonder what was happening to his estate between 1925 & 1959.

The estate may have been dealt with informally and then for some reason had to be sorted legally. Perhaps he had a relative who left him money and his widow needed to show that she could inherit it?

Thanks everyone, this can be archived now.