help needed << Can we use 'helpful' titles please - a name or location is good!

[owen]

I cannot find any trace of my father, Frederick Charles Owen, born 1872 in Kent. I have the certificate of his second marriage in 1910 to my mother, Elizabeth Harnden. Before that time I cannot find any other information. I think his first wife was Ellen and they had two daughters, Winnifred and Gladys. His fathers name on the wedding certificate was Thomas Owen, deceased. He had two siblings, John and Louisa. He worked in the Chatham dockyard for many years as a cranedriver. He died near Sittingbourne in 1942 and is buried in Newington cemetery. The 1881 census shows a Frederick Charles Owen, B.1872, but it was the wrong father and siblings. Hoping someone can break down this brick wall.

[mary elms]

Was he in Chatham before or after his second marriage?

If before then have you tried the City Ark project? If not, it might be worth a look. He or his daughters might be there.

http://cityark.medway.gov.uk

I found it confusing the first time so just in case I'm not alone there -

Click on CityArk ImageBase in the LH side column. You'll be given a page with lots of text. Select Link 2 Medway Ancestors. New page - more text. Choose the link for the Parish Registers you wish to look at.

Hope this helps

[Peter Goodey]

Perhaps this marriage might be worth looking at...

Marriages Mar 1898
----------------------------------------------

Bonnett Amelia Dartford 2a 671
Lewis Ellen Dartford 2a 671 <=======
Owen Frederick Charles Dartford 2a 671 <=======
Whitehead Frederick George Dartford 2a 671

[owen]

Was he in Chatham before or after his second marriage?

If before then have you tried the City Ark project? If not, it might be worth a look. He or his daughters might be there.

http://cityark.medway.gov.uk

I found it confusing the first time so just in case I'm not alone there -

Click on CityArk ImageBase in the LH side column. You'll be given a page with lots of text. Select Link 2 Medway Ancestors. New page - more text. Choose the link for the Parish Registers you wish to look at.

Hope this helps

I'm not too sure when he lived in Chatham. I was a small boy when he died and my sisters are getting on, but I will ask them the next time I ring. I will look at the site and keep my fingers crossed. I live in Australia and it's difficult being so far away from England. Derek Owen

[owen]

Perhaps this marriage might be worth looking at...

Marriages Mar 1898
----------------------------------------------

Bonnett Amelia Dartford 2a 671
Lewis Ellen Dartford 2a 671 <=======
Owen Frederick Charles Dartford 2a 671 <=======
Whitehead Frederick George Dartford 2a 671

I was thinking of sending for the marriage certificate of Ellen Lewis and Charles Owen, but I need to do a bit more digging. I'm pretty sure this was his first marriage, but his birth certificate I received had the right name, town and age, but the wrong father and siblings. I'm sure he didn't like the census either. Derek Owen.

[Peter Goodey]

Derek

Presumably he was widowed when he remarried?

You may have more luck by working incrementally. I'd work backwards from 1910 looking for a death of a female OWEN of about the right age. This may provide a missing clue to help you work back some more.

Also, I suggest you bear it in mind that marriage possibility I gave you. Sometimes we have to juggle several clues at the same time, drop some of them and use what we've got left!