Genealogy Chat

I am trying to find my gt. gt grandfather William Prest, I have him on the 1871 census as a widower living with a housekeeper, on the 1881 census they are married, ( i have wedding cert. nov 23rd 1874, but I cant find out who he was married to first, Im sure on 1861 census he still lives with parents, how do I find out for sure who he married first. Any advice on how to search gratefully accepted. sandra x

So you are looking for a marriage between April 1861 and the end of 1870 (say) He may have married and his first wife died in childbirth. You can search each quarter of the GRO marriage index to see if you can find it. It may be worth trying FreeBMD first but it might not be transcribed yet. Anne

There are 11 William Prest marriages on FreeBMD. Most of them seem to be in Yorkshire. Which area was he living in? Anne

Does the 1874 marriage cert say if he is a widower? Have you thought of looking for female Prest deaths in the relevant area between 1861-74?

Yes Helen cert says widower,

Yes he was from Ripon in yorkshire anne

There's this marriage, in the right time frame: William Prest Year of Registration: 1866 Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec District: Ripon County: North Riding Of Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire Volume: 9a Page: 114 Bride is either Elizabeth Pybus or Ann Fryer

These marriages took place in Ripon in 1866 according to FreeBMD. Of course there might be others not yet transcribed. View Record Ann Fryer 1866 Oct-Nov-Dec Ripon North Riding Of Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire View Record William Hewson 1866 Oct-Nov-Dec Ripon North Riding Of Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire View Record William Prest 1866 Oct-Nov-Dec Ripon North Riding Of Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire View Record Elizabeth Pybus 1866 Oct-Nov-Dec Ripon North Riding Of Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire So if this was your William Prest his wife would be Ann or Elizabeth. I suggest you try to find a death of Ann Prest or Elizabeth Prest in the next few years. Anne

just noticed on the 1871 census his dob is 1836 on 1881 and 1891 he is 10 years younger, wife esther tho is from Carlton on all of them, is there a mistake somewhere or am I getting the two mixed up ???

And this death, possibly the first Mrs Prest (no Ann Prest deaths on Freebmd for right time) Elizabeth Prest Year of Registration: 1869 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar District: Ripon County: North Riding Of Yorkshire, West Riding Of Yorkshire Volume: 9a Page: 70 But the complete GRO indexes may have other candidates. nell

Well done Helen - you beat me to it that time :-)) Anne

Thanks Anne, I found wedding to Ann Fryer, but only death I could see was ann prest leeds in oct 1872

Sandra, the 1891 census has him down as a widower. His age is consistent through each census 1871, 1881, and 1891 as far as I can see. (35, 45, 55) born in Kirkby Knowle, occupation carpenter/joiner. Anne