One Wife Two Husbands ?

[Joe90]

Mary Pearce married Thomas Litchfield a soldier prior to marrying my G.G.F.

Mary gave birth to a daughter - Henrietta - on the 24th November 1858 at South Barracks Walmer Kent. Thomas now a Sergeant in the 51st Regiment.

Any information would be most appreciated.

joe.

[Davran]

Joe, what exactly is it that you want to know?

[ChrisKelly]

It's not clear exactly what information you want.

There is a GRO birth certificate for Henrietta, born in the district of Eastry in 1858, but I assume that you already have it. What are the names of the parents?

In the 1871 census there is a Henrietta with this family:

Robert Owen, head, 44, Pensioner, North Nibley Gloucestershire
Mary Owen wife, 38, Pensioner's wife, Tipperary Ireland
Robert Owen, son, 4, Scholar, Cirencester Gloucestershire
Mary Jane Owen, daughter, 2, Cirencester Gloucestershire
Henrietta Litchfield, daughter-in-law, 12, Scholar, Walmer Kent

How that fits in I'm not sure!

[Mutley]

Joe,
As this post is on the Tipperary forum, any ideas where in Tipperary and who? Is Chris right and it is a reference to Mary Owen?

And can you confirm your G.G.F's name please?

[Alan Welsford]

Henrietta Litchfield, daughter-in-law, 12, Scholar, Walmer Kent

How that fits in I'm not sure!

Hi Chris,

Are you querying "daughter-in-law" on a 12 year old ?

If so it's regularly used in censuses to mean what we now call step-daughter.

So it's reasonably safe to assume that the wife, Mary is on her second marriage with Robert Owen, and that she was previously married to a Mr Litchfield.

And indeed that's what the post says....

"Mary Pearce married Thomas Litchfield a soldier prior to marrying my G.G.F."

That said, I completely failed to find 2 year old Henrietta Litchfield, or mother Mary Litchfield in 1861. (Possibly the soldier thing has put them out of reach of the census, but equally likely I'm just not clever enough to find them!).

Alan

[Joe90]

My apologies to Davran, Chris, Mutley and Alan, I confess to a senior moment, I should have been more explicit in my posting.

Alan has hit the nail on the head with his reply. Whilst researching my G.G.Father I discovered the same information as Chris on the 1871 census, 1) who was Mary from Tipperary and 2) Henrietta stepdaughter, this was the first indication I had an Irish ancestor ?

I obtained a copy of Henrietta's birth certificate, she was born on the 24th November 1858 at South Barracks Walmer Kent, mother Mary Litchfield formerly Prearce, father Thomas Litchfield Sergeant 51st Regiment.

The only information I have of Mary I obtained from the census returns. My aim on this thread is to obtain any information relating to Mary, the reason I refered to Sgt Litchfield is the possibility they may have met and married in Ireland as the 51st Regiment served in various parts of the country.

You may be interested to know how it all originated. Following my G.G.Father Robert Owen from Nibley, I located him on the census of 1841 but from that date onwards he completely dissapeared until the census of 1871, this raised a number of issues, two of them I have already identified, the others-- why was my GGF entered as a Pensioner at such a young age, and where were the family living when my GF was born.

I obtained a birth certificate of my GF who was born on the 10th May 1866 at The Armory Barracks Cirencester Gloucestershire, mother Mary Owen formerly Litchfield, father Staff Sergeant Robert Owen. This also confirms their residence at this time.

I know the questions in your minds, what happened to Sgt Litchfield, when and where did Mary marry my GGF and what records have I obtained, the short answer is none. Complete failure to locate wedding certificate, army returns on deaths whilst in service and the complete absence on any census return other than those quoted.

Refering to the census of 1881, the spelling of Leicester was incorrect, it should have stated the Lord Leycester Hospital Warwick. Google this, it is interesting the BBC covered it in a programme last year.


My GGF was admitted as a Brother in 1872 and remained there until his passing in 1902.
The personal records of the Brothers prior to 1920 are lodged at the Warwick Record Office in file CR1600, I will be making an appeal, on the Warwickshire county, for a good samaritan to carry out a look up for me as I am having difficulty in confirming the Regiment my GGf served in and without that I am unable to obtain a record of his army service.

Thanks to all of you for showing an interest, I shall look forward to any suggetions.

Joe.

[Joe90]

Davran,

Sorry for not being explicit, have made an all embracing reply

Joe.

[Joe90]

Hi Chris,
I'm not certain I have replied in the corect format as it were.

Joe

[Joe90]

Hi Mutley,
This is to alert you to my reply.

Joe.

[Joe90]

Hi Alan,
Feeling a bit thick about the replies, how do I reply when I receive four posts in tandem, is it ok to do an all embracing reply and leave you guy's to spot my posting or do quickie alerts ?

Joe.