Elizabeth Jane Howard

[ptjw7]

My GGF Joseph Walton married a Elizabeth Jane Ansell on the 19 April 1908 in Fulham.
Up till today I was happy that was it but today a copy of the parish marriage came up on Antree and it shows she was a widow and her father was Thomas Howard.
I have done all the searches I can try but no Elizabeth Jane Howard to an Ansell has come up I am wondering now if she could have been married before or even twice!.
Makes finding it all the more difficult!

Any other ideas anyone!

Peter

 

[emeltee]

Hi,

Is it possible that her father's Christian names were Thomas Howard eg Thomas Howard Ansell? Do you have a copy of the marriage certificate to your GGF? if so what details does it have on that?

I have had a quick look for a Howard/Ansell marriage but can't see one. Was she old enough to have been marrried more than once?

Emeltee

 

[ptjw7]

She was born in 1860 and was 49 when she married my GGF, I don't think the marriage cert will have any more detail than that on the parish one.
It even had Josephs father as Joseph when it should be Frederick, but his daughter was on there as a witness so I think it is correct.

Peter

 

[emeltee]

I think I may have solved your query. On FreeBMD I looked for possible marriages for an Elizabeth Jane Howard from 1876 to 1908 and came up with a number of possible names. I then looked for a marriage of an Ansell to an Elizabeth Jane with any of the possible surnames. I have found the following

Elizabeth Jane Howard married George Bowden in Fulham in 1878.

George Bowden died in Fulham in 1884 aged 30 (born 1854)

An Elizabeth Bowden married a James William Ansell in Fulham in 1885

James William Bowden died in Fulham in 1898 aged 42 (born 1856)

I haven't checked the Censuses to see if Elizabeth gave the same age/birth place etc but this looks very plausible.

Emeltee

 

[emeltee]

Further to my last post I have had a look at the censuses and have found her, born Stepney with George Bowden in 1881 living in Fulham and again in 1901 as Elizabeth Ansell a widow, again born Stepney, but I haven't been able to find her with James Ansell in 1891.

Emeltee

 

[ptjw7]

Thanks for that, Found marriage to George Bowden on 1th Dec 1878 with the correct father listed so far so good.
On the second marriage James Ansell is living with wife Sarah A the other woman on the 1885 marriage.
Still need to find the missing link(s)
She could have been married a second time!
I will have to find the 1901 census, missed that.

(Just found that I had this 1901 census information from 2012)

Peter

 

[emeltee]

Hi Peter,

I've tried every combination of names that I can think of but have not been able to find another marriage after George Bowden. I've looked at all the Ansell marriages I can find but cannot find her with a marriage to any of the surnames, if you see what I mean.

As she was 49 when she married into your family I presume she was not a direct ancestor, so maybe you will just have to accept that her maiden name was Howard and that she was Ansell when she married into the family.

Emeltee

 

[ptjw7]

Thanks emeltee,
I wont gain ant more knowledge re the family its just that I thought I had put the marriage to bed as it were but finding the parish record got me intrigued but obviously I will never know the full story.
I still find it all very interesting.
My GGF seems to have had an interesting family life as I have only recently found my grandfathers 3 siblings, two of whom I can find any trace of in the 1881 census(one born before marriage and died in the same year) and then a bigamist by marrying again in 1881.

Peter

 

[ptjw7]

You were right emeltee James William Ansell did marry Elizabeth Bowden as I've just found the parish record of the marriage on Antree and it shows her a widow and father William Howard.

So all sorted now, I suspect the 1891 census I found is of another James Ansell.

Peter

 

[emeltee]

That's great but wasn't her father Thomas Howard not William?

Emeltee

 

[ptjw7]

Hi Emeltee,
His name is William Thomas Howard, it's just me putting Thomas Howard when it should be William!!
Getting a bit brain addled!

peter

 

[emeltee]

Glad we've got it sorted at last!

Emeltee