Genealogy Chat

Was at the records office today and found Ann on the 1851 and 1861 cenuses. Her mother had married and had more children with her new husband. One of Ann's half sisters was a witness on the marriage record so i think i can safely say i have the correct one!! Paula

Thanks everyone, i think its the right one but i'll check on 1837 to see if anything else looks likely Paula

As you've already found the marriage entry in the parish register, there's no point in applying for the certificate as this will be exactly the same - from 1837 onwards, the two are identical (in fact the certificate will be a copy of the parish register info, so the PR is actually more reliable). Marriage entries don't usually have the birthplace of the bride/groom, only their addresses at the time of marriage. They often claimed to be from the same parish, to avoid having to declare banns in two locations. Maybe he was always known as Ed, and the registrar just guessed as to whether his full name was Edward or Edwin? Richard

Unless it actually states Wigston as the birthplace, I would think that 'of this parish' or 'of Wigston' meant that she was living there at time of marriage rather than born there. I too have encountered the Edward / Edwin problem and found the both recorded for the same person. If everything else matches up, they are likely to be the right couple. Did THIS couple have children baptised in Wigston? If so can you find them in a census and see if the information matches with your family, - or if there is another couple with the same names to consider.

I'd say it probably is. Most of the things match, and the things that don't are superficial. How close are Wigston and Enderby? She probably just said 'yeah, same' or something like that when asked where she was from. I have an Edwin/Edward in my tree. He appears as both on numberous censuses. I haven't quite figured out what he was born as lol

My gg grandparents were called Edwin Smith and Ann Bradshaw. Edwin was born in Wigston, Leicester and Ann in Enderby Leicester. I have found a wedding in the parish records for Wigston 4 November 1865 for an Edward Smith, the age, occupation, father and fathers occupation all match just not the first name. to Ann Bradshaw, the name and age match but her birthplace is recorded as Wigston instead of Enderby and her father as William Bradshaw when she was illegitimate, i know they sometimes make the father up if they don't know. I've been all though the Enderby church records and they're not recorded as a marriage in them. Oh yeah and final point is that they have both signed register with an X so if they were illiterate they wouldn't be able to see that anything was wrong on the register what do you think? Paula