Genealogy Forum UK

Hi everybody,

I have just joined to try to get some help with an ancestor who's proving difficult to research:

My ancestor THOMAS BARTON was married in Gringley on the Hill (Notts) 18/12/1804 to SARAH FAREHAM (she was a local). They had two sons, George and John (from whom I am descended).

Now... on the parish records for the marriage it states "Thomas Barton, widower, of the parish of Doncaster in the county and diocese of York..."

So I believe Thomas had been married before. I looked up marriages in Doncaster and the only one that might be close (this was 1794) is MARY ROMMONS (misspelled BOMMONS on IGI).

Birth records at Doncaster were inconclusive i.e. there was one Thomas born 1770 illegitimate son of Catherine Barton, or another born 1747 to Stephen Barton. That would make him 54 at his marriage to Sarah...

I have no idea where or when he died. I have ordered a copy of the Bonds and Allegations for his second marriage which may give an age (fingers crossed), otherwise I am stuck.

I get the feeling that this part of my family liked to move house A LOT!

For example John moved from Gringley [born]->Kirbymoorside[married, 1st child]->Leith[2nd child]->Newcastle Upon Tyne[3rd child, finally died here]. I really hope his father wasn't a nomad like him!

Suggestions for a way forward would be greatly appreciated.

any luck with the witnesses on his marriage cert ?

Unfortunately the witnesses might not be helpful:

The first witness is Isaac Fareham, the bride's father so I know some stuff about him.

The second signed "Robert Blake" (it's clearly that), and he was also the witness to the previous marriage in the parish record (further up the page). Is it possible that he was some kind of 'professional witness' who was paid to sign for any couple?

I don't know of any Robert Blakes linked to this couple. He's not a Barton. He's not a Fareham. He could have been the husband of a sister to Thomas, but I don't know if Thomas had any siblings. He could just have been a friend of Thomas. The bonds and allegations might state who agreed the bond, so this might give his name.

Thanks for your suggestion anyway. Going through the process of explaining my reasoning will show up any gaps/guesses so that can only be a good thing.

I have now got the bond and allegation for Thomas's second marriage. Unfortunately it's not much help.

The bond was made on 17 December, one day before the marriage. The amount was £200 which was the maximum amount usually contracted for in those days. The document shows the marks of Thomas and Isaac. The text again states that Thomas is a widower of the parish of Doncaster and that Sarah is aged over 21 and lives in Gringley.

The part where Thomas' age is supposed to go reads "and alledged and made Oath, that he is of the age of ...... Years" so he either didn't know, didn't want to say, or the person completing the form didn't ask. This is a real pain because if we could have got an age, there might have been something to go on.

The only other bit of info on there is that the surrogate (person who would pay the money in the event of the marriage not taking place) was Richard Morton/Horton. This again is not a name I recognise and I think it's likely he was a kind of "bail-bondsman" who would pay the money and then I suppose Thomas would have to pay him back later.