Genealogy Chat

I am just curious here. What makes you think that? Did she later live with another? It happened all the time!

Does anyone know if there is anyway of finding out if a marriage (abt 1870) was annulled because maybe the female had married without permission because she was underage, possibly forged fathers permission !! Thanks Joyce

Hi Wendy I have a marriage certificate for Henry Freeman and Mary Brown Dec 1870. She is 18 on certificate, her father is George Brown according to certificate. On 1871 census she is 17 ! Henry's wife. Henry Freeman has 9 children to Mary Freeman (formerly Morris) from 1873 onwards. I thought maybe Mary Brown had died .... then I thought maybe Mary Morris just said her name was Brown because she didn't have permission to marry. I cannot find a marriage for Henry and Mary Morris. Both Mary's are the same age! Any ideas? Thanks Joyce

Marriages are not made null and void on the grounds of age/lack of permission, etc. There are only a few circumstances in which a marriage can be made null and void. Where one person is under the legal age for marriage - 12 for girls, 14 for boys, in the 1800s. Non consummation of the marriage. Where some fact has been withheld from the spouse, which, if they had known at the time of the marriage, they would not have married the other person. Some examples - if one partner was suffering from a venereal disease, or insanity, or a serious inherited disorder (not much used in 1800s). Or, if they pretended to have substantial financial assets, but didnt! Being under the age of parental consent is not a reason for nullifying a marriage. The problem with tracing null and void marriages, is that the records disappear, (because no marriage existed), once it has been declared null and void. The GRO are supposed to remove such marriages from the indexes, but don't always do this (and many indexes are many years old, such as those held in libraries, etc). However, should you try to order such a marriage certificate, you will get a refusal from the GRO, who will say that no such marriage exists - which is true, if it is null and void! OC

Maybe Mary's mothers maiden name was Morris? Her parents might not have married? Just a thought. Pat

Thanks OC Looks like Henry married Mary Brown and maybe left her or vice versa and then just lived with Mary Morris. Who knows ! It's a puzzle ! I am going to miss your advice. Joyce x

Hi Pat Mary Morris's mothers maiden name was Parker ... she was the sister of Rev Joseph Parker from Hexham. I have traced Mary's family quite far back from parish records and also from family stuff that my dad had. There is no doubt about Mary Morris ... the problem is ..where does Mary Brown fit into the equation? All the childrens birth certificates say mother Mary Freeman formerly Morris. Thanks everyone for your help . Bedtime here but if anyone has any ideas I will get back to you tomorrow. Thanks again Joyce