Bullard/Sparkes marriage, c1891

[salcat]

Looking for the marriage c 1891 of Elizabeth BULLARD b 1864 Helpringham, Lincs and Henry SPARKS, b 1861 Torquay Devon.

In 1911, they claim to have been married for 19 years, and are in Huddersfield with their 17 year old daughter Minnie (b Chelsea, London 1894 - have found the ref). Henry is a house painter.

In 1901, Elizabeth and Minnie are with Elizabeth's parents in Sedgefield Norfolk
ref RG13; Piece: 1881; Folio: 66; Page: 21. I can't find Henry anywhere. Just had an - perhaps he was serving in the Boer War.

1n 1891 Henry is single, a private in the Coldstream Guards in Chelsea Barracks and Elizabeth is also single, a general servant living at 51 Cambridge St in the parish of St George Hanover Square (ties up with Minnie's birth reg).

I did wonder if it could have been a military wedding, but surely if it took place in the UK it should be registered. I've also looked at the military marriages on fmp but can't see them there either.

Can anyone with sharper eyes than me spot this marriage?

Thanks in advance

Sally

[Raffaele]

Marriages Dec 1892
Clarke George Thomas Pancras 1b 78
Kent Harriott Pancras 1b 78
MAY Joseph Pancras 1b 78
Sparks Henry Pancras 1b 78
Walsh Katheran Pancras 1b 78

Marriages Dec 1894
Harvey Alfred Henry Pancras 1b 78
Harvey Annie Pancras 1b 78
Sparks Henry Pancras 1b 78

Two Henry Sparks marriages, right sort of area. Both odd number of participants, both missing one woman. 2 years apart with the same reference.
Odd.

Not being picky, Sedgefield is up north and used to be Tony Blairs constituency. Sedgeford is a couple miles east of Heacham on the wash coast of Norfolk. Just up the road from here.

[Karen Newman]

Is he Henry Walter Sparkes?

Births Jun 1861
SPARKES Henry Walter Newton A 5b 161

I can't see any other b Torquay around this time on the 1881 census - he is at RG11; Piece: 2168; Folio: 58; Page: 52.

The reason I ask is that there is a marriage:

Marriages Sep 1881
HOLLETT Margaret Elizabeth Newton A. 5b 253
HUNT Robert Newton A. 5b 253
PEPPRELL Annie Eliza Newton A. 5b 253
Sparkes Henry Walter Newton A. 5b 253

Margaret E Hollett appears on the 1881 census at RG11; Piece: 2167; Folio: 208; Page: 53.

A married Margaret Sparks appears on the 1891 census at RG12; Piece: 1735; Folio 142; Page 31. Her age and place of birth are a match for Margaret Hollet on the 1881.

And with Margaret parents on the 1891 are some little Sparks! Class: RG12; Piece: 1686; Folio 11; Page 15.

Perhaps Henry was unable to marry Elizabeth Bullard, being married already.

[Karen Newman]

It looks like she may have re-married (but I cannot find a death for Henry Walter Sparkes)

Marriages Dec 1894
Crabb Jennett E. Stonehouse 5b 624
Jeffery John E. Stonehouse 5b 624
Sparkes Margaret Elizabeth E. Stonehouse 5b 624
Stubley Britain E. Stonehouse 5b 624

and again

Marriages Mar 1896
Hutchinson James Plymouth 5b 383
JEFFERY Margaret Elizabeth Plymouth 5b 383
Morrell Alice Maud Plymouth 5b 383
Rich Russell Richard Plymouth 5b 383

and Margaret Hutchinson turns up on the 1901 :Class: RG13; Piece: 2105; Folio: 26; Page: 44. Right age and place of birth.

[salcat]

Thanks both

Sorry Raffaele - I did mean Sedgeford in Norfolk bit of a blonde moment there (well greying really). I will follow up your two possibles, the earlier one would tie in with the 19 years married in 1911.

Karen - yes he was the only Henry Spark(e)s who matched that I could find. Most of the later records have him without the "e". Perhaps you are right and he wasn't free to marry. I think I was focusing too closely on Henry and Elizabeth and hadn't looked at the bigger picture. But then if Raffaele's suggestion is right, it looks as though poor man's divorce had happened again

Perhaps he did a runner and joined the army to escape Margaret - seeing as how she got through later husbands, perhaps he made the right choice

I'll follow up your suggestions - it's a sibling line so not vital, but it's nice to know.

Thanks again

Sally

[Kerrywood]

Marriages Dec 1892
Clarke George Thomas Pancras 1b 78
Kent Harriott Pancras 1b 78
MAY Joseph Pancras 1b 78
Sparks Henry Pancras 1b 78
Walsh Katheran Pancras 1b 78

Just for the record, the above is a case not of a missing female, but of a superfluous male. The image of the GRO index page shows that Joseph MAY's page number should be 73, and he is additionally and correctly indexed there by FreeBMD.

The above Henry SPARKS apparently married Harriott KENT, a likely Henry & Harriet SPARKS couple being found in Pancras in 1901, with a KENT family living next door. That would suggest, then, that this other Henry SPARKS marriage

Marriages Dec 1894
Harvey Alfred Henry Pancras 1b 78
Harvey Annie Pancras 1b 78
Sparks Henry Pancras 1b 78

being before 1901, is a different Henry SPARKS. There is no Elizabeth BULLARD entry in the same quarter, but she might have been missed off the index, and this Henry may just possibly be the right one.

If this were a direct line, you could order a cert with a reference-check on the wife's name, but I appreciate you may not wish to extend that far.

Kerrywood

[Karen Newman]

Marriages Dec 1894
Harvey Alfred Henry Pancras 1b 78
Harvey Annie Pancras 1b 78
Sparks Henry Pancras 1b 78


The page number for Alfred Henry Harvey is 249 (!) on the original. So not the right marriage.

[salcat]

Thanks again Kerrywood and Karen for that information.

So it looks as though Karen's theory that they didn't actually marry is more than likely a black sheep

Perhaps he got the nice girl from the country into trouble (!) and then they had to say they were married for her parents. There was another child that died, but that (he/she) may be a lot harder to identify

As you say, if it were a direct line, I would be looking at ordering certs, but I probably won't in this case.

All the best

Sally