Opinions & help needed, Please!

[Lyn A]

This one is driving me crazy. Can anyone help me clear my head and perhaps head me in the right direction. I am in such a muddle! (What's new? LOL!!)

Louisa Tillett Ward married in NZ. On her marriage cert she states her parents are William Tillett Ward, Soldier and Louisa nee Morant.

Other documents and certs give the same parents and a birth date & place of 25 Nov 1867 at Portsea, Hampshire. No Birth Registration has been found.

A birth for William Tillett Ward was found for 1869, but not in Hamshire, but in West Derby, Lancashire. The cert was sent for and gives parents as William Tillett Ward (2nd Corporal of Army Hopsital Corps) and Anna Ward, formerly Wren.

I figured that maybe Louisa Morant died in/shortly after childbirth and out of need, William had married again.

(I have not yet sighted these certs & documents as they are held by a cousin, but can get copies if I need them. Her info is very reliable, so have no qualms in quoting it.)


On Hugh Wallis there are baptisms for both Louisa & William on 8th May 1870 at St Thomas, Portsmouth. Parents William Tillett Ward and Annie.


I can find no marriages for William Ward Snr to either Louisa Morant or Annie Wren.

I checked the Census and really thought that I had found them here:
RG10/1196/74/5.

However there is an older child Eliza for whom I can find no birth registration, William jnr is older than the one born in West Derby and his birth place is wrong. And there is no sign of young Louisa. Apart from that, the mother's name is Louisa!!

I cannot find this family or William and Annie in 1881.
I think that I may have found Louisa b. 1867 in a workhouse in Hursley:

RG 11/1235/18/5

I do not know what to think....Who was William married to? Are there 2 William Wards in the AHC? I am more confused than ever!!!
Where on earth can I look next?

Help me please!!!

Any ideas or comments at all are welcome.

Blessings!

[KiteRunner]

Since William Tillett Ward senior was in the army, have you checked on the overseas indexes for his marriage(s)?

[Lyn A]

No, Kate :o. Never occurred to me with the births being in England.

Where do I find them, please?

[KiteRunner]

They're on findmypast and Family Relatives. (Possibly on The Genealogist as well?) I think they are free to search on Family Relatives if you have some credits on there, but I find the search on there very confusing and difficult to use. On findmypast you have to use credits but at least it is quite easy to understand what you're doing on there!

[Lyn A]

Thanks. Don't belong to either site, but I will go & have a look.

[Lyn A]

I give up! Just tying myself in knots!

[Uncle John]

Since William Tillett Ward senior was in the army, have you checked on the overseas indexes for his marriage(s)?

Had a look through the overseas marriages on FamilyRelatives but can't see any of the three names.

[Lyn A]

Had a look through the overseas marriages on FamilyRelatives but can't see any of the three names.

Thanks John, I couldn't either. At least now I know that it is not just me.