Genealogy Chat

Hi, I was hoping someone on here may be able to give me some advice. I have a George Rogers in my family who gives various birthdates, but the most consistant being 1851 in Lambeth. He married Gertrude in 1889 in Lambeth, giving his condition as a batchlor, Gertrude registered all of her children under her maiden name of Cotton except the last child born and then left for Canada without him. This has all seemed a bit odd to me, and having spoken to an elderly relative in Canada today, I have been informed of a family rumour that he was a bigamist, and upon finding this out, Gertrude left. Can anyone help me to find another possible marriage for George? The only information I have is that he was a General Labourer/ Packer in a China Factory, born sometime around 1851 in Lambeth. I have found a few vague possibles, but is there anyway I could get a better idea of whether or not this is him? I also have not located him on any census before 1881! I'm sure there's something shady going on here but I can't for the life of me work out how to get to the truth! Thanks a lot, Hannah

Hannah Do you know if he was charged with bigamy? If so, there may be a newspaper report about it. It must have happened (being charged with bigamy) in a fairly small 'window of opportunity', that is, between date of bigamous marriage,and her grand exit! Strictly speaking, her marriage certificate should be annotated in the register as bigamous, but of course, the authorities had to know of the bigamy to so mark the records. OC

OC, as far as I am aware he was not ever charged. The marriage record does not appear to have been amended.

If Gertrude registered all her children in her maiden name - despite a marriage in 1885 - it would seem that she knew the marriage was bigamous long before she upped-stakes and left for Canada! The interesting thing is that she obviously registered the last child with the name of Rogers SO, I would be looking for the death of a female Rogers of an age suitable to being a first wife, in and around Lambeth, between the births of the last two children. Gertrude obviously thought of herself as being more properly a Rogers by then. SO SHE KNEW ABOUT THE FIRST WIFE AND THAT SHE HAD DIED! Armed with a list of suitable Christian names you can then search for the marriage. Unfortunately George Rogers (my grandfather shared the name - but it wasn't him, honest) is not an uncommon name BUT other than looking for a marriage of a George Rogers in or around the Lambeth area between 1868 and 1880ish to someone with a name found on the list provided by looking at the deaths, I can't think how else you will find it. Are the witnesses to George and Gertrudes marriage any help? If they were Rogers' it might be possible to look for them on the census and track back to a time when they were still all under the same roof. Hope this makes sense - and helps!! Good luck Victoria

Unfortunately the witnesses were Gertrude's brother and Sister, so no help there! The fact the children are registered as Cotton (hence me being a Cotton, and not a Rogers) is very strange. I am waiting on their youngest son's birth certificate as he is a Rogers and not a Cotton - maybe George registered this birth? Gertrude had one child out of wedlock and then went on to marry George, an older man who, as a general labourer, appears to have been marrying much below herself (from a reasonably well off family). I know that something is going on here but cannot work out what, or even where to start looking for what it may be!

Just throwing a few thoughts around... As her brother and sister were witnesses to the wedding, I wonder if a bit of family pressure was brought to bear on him to 'do the decent thing'. To me, this suggests that they knew he was already married, as I am sure questions would have been asked by the family at the time - why won't you marry her? So, unless her brother and sister were also willing to commit perjury, just for the sake of an MC, I think George must have announced that his wife had died. This narrows down your search to about a year, I would think, probably less, for the death of the first unfortunate Mrs Rogers. Are you absolutely sure he DID commit bigamy? What happened to him - are you sure he didnt just die? OC

Victoria, I like your theory that she felt more of a Rogers, but I've just checked all the births, and she had a daughter after her last son, named - you guessed it - Cotton! I am not sure that he was a bigamist, this is based on a strange set of events and a family rumour I heard from Gertrude's grand-daughter (who was brought up by Gertrude).

Hi - could you tell us the name of George's father that is stated on his marriage cert to Gertrude, please? There are 2 or three George Rogers born circa 1850 living in Lambeth on the 1851 and 1861 census records - knowing his father's name will let us know for definite which family he came from. Athena

George Rogers gives his father's name as John Henry Rogers, a mate in the merchant navy who was deceased by the time of the marriage in 1889. Thanks, Hannah

Hannah - the only John Rogers with a son named George that I can find on the 1851 Census was living at 8 Bolton Street, Kennington, Lambeth: John Rogers, 32, labourer in B?? factory Eliza 29, wife John 7 Alice 4 George 2 The occupation for John doesn't match up with what was written on the 1889 marriage cert of George - but possibly he changed his job at some point. I also found an entry for a Gertrude Cotton on the 1861 Census - living at 45 Newington Place, Lambeth - Father: Joseph Mother: Susannah. There is also a birth entry for Gertrude Cotton in Newington for 1859. Where you say that Gertrude registered all her children under the name of Cotton - do you actually have all of these certs? Just wondering because I found corresponding births for their children (that I found on 1901 census) registered as Rogers. What I mean is there are children of their names with surname Rogers registered for their birth years, so just wondering ... maybe it's just a coincidence. Am off home now so I will try to log back on tonight or tomorrow morning and see if you have got any further with it all. Regards Athena

Hi again, Thanks for your help. I will look up that entry you found for George, see if I can find his father in the navy at some point. The entry you found for Gertrude is the right one. That’s interesting what you found on the birth records. I know that George Arthur Charles was registered as a Cotton, I have his certificate and he is my Great-Grandfather. I know Hilda was also registered a Cotton. As for Bertha (born out of wedlock, 1885, not sure about her birth record, found an Ada Bertha Cotton but that’s all), Ellen, James and Sydney, I have not got the certificates to check. It’s been on my ‘to do’ list for a while, but I haven’t actually got around to it! I’ll have a look into this tonight and see what I can come up with. Thanks again, Hannah EDIT ----- Having looked into the George with father John on the census' I'm afraid that's not them. John is a John W, not a John H, and he's a mustard miller, never in the merchant Navy. George becomes a cabinet maker which seems unlikely as he never had a 'trade' on the 1891 or 1901 censuses.