Emma Godfree/Lewis

[almach]

I believe this is George in 1851, HO107; Piece: 1797; Folio: 561; Page: 27, AND 1861 RG 9; Piece: 1158; Folio: 27; Page: 16

His father's occupation is agricultural labourer but nothing unusual in that, many grooms and brides elevated their fathers' job status.

[almach]

This seems to be Amy/Emma in 1871 with her sister, living Marlborough St Chelsea. RG10; Piece: 90; Folio: 44; Page: 7

Amy Lewis 23, head, married, machinist, Chelsea
Alice Godfrey 17, sister, servant, Chelsea

[almach]

I'm assuming you have Emma with mother Susanna and siblings in 1851? If not do say. Father Robert isn't with the family, have you found him on either 1841 or 1851 censuses? I cannot find them in 1861.

[Pam Downes]

Someone has had a busy evening.

How certain are you that you have the right couple in Ohio 1880? Though not impossible it does seem odd that 'your' George and Emma married in 1871 and have only one child [age 0] in 1880.

This seems too coincidental to ignore. Same father's name for Amy [could Amy be Emma?] Same occupation for George, and his father's a bailiff [farm bailiff?]

Church of St Philip Battersea, Apr 6th 1874.

George Lewis 26, bachelor, soldier, Stanley St, father JOHN bailiff
Amy Godfrey, 25, spinster, Stanley St, father Robert [unsure what it says for his occ..maybe modeller]

Witnesses Edward White, Mary Jane White

Good thinking that, almach. Though as you say, not impossible - my great grandparents were married for eleven years before the birth of their first (found so far) child.

Agree with you about the signatures being alike enough for it to be the same couple marrying. I wondered why they would have married twice, and then recalled that at some time in history soldiers had to have permission to marry and if they didn't the marriage wasn't legal. Perhaps this was one of those cases. (Need to do more investigating about the permission to marry.)

I have compared the signatures on the 1871 and 1874 marriages, they are very similar. Suggest you look yourself.

I now have good reason to believe the two marriages are for the same couple, there's a Military record on Find My Past which will be of interest, FMP do not allow their records to be transcribed and posted on the forum, however you can purchase some pay as you go credits. Look on the record set titled 'British Army Service Record 1760 - 1915.

There's quite a lot of George Lewis records in that set. Could you give us a clue by telling us the event year?

This seems to be Amy/Emma in 1871 with her sister, living Marlborough St Chelsea. RG10; Piece: 90; Folio: 44; Page: 7

Amy Lewis 23, head, married, machinist, Chelsea
Alice Godfrey 17, sister, servant, Chelsea

The only problem with that (although ages and a sister Alice seem to fit) is that George and Emma/Amy didn't marry until after the 1871 census had taken place. Though it wouldn't be the first time people have told a few fibs on the census.

Pam

[Pam Downes]

I'm assuming you have Emma with mother Susanna and siblings in 1851? If not do say. Father Robert isn't with the family, have you found him on either 1841 or 1851 censuses? I cannot find them in 1861.

Sherlock Downes to the rescue.
Though I'm not surprised you had trouble finding them. I admit that I haven't found Emma/Amy yet - just Frederick and Alice.
Frederick has been indexed on Ancestry as Fredrick Gedpra. RG 9/32 folio 115 page 50 living in Chelsea.
He's listed as step-child to the head of the household Charles Barkhau (sic) though I think it's supposed to be Charles Barkham.
FreeBMD doesn't currently have a marriage of a Charles Barkham to a Susanna(h) Godfrey/Godfree/variant 1851-1861.

Pam

[Pam Downes]

Assuming that we're not following the wrong family, it would seem that Emma might be a bit older than she's saying.
There's a baptism of an Emma Godfree 8 Sept 1844 at Lambeth St Mary, parents Robert and Susanna Payne (which would be the P in her name in 1851) and Robert's a plasterer.

Alice Ann Godfrey was baptised 9 April 1855 at Chelsea Christ Church, parents Robert and Susannah. Robert is still a plasterer.

Haven't got time to check out the rest of the family at the moment as I have to dash to an appointment.

Pam

[gardenpest29]

Thank you all for your time & help, Emma's father Robert Godfree died in 1856, Emma has a sister called Alice who was born in 1855 & the family were with Charles Barkham on the 1861 and Susannah died in 1862.
The 1851 census has Robert working away from home in Dover as a Plasterer, Susannah is at home with the children in Westminster, St Margarets, piece 1480,- folio 396,- page 65. The name Godfree is transcribed as "Pyadfree" have not yet found them on the 1841 census.

[gardenpest29]

Found them on the 1841 census at Durham Yard, St Luke Chelsea, piece 688,- folio 38,- page 7.
Robert aged 35, Susan aged 25, Susan aged 4 & Robert aged 1.

[almach]

gardenpest29, Please can you answer this question, for now we don't know whether to search US records or UK, or both.

How certain are you that you have the right couple in Ohio 1880? Though not impossible it does seem odd that 'your' George and Emma married in 1871 and have only one child [age 0] in 1880.

[almach]

There's quite a lot of George Lewis records in that set. Could you give us a clue by telling us the event year?

More details, Pam: BORN 1846 Somersham, Coldstream Guards, relevant info regarding marriage is on page four, you'll see the details provided are a combination of both marriage records!!!