Genealogy Chat

Hi All

I have a GGG Grandfather who goes missing in the censuses, but I can find his wife and kids living with her parents up until 1901 when it says she is a widow. If they got divorced and he remarried how would her 'marital status' show up on the 1871, 1881 & 1891 census as I have never seen 'Div' or the like.

Regards

Andy

Unless they were very well-off, divorce is very unlikely. Much more common to just set up home with someone else or even marry bigamously.
Maybe if you give us some names and dates we can have a look too?
Jan

Divorce was very uncommon then and very expensive as well as carrying a huge social stigma. She would probably still put married (especially if she had children living with her).

Do you want to post some details and we can see if we can find him?

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.
The couple in question are Thomas Knowes and Amelia Botwood who married in 1864 in Stourbridge. They had 2 kids before 1871 Thomas and Edward. On their marriage cert it says there ages are 23 for Thomas and 20 for Amelia, but I believe they could be inaccurate. Not sure where Thomas was born but his children were born in Enville Staffs

Regards

Andy

What is the occupation of Thomas on the marriage cert?

Marriages Dec 1864 (>99%)
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BOTWOOD Amelia Stourbridge 6c 262
Knowles Thomas Stourbridge 6c 262
Timmins Elizabeth Stourbridge 6c 262


So are we looking for Knowles ??

Name and occupation of father from the marriage cert might find him on an earlier census

Unfortunately I dont have the Marriage cert yet, I have just been told a few things about it by my Uncle. Thomas's father is listed as William on the cert. So its Thomas Knowles I am looking for.

Thanks

Just for ref:
Groom's Name: Thomas Knowles
Groom's Birth Date: 1841
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age: 23
Bride's Name: Amelia Botwood
Bride's Birth Date: 1844
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age: 20
Marriage Date: 16 Oct 1864
Marriage Place: St. Mary'S, Kingswinford, Stafford, England
Groom's Father's Name: William Knowles
Groom's Mother's Name:
Bride's Father's Name: William Botwood
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00062-6
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1040006
Reference Number:
Collection: England Marriages, 1538–1973


Maureen

There are a number of Thomas Knowles in the divorce records on the National Archives site -you can search the catalogue under J77 plus name-On e of my relatives was divorced in 1866 and he was in no way wealthy as I believe it became easier around that date-so it is a possibility

Thank you all for your help, makes things a lot harder to find out when there are no definitive records . I have had a look on the NA J77 but he does not show up.

Hi All

Update on the Marriage cert, Unfortunately all it says about occupation is 'Labourer' for Thomas and his Father William.
The two children he had with Amelia were Thomas William born 1866 and Edward born 1868. In 1866 'Thomas' is listed as father to Thomas with an occupation of 'jobbing labourer, and as the father of Edward as an 'Agricultural Labourer'. On Thomas Williams birth cert the father is William Thomas Knowles? Trail goes cold then.
Maybe he went in the military abroad, was there any conflicts around between 1868 and say 1901 that the British were involved with?