Hi the entry from the 1881 Census shows your family.
Household:
Name Relation Marital Gender Age Birthplace Occupation
John TOPHAM Head M Male 46 York, York, England Striker(Smith)
Mary TOPHAM Wife M Female 35 York, York, England
John TOPHAM Son Male 9 York, York, England Scholar
Emily TOPHAM Daur Female 7 York, York, England Scholar
George TOPHAM Son Male 5 York, York, England Scholar
Henery TOPHAM Son Male 3 York, York, England Scholar
Source Information:
Dwelling 22 Nicholas St
Census Place York St Nicholas In Suburbs, York, England
Family History Library Film 1342142
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 4725 / 114
Page Number 4
A little bit of deduction from this record:-
As they were both born in York and still lived in York only searched for marriages with in York.
The earliest date for the marriage possible was 1856 Mary would have been 16 the most likly latest date was the birth of their first child (1872).
A search on FreeBMD gave two possible marriages one for John Topham and Matilda Sotheran
The other most likely between John Topham and Mary Bland you would have to get the Marriage Cert to confirm this.
Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Jun 1871 (>99%)
Bland Mary York 9d 41
Dixon George York 9d 41
Powell Elizabeth York 9d 41
Topham John York 9d 41
Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Dec 1869
Sotheran Matilda York 9d 23
Topham John York 9d 23
Search for
Type: Marriages Surname: TOPHAM First name(s): John
Start date: Mar 1856 End date: Dec 1872 District: York
The two marriages could be for the same John Topham so it might be worth looking for a death of Matilda Topham between 1869 and 1871.
Best of luck with the search.
Ed
