Genealogy Chat

I have a birth certificate showing parents as Thomas Gaunt and Margaret Gaunt formerly Dailey. I can't find a marriage for Margaret and Thomas either. Perhaps they were not really married but a "common law" couple and just living together.

Thanks everyone. I figured it probably happened a lot but it's great to get confirmation that I'm not alone. Unfortunately finding Catherine's first marriage is proving tricky as well, so perhaps she did get married in Ireland. It's clearly going to take me some time and a bit of luck to suss out this part of the family tree. Cheers, Louise

There might be all sorts of reasons for Peter and Catherine not getting married, including living partners for either of them. Looking on the bright side, you do stand a reasonable chance of finding her first marriage - if that wasn't in Ireland, that is. B

My grandparents didn't marry until 20 years after having their children, and she used his name. I wasn't very popular with that little find sandra

My GGMx3 described herself as Horstead, formerly Smith on the birth cert of daughter in 1849. She had children by GGFX3 from 1836. I finally found them marrying in 1854!!!

Without wanting to make life difficult, Joan, I've read something in a very recent thread about people describing themselves as spinster/bachelor when they were actually widowed. Having said that, I don't know how certain the person could be about the previous marriage. Certainly the timing of marriages vis-a-vis children's births doesn't always seem to have conformed to The Rules! ;-) Christine

Hi Louise My GGG.Grandparents never married at all, yet the birth certificates of their 6 children, born between 1844 and 1859, show the parents as Edward Hosier and Ann Hosier formerly Morgan. For years I looked for their marriage. When Edward died, Ann married his brother, John, who’d lodged with them for more than twenty years. Their marriage certificate shows Ann to be a Spinster and John was a Bachelor. Joan x

Louise My ggrandfather's parents didn't marry until 3 years after he was born but they appear on his birth certificate as Joseph Turner and Harriet Turner formerly Kirkham. I think people could lie about it back then cos no-one really bothered to check It's like getting marriage certs where the ages are way out or it says Full Age when you know for a fact they weren't. I don't think anyone bothered to make sure the information was accurate. Lou

for a couple to be described as married on a birth certificate when they are not actually married? I have the birth cert for Peter Dillon born 1865 which details his parents as Peter and Catherine Dillon but they cannot find be found on the 1861, 1871 or 1881 censuses. Nor can I find any record of a marriage (I have checked Ancestry and 1837online from 1860 - 1865). However I can find a Catherine O'Neil and her son Peter O'Neil (who is the right age), living in the right district and with the right profession, brush maker. Catherine is described as "Dillon, late O'Neil, formerly Donohoe" on the birth cert that I have, so I am wondering if she reverted to her former name. Any views and/or suggestions on where to go from here most welcome Louise