Genealogy Chat

My grandparents were married in 1919 and my mum was born in 1924. By 1930 my grandma had remarried and she was described as a widow on her new marriage certificate. I therefore assumed that my grandad must have died between 1924 and 1930 or thereabouts, but I cannot find an entry for his death. Does anyone know whether it would have been possible for my grandma to remarry if my grandad had not really died but had just left her? Would proof of his death have been needed before she could marry again?

I don't think proof would have been needed.
Did she marry in the area where she had been living?
Some women didn't wait,but married when they were not free to do so. ....not saying your grandmother was like this.

Perhaps your grandfather's name didn't make it onto the master GRO list.

Who are you looking for? ..born when?

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn, My grandparents were Lilian and Archibald McMullan (possibly McMullen), both born 1899/1900. Grandma was born in Preston, Lancs but I don't know where my grandad was born. They were married in Preston in 1919 and my mum and her two brothers were all born in Preston. My grandma remarried in Preston in 1930.

birth
Archibald McMullen
Year of Registration: 1899
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Preston
County: Lancashire
Volume: 8e
Page: 617

but I can't see him on the 1901 census

I can't see him on freebmd.

Have you checked each quarter on the full lists.?

Gwyn

Archie Mc Mullen
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1900
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Patrick
Mother's Name: Ruth
Gender: Male
Where born: Preston, Lancashire, England

Civil Parish: Preston
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: Lancashire

Registration district: Preston
Sub registration district: St Peter
Annie Mc Mullen 7
Archie Mc Mullen 1
Janey Mc Mullen 6
Kate Mc Mullen under 1 month
Patrick Mc Mullen 32 docks labourer
Ruth Mc Mullen 29

Hi Linda, Unfortunately this isn't him. I too found this birth entry and I sent for the certificate but on it Archibald's father is named as Patrick, whereas my grandad Archibald's father was called William John (at least that's what it says on my gran and grandad's marriage certificate). Thank you for your effort.

Hi Janice, This is 'the other' Archibald McMullen (please see my reply to Linda). However, I'm now wondering if it's too much of a coincidence since I can't find another Archibald McMullen born in Preston in 1899/1900. But then why would his marriage certificate say his father's name was William John??

Death ,,1925,Oc/Dec. Leeds,

9b--430.

Archiblad McMullen,

Age 61,,,,,

Does this age match with M/C age,,,,,,

There's a death of a Patrick McMullen in 1910 in Preston. Wonder if Ruth remarries and William is the stepfather. I have a marriage cert where the 'father's' name is really a step-father and nothing to do with the groom at all.
Janice

Hi Kay, in 1925 my grandad Archibald would have been age 25 ish, not 61. Thanks anyway.

Hi Janice, Hmm never thought of that. Think I may look into it. Thanks a lot for the suggestion.

Hi, what does the marriage cert say William John's occupation is?

The marriage cert says William John's occupation was a dock labourer, same as Patrick!! However, on revisiting the marriage cert I've realised that it does say deceased by William John's name.

In the 1891, there's a 22 year old Patrick Mc Mullen in Her Majesty's Prison in Preston!!!!!!!!! Wonder if there's a connection :-)

Who were the witnesses to the marriage?

Rose

Ruth also died:

Deaths Dec 1907
McMULLEN Ruth 36 Preston 8e 418

Rose

Lancashire BMD

Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Mother's Maiden Name Reference
1897 MCMULLEN Elizabeth St John Preston DAGGERS ST.J/35/43
1898 MCMULLEN Ruth St John Preston DAGGERS ST.J/36/93
1899 MCMULLEN Archibald St John Preston DAGGERS ST.J/38/28
1902 MCMULLEN John St Peters Preston DAGGERS ST.P/71/98
1903 MCMULLEN James West Preston Preston DAGGERS WP/1/27
1904 MCMULLEN Mary Agnes West Preston Preston DAGGERS WP/2/90
1906 MCMULLEN Elizabeth West Preston Preston DAGGERS WP/6/51

The latest preceeding entry for Jane is:
1894 MCMULLEN Jane St John Preston MCMULLEN ST.J/29/100
and there is no suitable Preston entry for Ann.

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freeBMD


Births Mar 1894 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
McMullen Jane Preston 8e 620
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Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
----------------------------------------------
Marriages Jun 1896 (>99%)
----------------------------------------------
Daggers Ruth Preston 8e 1161
~Heaps Richard Preston 8e 1161
McMullin Patrick Preston 8e 1161
~Ouseman Margaret Preston 8e 1161

Sorry, we found no matches.
Search for Type: Births Surname: mcmul* First name(s): ann*
Start date: Mar 1889 End date: Dec 1893 County: Lancashire


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Ancestry + addy, marital, occup

1901 England Census
Civil Parish: Preston
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 21 Bolton St
Registration district: Preston
Sub registration district: St Peter
ED, institution, or vessel: 29
Household schedule number: 145

Patrick Mc Mullen 32 Preston, Lancashire, England Head M Dock Labourer
Ruth Mc Mullen 29 Falwood, Lancashire, England Wife M
Annie Mc Mullen 7 Preston, Lancashire, England Daughter
Janey Mc Mullen 6 Preston, Lancashire, England Daughter
Archie Mc Mullen 1 Preston, Lancashire, England Son
Kate Mc Mullen under 1 month Preston, Lancashire, England Daughter

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 3952; Folio: 139; Page: 21.

Regarding the problem of Archie's dad's name on m.cert, I'm inclined to put it down to a brainfreeze on Archie's part.

I've been looking for my ggg gran Elizabeth's d.rego for quite a while, and it eventually turned up, but her son registered her as Christian. After getting her son's d.rego, and confirming his mother was Elizabeth, who'd been living with him for at least her last 4 years, we got further confirmation of her name and status from her MI (Turriff #164 from ANESFHS). Anyway, as I'm sure other researchers can confirm, folk do forget this sort of stuff when asked, then kick themselves afterwards.

In Archie's case, there's another possible reason - other posts say his mum died 1907 and his dad 1910, so maybe he was raised by foster parents, and William John was his foster dad.

Janice, WOW! Now that would be something different! I wonder how I can find out more?
Rose, the witnesses names don't give me any clues - Samuel Howarth and Gertrude Williams (Williams was the name of my Gran's second husband. Don't know if there's a connection).
mgnv, thanks for your suggestions. You say you found more info on your ggg gran on MI (Turriff #164 from ANESFHS). Can you explain what this is please?