Abandoned marriage?

[Asa]

Eliza Corbett and William Weston married in Pinvin Church, Worcs in November 1842. Spinster and bachelor, both of full age and of Pinvin, both made their mark. Eliza was baptised in Pinvin in 1819, a daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth.


Eliza had a daughter, Mary Ann, baptised in Sep 1838 at Pinvin. I *think* Eliza is in Tardebigg, Worcs in service in 1841
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/8978/WILHO107_1198_1199-0318/11470027?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/11799218/person/-395617076/facts/citation/3005031536/edit/record

And I also think Mary Ann is in Pershore Workhouse, with what is maybe a sister, Harriet aged 8 months. Harriet is buried in Pershore in June. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/8978/WORCHO107_1206_1207-0258/16100664?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/11799218/person/-395614944/facts

The first child of Eliza and William's marriage is Elizabeth, born in 1843 in Birlingham, Worcs. Eliza is the informant and recorded as Eliza Weston late Lowe formerly Corbett. So she clearly wasn't the spinster recorded at her marriage to William Weston.

There is a marriage in 1837 at White Ladies Aston, Worcs between Eliza Corbett and James Lowe. I have a note that this Eliza's father was also Benjamin but haven't noted the source. Eliza's mother remarried and was buried at White Ladies Aston and a couple of siblings married here so it makes sense that this is her previous marriage.

Given that Eliza didn't remarry as a widow, that her daughter Mary Ann seems to have been registered as Corbett not Lowe, that Eliza appears to be recorded as Corbett in 1841 and that I can't see a likely death for James, it seems the marriage was somehow set aside. Curious then that she recorded her previous surname at Elizabeth's birth - maybe just that the question was asked?


I'm guessing that James was either transported or that they just parted - if they'd parted before Mary Ann's baptism as looks likely, the marriage was over very quickly. There is a James Lowe being acquitted of larceny in Worcestershire before the marriage but I'm having problems getting search results on Ancestry (and have done for some time) so I can't see if there's any likely James about anywhere.


I'd appreciate any thoughts, ideas or help. I haven't got the certificate for the Corbett-Lowe marriage yet, though I imagine the best I can hope for is bachelor, full age, labourer and a father's name.

[Olde Crone]

Just a quick thought - if her first husband was transported she was free to remarry under ecclesiastical law but the one I know about clearly states that condition in the church register.

It may have been she just couldn't be bothered with the beaurocracy, lol and said she was a spinster to save proving anything else. Or she may have been a bigamist like thousands of others.

OC

[Merry]

Interesting though that her children were recorded as Corbett, especially the firstborn. As Mary Ann's baptism was only about 11 months after the marriage to James Lowe I would have thought it would have been easier to say the child was of the marriage even if that wasn't the case.

I couldn't see any birth reg for Harriet though.

[Asa]

Ah, I didn’t know that, OC. Thank you. I’ve a feeling the marriage was just put behind her. I’d like to try to find out what happened to James Lowe. As you say, bigamy doesn’t seem to have been rare :)

[Asa]

I can’t see it either Merry. That’s what I found interesting. Gives me the feeling the marriage was over and done with very quickly.

[Merry]

Perhaps James was the bigamist.

Also noted Eliza was a minor at the first marriage.

[Asa]

Yes, I hadn't thought of that, Merry. Worth a search in the newspaper archives