Can someone check this over, please?

[Merry]

BK6 updated from this thread

I'm trying to establish if I am looking at a bigamous marriage in my family (another one!) or if I'm making an assumption or have missed something, before I go adding it all to my tree.

The basics are that my relative, Martha Spalding, seems to have married twice, the second time when her first OH was still living. He seems to have been living as man and wife with a second partner, but possibly without the false marriage ceremony.

Martha Spalding b abt 1825 at Bedford, the child of Wm and Emma Spalding

1841 a FS in Cardington, Beds

1843 married William Terrey in Bedford district (don't have cert)

1851 living with husband (no children) in Newport Pagnell Bucks:

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=8860&iid=BKMHO107_1723_1723-0532&fn=Martha&ln=Terrey&st=d&ssrc=&pid=4035872

Then I looked for William Terrey in 1861 and found him with a new wife, Harriet (he has same birthplace and occ as before):

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=8767&iid=NTHRG9_935_939-0062&fn=William&ln=Terrey&st=d&ssrc=&pid=23525659

I looked for a possible death for Martha and decided one of these could possibly be her:

Deaths Dec 1856
TARRY Martha Newport Pagnell 3a 273

Deaths Dec 1858
Tarry Martha Newport P. 3a 297

I couldn't see a marriage for Wm and Harriet, but I figured there's a lot of ways to spell Terrey and they were obviously moving around the country, so I let that go.

All nice and tidy, but........

Then I looked for one of Martha's younger brothers (John Sutton Spalding b 1838, Bedford) on the census and when I got to 1881 I found this (top couple of people and John Spalding on the prev page at the bottom):

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=7572&path=Lancashire.Salford.Greengate.18.7&sid=&gskw=John+T.+Spalding&cr=1

John was head of house with Martha Spencer, widow, sister, and niece Frances Spencer 19!

In 1871 they were together too, but I hadn't noticed as John was just the lodger!

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7619&iid=LANRG10_4021_4023-0024&fn=Martha&ln=Spencer&st=d&ssrc=&pid=17645618

It would appear this is Martha's second marriage (in her maiden name)

Marriages Jun 1854
Holt George Manchester 8d 264
LOMAX Alice Manchester 8d 264
SPALDING Martha Manchester 8d 264 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
SPENCER Francis Manchester 8d 264 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

and here is Martha in 1861 with her second 'husband':

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=8767&iid=LANRG9_2914_2920-1080&fn=Martha&ln=Spencer&st=d&ssrc=&pid=14342796

I thought this could be Martha's death, but I can't see her in 1891:

Deaths Sep 1896
Spencer Martha 71 Stockport 8a 5

What do you think? :)

[kiterunner]

The 1854 marriage is on Lancashire BMD and they did marry each other, at Manchester Cathedral (formerly Manchester Collegiate Church).

[kiterunner]

I know it's unlikely, but have you checked for a divorce?

[Merry]

Oooh, Manchester Cathedral - isn't that where you go if you want a no Qs asked marriage!

Actually, no I haven't looked for a divorce, it just seemed very unlikely, but I will, so I can say I've crossed the Ts and dotted the Is!

Thanks Kate :)

[kiterunner]

Hmmm, National Probate Calendar for 1873:

TERREY William Effects under £300.
6 December. The Will of William Terrey late of the Town and County of Northampton Tin Worker who died 13 March 1862 at the Town of Northampton was proved at Northampton by Jesse Terrey of the said Town Publican the Brother the sole Executor.

The will might be interesting! And note it took 11 years for probate!

[Merry]

Oh thanks Kate!!

I expect Harriet vanished into thin air after Wm died.

[kiterunner]

I did have a look for her but no luck yet.

[Merry]

No sign of a divorce either.

[Merry]

It's hard to say who Harriet might have been before she was with Wm!