father/stepfather conundrum

[gwynneth]

On a marriage certificate, dated 1860, the name of the bride reads "Mary Ann Lord otherwise Malim". In the place for father of bride, it reads "John Malim", then underneath "Joseph L" but this name has been crossed out (I think the registrar had begun writing the name Lord, but then was corrected.) at the bottom it reads "deseased". The crossing out was initialled. My theory is that John Malim was Mary Ann's natural father, with Joseph Lord the stepfather. Can anyone concur with this so that I can move on with my research?

[Elaine ..Spain]

Have you managed to trace her in the census pre-marriage?

[gwynneth]

father/stepfether conundrum

This is my first question on the forum, so it's nice to get a reply so soon-thank you Elaine! The trouble with the name Malim is that it can have many spelling variations and misinterpretations, especially as Mary Ann couldn't write her name, so probably didn't know how to spell it as it appeared on her birth certificate. I haven't managed to find her on earlier census records. I know that she was born in Ayot St. Peter, Hertfordshire, from later ones. The odd thing is that her name is written as Mary Ann on the marriage certificates, but in all the later census records she's Mary Jane. Maybe the registrar was having a bad day-or she was! I have found a BMD reference for a Mary Jane Malam, born at the right time and registered in Hatfield, which would be right for Ayot St Peter. I think I'll bite the bullet and send for it-blow the expense! It seems the only option at the moment.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I cannot see the birth registration. Can you give the reference.

[gwynneth]

reference is Vol 3A page 277, Jan-Feb-Mar



Gwynneth

[Elaine ..Spain]

The only one I can see with that reference is indexed on Ancestry as Mary Jane Ma?am- but it is dated 1915 which doesn't seem to fit with what you are looking for.
What is the date of the one that you have found?

[gwynneth]

father/stepfather conundrum

The date is 1860,district Hatfield. I found it on Find my Past (I think!) It's very frustrating-I've been looking on BMD myself tonight and can't find it either-yet I know I found it in the library just the other day!

[gwynneth]

Or maybe I just got the date wrong!!!

[Night Owl]

Hi Gwynneth

I think the BMD ref you are referring to is Births Q/E March 1860 MALAM Mary Jane Hatfield Vol 3A Page 277

I'm confused though because in your first post you said that the marriage was in 1860. Could you clarify what you have for her - what census details you have, what was her year of birth, who was she married to etc.?

Thanks

[gwynneth]

father/stepfather conundrum

She married Robert Peat in 1860. They appear in all of the later census returns together with a growing brood of children. They lived in East Hetton/Kelloe. She was born around 1843 at Ayott St Peter, Hertfordshire. I found her by working bacwards using known information. One of her children, Mary Ann Peat, was my grandmother. I know that I've got the right census details as the names of my grandmother's siblings are known to the family, and I've even met a couple of them lots of years ago. I found the marriage certificate by tracing both names, Robert and Mary Jane, but that's when it got complicated and I lost the trail because of the confusion over Malim/Lord. I can find no birth records of a mary jane Lord, and the one I thought I'd found for Mary Jane Malam I'm going to have to re-check when I get back to the library. It seems that in my enthusiasm I may have typed in the wrong date, especially as the one you found (Jackie) is for the same year as their marriage. Ah well, start again!

[Elaine ..Spain]

Can you give us the place and year of birth of your grandmother, Mary Ann Peat, and the names and years of birth of her siblings.
It will help us if we can follow them through the censuses that you have found.

[Breckland Jane]

I've found this family which seems to fit all the names and places but the date of marriage can't be 1860. Mary Jane could possibly have been born in 1860 which matches the birth that Jackie found.

RG12 Piece:4103 Folio:86 Page:26

[maudarby]

The marriage to Robert Peat took place in Durham in 1878.
Moggie

[Elaine ..Spain]

Yes, I found those as well - which is why I think we need more details of Gwynneth's grandmother so we can trace the family through the census.
What I found confusing was the suggested birth of Mary as c1843 Ayott St Peter, Hertfordshire - I cannot seem to link this in anywhere.

[LangleyValeSue]

There is a birth on Free BMD for a Mary Lord, Sept qtr 1862 3a 246 in Watford reg dist. which fits with the census age.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Hi Gwynneth and welcome to FTF
I agree with you, I thinkyou need to send for the birth certificate that Jackie listed above - Q/E March 1860 MALAM Mary Jane Hatfield Vol 3A Page 277. It ties in perfectly with the 1891 census.

In the meantime, what name does it give for her mothers maiden name on your grandmothers birth certificate? I assume this is her birth ref? - Mary Ann Peat Oct-Dec 1885 - Durham 10a 380.

Also, have you worked your way back from your grandmothers marriage, which, if I have the right one, seems to be in 1908 going by a free search on the 1911 census?

[gwynneth]

I am a goose! Just checked the marriage certificate and the date is 1878, and not 1860, so the Mary Malam in the BMD could very well be my Mary. I'm definitely going to send for the birth certificate and put my mind to rest!

[gwynneth]

Just read all of the replies-you're a lovely lot, to take such an interest. Chrissie, my grandmother's certificate reads Mary Jane Peat, formerly Lord, which does seem to suggest that that was her original name, but I still have a feeling that it would have been her natural father's name that would have had to appear on her marriage certificate, which was why , when asked, she probably gave her stepfather's name first,as, if he'd been the only father she'd really known, then it would have been natural for her to call herself by his name. It's been partially written (Joseph L) then crossed out and initialled. if Joseph had been her natural father I don't think he'd have been crossed out.
Elaine, I got the information about Ayott Green St Peter from the 1891 census.
Chrissie, how did you do a free search using the 1911 census? 1908 would fit in with the age of my Aunt, Rhoda, who was born in 1909, the year before my Dad.

[Chrissie Smiff]

That sounds as though I found the right one then Gwynneth as there is a daughter Rhoda in the household aged 2. I found a marriage for Mary Ann Peat in Durham in Jan-March 1908 ref 10a 562, which I thought fit well with her age and area. On 1911, of the 2 possible grooms I discovered that she appeared to have married Anthony West. As there was only one Mary Ann West that came up in Durham with the right birth year I looked for the others in the house.
The others who came up were as follows, but remember it was a free search using households in Durham with an Anthony West and cross checking with a household with a Rhoda in it -

Anthony West - aged 27
Mary Ann West - aged 25
Rhoda West - aged 2
Rodger Bell West - 6 months

Birth refs seem to be -
Rhoda West - Oct-Dec 1908 - Durham ref 10a 456
Roger B West - Oct-Dec 1910 - Durham ref 10a 431

A likely birth for the father Anthony West is July-Sept 1884 - Durham ref 10a 442

[Chrissie Smiff]

p.s. I forgot to say that there are a couple of other likely children on Free BMD after 1912 (when the mothers maiden name is given). Both births in Durham -
St Julien B West - mmn Peat - July - Sept 1915 ref 10a 916
Clara West - mmn Peat - Jan-March 1917 ref 10a 721