Genealogy Chat

Interesting, thanks Tess!

I would not be at all surprised if he told that many fibs, although when my G Grandfather was born and his parents were pt on the birth certificate, despite them no longer being married, his Dad IS still Thomas Partridge, so I figure that if they uncovered bigamy, they would have uncovered his real name, had he changed it. HOPEFULLY, anything that came out will be in the paper.

I have contacted a local history librarian at Devon library services as they do have records for a few newspapers covering Newton Abbott from the time. We are going home for Christmas so I hope to get a chance to go to the main library in Exeter and have a nose :)

I have checked for George Partridge living in Devon, as this was the name given by your great-grandfather, as his fathers name.

Found one on 1891 Census aged 60, wife Mary aged 59 and son Charley, aged 16. Had hoped to find a Thomas or a John, but didn't you say that your grandfathers name was Charles.??? Possibly he was named after his father!!

Checked back to 1881, George and Mary, living Devon, son Charles aged 6.

Then checked for marriages for Charles Partridge, found one between Charles Partridge and Sarah Jane Mead/ (can't read my notes1) or Martha Eliza Roper in 1899, I think it was in Newton Abbot, def. in Devon!

1901 Census Charles, aged 26 is living with Sarah, they have a year old son, also called Charles.

As it is highly possible that your great-grandfather told fibs when he married (the second time), I wondered if this could be him.

It might be worth looking for info on Charles Partridge born c1875 as well as Thomas Partridge born c1881!

Good luck anyway.

Tess

n

I would have thought that if this was a bigamous "marriage" there would be something in the newspapers at the time.

One of mine was involved in a bigamy and he was in the Times (although he lived in London) but even so, the newspapers did love a bit of scandal - you should be able to find something on this ... would be worth contacting a library local to the area in question.

Jill

I believe he's down as "labourer", same as his father. Very nondescript!

Do you have an occupation for Thomas?

Rose

It's possible that's him, hopefully any newspaper accounts would have more accurate information on him to allow me to confirm it.

I guess Plymouth or Exeter may have something...

I have followed up those Partridges but none have George as a father. It COULD be either of them, but I have no way of knowing without something more. He married my GG Gran in Devon so I'd expect him to have come from fairly lose by, but you never know.

The back copies of the local newspapers are kept on film in the nearest large library which has a family history section. Google for the county library service and probably the nearest decent sized town to where he lived. Newspapers were well established by then, though the local ones tend to be weekly, but that is good because it means less to search through


Linda

I have been doing a lot of family history research over the past year and have managed to find out a lot, but my Granddad's family has thrown up several stumbling blocks - namely fatherless birth certificates which have left me with some dead ends.

However, I think I have one thread left to pull, but I am not sure where to look. I will explain what I have - it's a bit complicated but please bear with me!!

My Great Grandfather was known as Charles Walker, and his son, my Granddad is also a Walker. However, when I searched for his birth certificate I found he was registered both as Charles Walker and Charles Partridge!

I got the birth certificate and he is named as Charles Thomas Partridge ,son of Thomas Partridge and Mary Wall Walker.

Because he is listed as both, I believe this means that the parents were unmarried, although the father was present at registration f Charles' birth.

BUT, it gets interesting! My Granddad was tld by his father that his parent married bigamously and that my GG Grandfather was sent away and he never saw him again. This would explain why he was later known as Walker.

Mary and Thomas definitely DID marry, I found the record and I even managed to obtain the certificate. I was told that sometimes you can't if the marriage has been declared void, but I had no trouble. The marriage MUST have been voided, though, due to Charles' birth certificate!

Thomas and Mary married in Wolborough Parish Church, Newton Abbott on 02/03/1907 and Charles was born on 13/06/1907. Mary must certainly have been pregnant when they married, but at some point between March and June the bigamy must have been discovered to explain the birth certificate, however according to the birth cert. Thomas and Mary were sill living together...

Now, what I am hoping to find is some information about naughty Thomas! The marriage cert give his full name as Thomas John Partridge and YOB as about 1881 and names his father as a George Partridge. I have been having trouble finding any census records matching this, though, and frankly - if he lied about being married then everything on the certificate may be a fib!

With this in mind, I wondered if many newspapers from the time might help - I thought that it may have been a bit of a scandal in rural Devon and some local papers like in Newton Abbott may have carried a story. Or, if he was prosecuted, there may be records?

I would love to be able to find out something as I am stumped at Great and GG Grandparent level everywhere else on Granddad's side but I'm not sure what areas would have had newspapers in 1907 or of where records might be kept now. I am gong home to Devon for Christmas and I was hoping to find somewhere to look.

THANK YOU if you stayed with me!! I would appreiate any advice. Please ask for more information if I missed anything out :)