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Hi

I am in a quandry, I have just received a marriage cert for an ancestor, Dorothea Ethel Clarke, she married Francis William Gower in 1936 Ampthill Beds. At the time of her marriage she was aged 20 and was classed on the cert as a "widow". Her father's name was scribed as WILLIAM THOMAS CONINGTON, occ: Barrister. I have searched for a marriage for CLARKE/CONINGTON prior to 1936 and cannot find one, so cannot find DOROTHEA's maiden name. Also I have been searching for information on William Thomas Conington and cannot find a birth/marriage or death. The only snippet of info I have on Dorothea was that her mother died in childbirth and her father committed suicide soon after, she was at one time in service in London and then lived with two ladies. I don't know if she was adopted by the Coningtons, how would I find out, also why can't I find anything on William Thomas Conington. I am really stuck on this one

Did she have children, as maiden name on birth certificates, but surely it is Conington if that is her Father's name?

?
Marriage 1938, Wellingborough Northants

Dora E Clarke
Leslie CUNNINGTON.?

I was thinking Cunningham was more likely, in which case she could have been born (and married) in Scotland

If this is death for Dorothea who married Gower then she was born 1906 and would have been 30 at marriage

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
about Dorothea E Gower
Name: Dorothea E Gower
Birth Date: abt 1906
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1968
Age at Death: 62
Registration district: Wellingborough
Inferred County: Northamptonshire
Volume: 3b
Page: 1057

Andy

http://www.forum.familyhistory.uk.com/showthread.php?t=20987

Maybe her mother was Clarke and never actually married to Dorothea's father?

Marriage,?

1922,

St Faiths Norfolk

Reuben Clarke.

Dorothea E V Hilborne.

So is this Francis William?
Deaths Sep 1958
GOWER Francis W 75 Bedford 4a 18
(or his Dad?)

?
Francis William Gower
Birth Date: 22 Dec 1901
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1971
Age at Death: 69
Registration district: Bedford
Inferred County: Bedfordshire
Volume: 4a
Page: 160

who were the witnesses in 1936,,,,,,

Hi

do appreciate your help. I am presuming that the age given on her marriage cert (as 20) is wrong and should read 30, her having been born in 1906 (as shown on her death record). The witnesses at the wedding were Gladys C and William T Tyroe. Dorothea and Francis had a daughter in 1938 and the maiden name shown was Conington. Why would the Conington name not show up on her marriage cert is she had been married before. I have searched for a marriage for Clarke to Dorothea to try and ascertain her maiden name and can't find one. As said, the family story is that Dorothea's mother died in childbirth (not known whether it was giving birth to Dorothea or another child) and that her father committed suicide soon after. It appears she was in service in London at one time before living with 2 ladies whom she called Aunts (again don't know if they were actually related and not aware of their surnames). I really don't know where to go next and am frustrated that I am stuck so early on in this families genealogy

A marriage certificate does not always include any previous name the bride has used before.

My gt gt grandmother married 4 times and on each marriage certificate it stated she was a spinster when in actual fact she was a widow for three of the marriages but the name she was married in was always that of her previous husband, no mention of her former names. I knew it was the right woman though as her fathers name was on all her certificates and this confirmed her maiden name.

The birth certificate you have for her daughters birth in 1938 confirms her maiden name for you, it tally's with her fathers name on her marriage certificate.

Chris

Hi

Dorothea and Francis had a daughter in 1938 named Wendy MArjorie Hickson Gower,now to me, Hickson is a surname so I have been checking links between the names Hickson and Clarke (I am sure that the family of Conington were the adopted parents of Dorothea Ethel), and have found a marriage between Francis W Clarke and Flora E G Hickson in 1924 Ampthill (this is where Dorothea lived at one time). I feel there must be a link but no sure what!!

Births Sep 1890 Hickson Flora Elizabeth G Macclesfield 8a 119

1891

Name: Flora E G Hickson
Age: 7/12
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: William Hickson
Mother's name: Mary Hickson
Gender: Female
Where born: Macclesfield, Cheshire, England

Civil parish: Hurdsfield
Ecclesiastical parish: Hurdsfield
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Macclesfield
Sub-registration district: Bollington
ED, institution, or vessel: 9
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2810
Folio: 40
Page Number: 10
Household Members: Name Age
William Hickson 29 Machinist & Cycle Dealer, b. Macclesfield
Mary Hickson 28 b. Salop
Flora E G Hickson 7/12

1901 - looks like the "G" is for Gladys?

Name: William Hickson
Age: 39
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1862
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary J Hickson
Gender: Male
Where born: Macclesfield, Cheshire, England

Civil parish: Macclesfield
Ecclesiastical parish: St Michael
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Macclesfield
Sub-registration district: West Macclesfield
ED, institution, or vessel: 9
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 59
Piece: 3312
Folio: 45
Page Number: 10
Household Members: Name Age
William Hickson 39
Mary J Hickson 38
Glads Hickson 10
Bertie Hickson 9
Reggie Hickson 7
Donald Hickson 6

Flora / Gladys not with them in 1911

Name: William Hickson
Age in 1911: 49
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1862
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Macclesfield, Cheshire, England
Civil parish: Macclesfield
County/Island: Cheshire
Country: England
Street Address: 51 Park Green Macclesfield
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: General Engineer
Registration district: Macclesfield
Registration District Number: 444
Sub-registration district: Macclesfield
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Piece: 21483
Household Members: Name Age
William Hickson 49
Mary Jane Hickson 48
Harry Bestrand Hickson 19
Joseph Reginald Hickson 17
William Donald Hickson 16

Not seeing Flora / Gladys in 1911.

Name: Flora Elizabeth G Clarke
Birth Date: 20 Aug 1890
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1983
Age at Death: 92
Registration district: Southend on Sea
Inferred County: Essex
Volume: 9
Page: 2947

Did it say her dad was alive on the marriage cert and what was her address at time of marriage.

Maryb.

Hi

Both Dorothea and Francis were living in Ampthill at the time of their marriage and it doesn't show her father? William Thomas Conington as being deceased

Dorothea and Francis also had a son in 1943 is he still with us,maybe he knows something.

Maryb.

Hi

Have been in touch with John, their son and he knows nothing about that side of his family except for what I have posted previously.

thanks

Picking at straws, have you looked at this entry from 1911 Census?

Reg. District: Stamford
Sub District: Stamford
Parish: Stamford St Michael Enum. District: 8
Address: 9 Recreation-Road Stamford
County: Lincolnshire
Birth Year

KENDALL, Abigial Head Widow F 51 1860 Monthly Nurse KENDALL, Edith Daughter Single F 27 1884 Dressmaker
KENDALL, Harold John Son Single M 26 1885 Printer Lincs
CONINGTON, Ethel Nurse Child F 5 1906

Michelle