Why is it that when you start to type a question

[Phoenix]

you find the answer for yourself? (But it then leads to another!)

I've spent all evening baffled by the fates of Ursula & Asenath Meadus. Baptised in Corfe Mullen, Dorset in the 1790s.

I was beginning to think they'd been buried as infants, but no, they are both in Southampton (both of course dying before 1851)

Asenath is in prison, Ursula head of a household that includes James Medus, Mary & baby Maria.

James Medus marries Mary Ann Bailey in 1840. Marriage is on family search, showing his father as James Medus.

This is a distant twiglet, so I shan't be getting Ursula's death certificate.

I'm blowed if I can find a suitable James Medus senior. He ought to be a brother to Ursula & Asenath, but I do wonder if Ursula was James's mother. Aunts don't usually head households!

[kiterunner]

So this is them in 1841 at Russell Street, Southampton:
Ursula Medus 50 Ind Y
James Do 21 Y
Mary Do 22 Y
Maria Medus 6 months Y

and there is another family at Cossack Street, Southampton:
James Medus 32 Tailor Y
Ann Do 33 Y
William Do 3 Y
Kate Do 1 Y

So this second family look likely to be John James Medus and Mary Ann Ireland who married in 1838 (and there is a baptism for William James Medus with parents John James and Mary Ann to back this up), and yes, yours look likely to be James Medus and Mary Ann Bailey. John James's father is also James Medus, according to FamilySearch.

This looks likely to be their father:
Exmouth Street, Southampton
James Medus Tailor 50 Y
Elizabeth Do 50 Y
Eliza Do 25 Y
Charlotte Medus 15 Y
George Do 15 Y
Louisa Do 15 Y.

In 1851 James senior is age 66 and birthplace is Southampton.

[kiterunner]

But looking on FamilySearch, there are baptisms for James and Elizabeth's children, including John James, but they don't seem to have had a James.

[Phoenix]

Thanks, Kite!

I wonder if Ursula & Asenath's parents slipped over to Christchurch at any stage. They were buried in Great Canford but I think there are a few large gaps between children. I also note that an Elizabeth widow of Joseph got removed from Christchurch back to Great Canford in 1822, so there was clearly tooing and froing.