Genealogy Chat

Wonder if anyone can help. I am trying to find my gggrandparents - my ggrandmothers marriage cert shows her as MARY ANN BUTLIN aged 23 reisiding in Rothwell, Northamptonshire at the time of the marriage, and her father as THOMAS BUTLIN an Agricultural Labourer. My ggrandparents were married 15th Oct. 1891. The problem is there are two Thomas Butlin's(b.1841) living in Rothwell for both the 1881 and 1891 census, I am 99.9% certain that mine is married to an Eliza(b.1846) on the 1881 - with children Mary A.(1869), Arthur E(1880), David W(1867), and Elizabeth(1874), but then on the 1891 Thomas is shown as being married to a Mary and several more children with Martin as a surmane seem to appear - do you think Eliza died and he remarried(?) - but the only child that appears as a Butlin is Elizabeth(aged 18) which would fit. The only other problem is that I can't find Mary Ann on the 1891 at all, she should be there as a Butlin as she didn't marry until October, but there is no trace of her. The third part of the puzzle is that on the 1871, the only Thomas Butlin I can find is 'the other one' (looking at ages etc), all of them seem to have disappeared. Anyone got any ideas - please!!!!?? Trudy

Hi Tracy, I don't have an answer, but have just put this idea on another thread. Have you tried seeing if anybody is doing a one name study, Butlin is a well known name (holiday parks). Try the Goons site, you should find it by google and see if there are any on there. Might be worth a go Good luck Diane

Thanks Diane, I'll give it a try - actually typing this message has helped a bit to get it all into perspective, think I'll see if I can find a death ref. for Eliza and a second marriage for Thomas. That might make everything a bit clearer - but it doesn't help me find Mary Ann!!! Trudy

Have now found a death ref. for Eliza, Sept 1889, Kettering, but can't find a marriage between Thomas and Mary - could they have been 'living in sin' and let the enumerator think they were married?

Thanks Jim, I do have this ref. but there are two Mary Ann Butlins both born in the same year in Kettering, one Mar and one Dec - I have got both certs on order, but I have her marriage cert and her father is definitely Thomas - I just can't seem to find her on the 1891. Trudy

Have now found 'Mary Martin' on the 1881, living in Market Harborough Leics. with the children that appear with her and Thomas on the 1891, and with a husband Arthur - but can't find a death ref. for him. Still can find no marriage for Mary and Thomas - and I still can't find Mary Ann!! Trudy

Sorry guys - this get even weirder - I cannot find Mary Ann's siblings on the 1891 (apart from Elizabeth who is shown living with Mary and Thomas) - they both seem to have disappeared - David W(c.1867), Arthur E.(c.1880), although David is a witness on Mary Ann's marriage cert in Oct. 1891. I have tried doing a search for a death ref. for Arthur and can't find anything, but can't find David anywhere - did anyone see a spaceship over Northamptonshire somewhere mid 1880's!!!!!!!!!!! Trudy.

Have you tried looking for mistranscriptions in the censuses? I can imagine Butlin being transcribed as BULLIN, say, for a start. Christine

try just first name and age and place of birth .She could be transcibed as Button, Bullen,Butler etc.even try in her married name , she may have pretended to be married before she officially was! Kim

Hi Kim/Christine - thanks, I have tried just christian names with no luck, and I have found her husband still living with his rellies for the 1891, so she wasnt there either!!!

Have a look on ROOTSWEB, there is a BUTLIN message board there. Might be others on other sites. Martin

Thanks Martin