A precursor of Internet dating?

[ElizabethHerts]

From the Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, Saturday, October 18th, 1873.

"Courting by Electric Telegraph

A very romantic and interesting courtship was brought to fruition on Tuesday, September 30th, by the marriage of a young gentleman of Honiton to a young lady of Gosport, both of whom were telegraphists. Some years since the gentleman was engaged as operator at Southampton, and having charge of the Gosport wires, had ample opportunities of opening a communication with the lady at that office. So "attractive" was the "electric power" that in a short time a clandestine meeting was proposed and carried into effect. The telegraphic pair (evidently satisfied with each other's appearance and address) entered into a correspondence, which was continued up to the present time, unknown to the parents of the parties. The banns were called, and the bride - under the pretence of visiting a sister - arrived in London on Monday, the 29th ult., and was married the day after. The news soon spread, and great consternation has been caused in the respective family circles by this "electric shock". We trust the parents will not withold their approval of the irrevocable step taken, so that we may exclaim with Shakespeare, "All's Well that Ends Well." - Exeter Paper"

I'd love to find the couple's marriage, but without any names it might well be impossible.

[Merry]

I'd love to find the couple's marriage, but without any names it might well be impossible.

:D:D:D:D:D:D

1871 census (6 Paragon Place) (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7619/SRYRG10_860_862-0609/2657775?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1871%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROO T_CATEGORY%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26M SAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dfred*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dlockyear%2 6gsln_x%3dNS%26msydy%3d1854%26msydy_x%3d1%26cpxt%3 d1%26catBucket%3dr%26uidh%3d672%26msydp%3d2%26cp%3 d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Marriage entry (first one on left page) (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1623/31280_196216-00084/2638630?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dLMAmarriages%2 6rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3da ngs-d%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln_x%3dXO%26msgdy%3d1873%26msg dy_x%3d1%26msgdm_x%3d1%26msgdd_x%3d1%26dbOnly%3d_F 00058A6%257c_F00058A6_x%252c_F0005A5D%257c_F0005A5 D_x%252c_F0005A49%257c_F0005A49_x%26uidh%3d672%26m sgdd%3d30%26msgdm%3d9%26gl%3d%26gst%3d%26hc%3d50%2 6fh%3d50%26fsk%3dBEIZmZkIgAAGVwA85F4-61-&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)


1881 census (at the post office) (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/HAMRG11_1134_1139-0996/6524406?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3duk i1881%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26 gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dfred*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dlockyear%2 6gsln_x%3dNS%26msbdy%3d1854%26msbdy_x%3d1%26dbOnly %3d_F00027B9%257c_F00027B9_x%252c_F0003039%257c_F0 003039_x%252c_F000303A%257c_F000303A_x%252c_830040 06%257c_83004006_x%252c_F00032DB%257c_F00032DB_x%2 6uidh%3d672%26msbdp%3d2%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d4%26h%3 d6524406%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)

[ElizabethHerts]

Ooooh, you clever thing, Merry!
I had rather forgotten about this since I posted as I was distracted by domestic doings.

I found this article when I was going through my C drive of downloaded newspaper articles. I was trying to find what it was I wanted on the page.

It also caught my attention because the groom came from the town where I grew up.

[Merry]

I tried to short circuit be looking at young men from Devon living in Southampton in 1871 and seeing if any of them showed up on the list of marriages that took place in London on the right date. Unfortunately he wasn't in Southampton at that time so I had to just look through the marriages. I looked at about 35.

[ElizabethHerts]

Merry, I'm very impressed at your tenacity.

They are at Teignmouth, Devon, iin 1901:

1901 Census
LOCKYEAR, Emma Eliza
NEWTON ABBOT, Devonshire
RG13 piece 2048 folio 10 page 12

[Merry]

As well as running the post office Fred was also an accomplished banjo player, singer, illusionist and ventriloquist! (according to the local papers)

[Merry]

...and he was a published author!



The practical ventriloquist: An unerring guide to the whole art of ventriloquism containing full instructions... by Fred W Lockyear (1883)

[Merry]

I wonder if this is his likeness on the front cover?!!

Is this Fred?! (http://picclick.com/Victorian-London-Mechanical-Puppet-Book-Practical-Ventriloquist-1883-151128860437.html)

[ElizabethHerts]

Most interesting, Merry.

Their son, Alfred, is on the Boer War Roll of Honour for Devon.

http://www.devonheritage.org/Nonplace/DevonReg/BoerWarRollofHonourJtoL.htm

[ElizabethHerts]

Fred was certainly a colourful character. He died in 1908, but not sure what happened to his wife.

[Merry]

That's sad. :o

[ElizabethHerts]

They moved about a lot as they are at Arundel, Sussex in 1891:

1891 Census
EAST PRESTON, Sussex
RG12 piece 839 folio 8 page 10
High Street, Arundel
LOCKYEAR, Fredrick W Head Married M 37 Postmaster Aylesbeare, Devonshire
LOCKYEAR, Emma E Wife Married F 39 Lambeth, Middlesex
LOCKYEAR, Alfred E Son M 14 Scholar Homerton, Middlesex
LOCKYEAR, Ethel E E Daughter F 12 Scholar Emsworth, Hampshire
LOCKYEAR, Mabel E Daughter F 7 Scholar Emsworth, Hampshire
LOCKYEAR, Bertram Son M 6 Scholar Emsworth, Hampshire
LOCKYEAR, Fredrick G A Son M 4 Emsworth, Hampshire
?, Eleanor A Servant Single F 26 General Servant Domestic Portsea, Hampshire

[ElizabethHerts]

Ethel Euphemia E Lockyear died in 1899 aged 20, but she had only just had a PO appointment.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=Ethel+Euphemia+E&gsln=Lockyear&cpxt=1&catBucket=rstp&uidh=xt1&cp=11&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=129557&recoff=7+8+9+10&db=BritiPSApoint&indiv=1&ml_rpos=4

Mabel is recorded there too.

[Kit]

:D:D:D:D:D:D

1871 census (6 Paragon Place) (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7619/SRYRG10_860_862-0609/2657775?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1871%26so%3d2%26pcat%3dROO T_CATEGORY%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26M SAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-g%26gsfn%3dfred*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dlockyear%2 6gsln_x%3dNS%26msydy%3d1854%26msydy_x%3d1%26cpxt%3 d1%26catBucket%3dr%26uidh%3d672%26msydp%3d2%26cp%3 d11&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)

Marriage entry (first one on left page) (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1623/31280_196216-00084/2638630?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fMS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dLMAmarriages%2 6rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26gss%3da ngs-d%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln_x%3dXO%26msgdy%3d1873%26msg dy_x%3d1%26msgdm_x%3d1%26msgdd_x%3d1%26dbOnly%3d_F 00058A6%257c_F00058A6_x%252c_F0005A5D%257c_F0005A5 D_x%252c_F0005A49%257c_F0005A49_x%26uidh%3d672%26m sgdd%3d30%26msgdm%3d9%26gl%3d%26gst%3d%26hc%3d50%2 6fh%3d50%26fsk%3dBEIZmZkIgAAGVwA85F4-61-&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults)


1881 census (at the post office) (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7572/HAMRG11_1134_1139-0996/6524406?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3duk i1881%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26msT%3d1%26 gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dfred*%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dlockyear%2 6gsln_x%3dNS%26msbdy%3d1854%26msbdy_x%3d1%26dbOnly %3d_F00027B9%257c_F00027B9_x%252c_F0003039%257c_F0 003039_x%252c_F000303A%257c_F000303A_x%252c_830040 06%257c_83004006_x%252c_F00032DB%257c_F00032DB_x%2 6uidh%3d672%26msbdp%3d2%26pcat%3d35%26fh%3d4%26h%3 d6524406%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord)

Show off :) :)

[Merry]

lol I'm just addicted to looking things up! :D