Elizabeth Sarah Cotton - which marriage?

[Merry]

Eventually got this sorted and info is on BK6

I have Elizabeth Sarah Cotton birth reg Q4 1857 in St Pancras.

In 1861 and 1871 she is with her parents (Arthur and Emma) aged 3 and 13 respectively and her birth place is given as St Pancras both times.

I think this is probably her marriage:

Marriages Mar 1881
BURBIDGE Edward Pancras 1b 139
COTTON Elizabeth Sarah Pancras 1b 139
DAVIES Frederick Pancras 1b 139
Glendon Eliza Jane Pancras 1b 139

but I'm having trouble identifying the couples after this. Can you work out who she married?

[Mary from Italy]

She married Frederick Davies (it's in the new LMA database on Ancestry).

[Merry]

How wierd, I couldn't find it on there!

[Merry]

Obviously I can't type accurately! lol

Well, that's a ginormous spanner in the works as she says her dad is Clark Cotton dec'd.

She had an uncle called Clark Cotton who was dec'd and a brother Clark Cotton who was alive, but her dad was Arthur and he was alive in 1881. What's she playing at?!!!

[Merry]

The witnesses are her first cousin and first cousin's husband.

*sigh*

[Merry]

Oh cripes - was her uncle her dad??????

Is that why she is the only child in the family for whom I've not found a baptism??? *frets*

[Merry]

Sorry Mary - I forgot to say 'thank you' *hangs head in shame*

I suppose I'm going to have to get the birth cert now?

[Mary from Italy]

No problem, I was off doing other things anyway. Sorry I've complicated things for you :)

[Merry]

Could be a bit of scandal unearthed!

[Mary from Italy]

It does sound a bit odd, doesn't it. I hope the birth certificate solves the mystery.

I've had a good look among the LMA baptisms, but I can't see an obvious one for her with any parents.

[Merry]

No, I had a look too.

The family of her 'uncle' sort of disintigrated around the time Elizabeth Sarah was born. Uncle's last known child (as of yesterday! lol) was born in 1855, but doesn't seem to die nor be with dad on the following census. Uncle's wife also doesn't seem to die and isn't there on the following census. The female lodger from the previous census is, however, in situ as Mrs Cotton, but there is no marriage (unsurprisingly!). She too has a dau called Elizabeth, almost the same age as Elizabeth Sarah. The whole lot of them are absent in 1871 and then Uncle dies in an asylum in 1875.

Maybe his family situation drove him 'mad'??

[Mary from Italy]

Very likely :) I wonder if the asylum records are available?

[Merry]

Not something I've looked into as yet. It's the Middlesex Lunatic Asylum at Norwood (Uxbridge District).

[Mary from Italy]

Looks like the LMA have the records:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=11&hospital=london+county+asylum&town=&searchdatabase.x=0&searchdatabase.y=0

I've had no trouble getting asylum files from other county record offices; no idea how cooperative the LMA are.

[Merry]

Thanks Wendy. I've only ever got one document from the LMA and it cost a fortune about ten years ago. Unfortunately I can't warrant spending that sort of amount on this twig - eve if it's an interesting twig! Maybe one day it will be on Ancestry?!!!