Genealogy Chat

I work as a volunteer helper on a family history help desk and I have come across many similar cases as yours and sorting them out can be a nightmare at times
In one isntance the woman had lived with various men and had registered the first lot of children in the fathers name and then when she was lliving with another man had given the first mans name as her maiden name when the childrens births were registered and so on until she became to old to have children.
When she finally got married (not to any of the men she had lived with) it was only then that she gave her proper surname and that she was a spinster of this parish .she had had 14 chilldren with various men in the preceeding years
I;m not suggesting that your gran did this but it could be the case that they weren't free to marry until the other Mrs Pelling had died and maybe he didn't live with her although he was father to the children

If I can be of any help to matters out for you just ask

Thankyou Elizabeth and Bren in Oldham. Your stories were great and put another twist on things. Yes the last 2 childrn born after she was married in 1940 have the correct mothers maiden name of Pickin.
I wonder if I searched Electrol Rolls for the address on the birth certs it would tell me who she was living with. I have just had a brainwave with that one!!!
Even though Arthur Pelling registerd births 1935 and 1936 who is to say he was living with her. I can't beleive the history of my gran and my imagination is running away with me now. She was so quiet and reserved and strict.

It would be a good idea if I could find Arthur's first wifes death cert ,but i can't. She was Alice Frances Pelling nee Walker b 1878 Hoxton. They had 2 daughters Alice and Edith. Trail gone cold there also.

This is a thorn i me side .All other problems in my family tree I have been able to sort out,but this one proves to be the most difficult of them all.

Thanks your help is appreciated