Oh, shock, scandal!

[Little Nell]

Looking for the outer twigs of my Chowns family, I have discovered a William Chowns who has a different wife on the 1871 census. Couldn't find death of first wife Charlotte or his remarriage to Dinah.

Just found 1861 - he is with his "wife" Dinah and 8 children in a different village - back in the home village Ivinghoe, his legitimate wife Charlotte and their eldest child are living in household next door to his "in-laws". I can see why he didn't commit bigamy - some of his children by his 2nd "wife" were born in home village and his father-in-law was the parish clerk!!!!

I bet there's an interesting story behind this!

[Little Nell]

Oh poo! Not a scandal - two blinking Williams with the same blinking children!!!

[Christine in Herts]

Foiled! - just when it was getting interestingly complicated. ;)

Christine

[Anne in Carlisle]

Drat! That had the makings of a good story to unravel! I bet it happened somewhere though. I often wonder if we don't always find things like that because we are not looking, or expecting them.

Anne

[Little Nell]

I made the error because the Williams were born within 5 years of eachother and one disappeared on census where other appeared, if you see what I mean. They were born in neighbouring villages (which they sometimes muddled up as birthplaces).

I've got them sorted now and in fact they are uncle and nephew. But the nephew's children - according to familysearch - are all born or baptised on either 27 May 1857 or 1859. So I need to check original parish registers.

[WendyPusey]

Shame Nell, thought we were in for some scandalous going ons.:D

[Little Nell]

Me too, instead of which all I can offer are some late baptisms!

[Uncle John]

Me too, instead of which all I can offer are some late baptisms!

Unless of course the vicar revealed all in the parish register. ("x the father, she says").