Mary Greenwood married 1878

[malcolm99]

Mary Daniels (née Lewis) married John Greenwood at St James the Great, Bethnal Green on 14th January 1878.
Mary Lewis was born c.1831 in St Pancras and had previously been married to William Daniels (married at St Mary’s, Spital Square, 8th April 1860).

I can find no further trace of either of them after their marriage.

On the 1891 Census there are a John & Mary Greenwood at 7 Wilson Street, St Martin-in-the-Fields: RG12/213 fol. 98 p. 28., but they appear to be the same family as the 1871 Census family living in King Street, St Giles: RG10/347 fol. 54 p. 43.

Can anyone help track down Mary & John (she’s the one I’m most interested in).

[birdlip]

Hi there,

could this be your Mary in 1881?

Mary Ann GREENWOOD 52 widow b Islington, a nurse at the Metropolitan Free Hospital, Spitalfields.

[RG11/ 436/85 P26]

[malcolm99]

It's a good find but I'm as certain as I can be that she is just a Mary and not a Mary Ann as I have her on the 1841, 1861 & 1871 censuses and on the '61 censuses she is a shirtmaker.

I can't imagine she had any training that would help her work as a nurse; in fact, I have a feeling that she was pretty poor as she married in St James the Great, Bethnal Green because the vicar married couples without charging the usual fee. St James was famous for this http://www.
royall.co.uk/royall/marriages-for-free.php

That she married there means that there is a good chance she didn't actually live in Bethnal Green but just used the area address for convenience.

The Census refs are:

1841: HO107; Piece 731; Book: 6; Folio: 43; Page: 11
1861: RG9; Piece: 216; Folio: 66; Page: 23
1871: RG10; Piece: 408; Folio: 19; Page: 4

Thanks for your active interest birdlip.

[pennydog]

Malcolm,

It does not help to find Mary but did you notice that the marriage preceding John & Mary, was Charles Luckett and Amelia Thornton Plumb? Charles being a witness to John & Mary's marriage and John a witness to Charles's.

Is there any connection that you know of, which might help to find John and Mary?

[pennydog]

Try RG13/381/122/29 - 1901 census Newington Workhouse

Mary Greenwood age 66 (b1835) a shirt Needlewoman born St Pancras - listed as married

[malcolm99]

Well spotted pennydog.

Yes I did notice that the last time I had a shot at trying to solve this mystery. I don't seem to have kept any notes on my searches but I seem to remember that I followed up Charles Luckett and did find him in a later census but I couldn't find any connection between the couples after the marriage.

I have a suspicion that they may have been married as a 'cut-price' foursome but before the day may not have known of each other. I got rather excited when I first saw it but was soon brought down to earth by reality. I'm not saying there is no connection tho'.....

[malcolm99]

Try RG13/381/122/29 - 1901 census Newington Workhouse

Mary Greenwood age 66 (b1835) a shirt Needlewoman born St Pancras - listed as married

Now that is a good one - it fits apart from her age. It's also rather pretty because the remains of her own family were by then living in the Walworth/Newington area.

I actually only noticed it myself late this afternoon when I was doing a bit more digging. I have found an entry for her - but I haven't found the name of a relation or a home address as yet. There is also a John Greenwood admitted around the same time but I can't tie them up.

Thanks for keeping on with the spade work.

Added: The workhouse record (possibly) shows that she had been "transferred" but doesn't say from where. Would someone have been transferred to a workhouse nearer their own family or would it have only been between the workhouse & the infirmary?

[pennydog]

No luck at all with the 1891 tried all Mary's born St Pancras 1831 +/- 5 years and nothing comes up remotely like Greenwood or any other wood!

The workhouse entry does look promising, perhaps she shaved a few years off of her age when she married and kept up with the pretence. The shirt needlewoman also fits well.

[Mutley]

No help with your question but just to say that in later years the Greenwood surname was well known on the Thames as Watermen originating from the Newington area. Though it is quite a common name so maybe no connection.

[malcolm99]

Thanks pennydog and Mutley. I'm going to follow up the workhouse records to see if can find something more there and I'll also bear in mind the watermen connection - I'm clutching at straws with this one and so any leads are helpful.