Genealogy Chat

Hi Margaret,

I have the Suffolk Baptism Index for Clare Deanery from 1754 to 1812 which includes Haverhill.
Although Maria could have been born in 1813 there are no Baptism's for the Branson surname in this area so Essex is looking a possibility.

Do you know if anyone has the names of the Witnesses to her Marriage to George Poole?

Kind regards
Amanda

This marriage took place in 1830 so, unfortunately, there isn't going to be a certificate.

If you're not able to get to a Suffolk archives centre, maybe they will do a look-up for you.

The Society of Genealogists, Clerkenwell, also hold some records for Haverhill, if this is easier for you to get to.

I would not worry to much about Pool with / without an e in the census as census spelling accuracy generally is poor. There are several public trees on Ay with Maria & George but none offer a possible solution to her origins.

I suggest you get the marriage cert which will have a lot of useful details - parents of couple, origins, witnesses. It costs about £ 9. The local records office certs are better than GRO and usually cheaper.

If you do a FreeBMD Search on BRANSON (no first name) up to 1851 for Essex and Suffolk there are hardly any entries for Suffolk and a lot for Essex. The Essex ones also show up in Family search going back around Little / Great Oakley nr Harwich. There is also this marriage: m. Jun 1846 Branson Henry & Lovick Julia Newmarket 14 159. Hy was prob. from Essex and may well have been related to yr Maria.

When you get stuck ( aka brick wall) it often helps to switch to a possible parallel line as well as forking out for a cert.

My guess is that yr Bransons are from this Essex line - the Colne valley then and now is a natural community between Essex and Suffolk.

There are all kinds of reasons why there is no obvious record of an Essex / Suffolk birth abt 1812 for Maria. It may just have been skipped (money), row with the vicar (not uncommon), doubts over parentage (not uncommon), registered with the Methodists (strong in East Anglia), Maria may have had another Christian name and preferred Maria, church page lost / damaged, transcription errors ...

Essex / Suffolk were very hard line areas for non conformist religion and at that time a name such as Maria rather than Mary would have suggested RC. Just a thought.

It was quite usual to print fairly full marriage details in the local newspapers as it boosted circulation - this practice was almost universal until the 1970s when it started to drop off. Nearly all of the old newspapers are available on microfiche and some on line. The print details often included details of the parents of the couple (even if deceased), origins, best man etc etc.Once you have the cert the print is well worth chasing up.

Have you seen the marriage register?

Usually at that time they just state "both of this parish" but sometimes you may get a clue. Maria Branson of ..... wherever.

The marriage details should give you fathers details and witnesses which could help identify where she came from?

Roy

Hi yes that is their marriage here is her death but Poole without the E I have her death certificate

.Deaths Jun 1849 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pool Maria Risbridge 12 30
she was 37 when she died

Just for ref:
1841 England Census
Maria Pool Age: 25 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1816
Gender: Female
Civil parish: Haverhill Hundred: Risbridge County/Island: Suffolk
Country: England
Registration district: Risbridge Sub-registration district: Haverhill
Piece: 1032 Book: 13 Folio: 25 Page Number: 3
George Pool 25
Maria Pool 25
William Pool 9
George Pool 8
Hannah Pool 6
James Pool 2
Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1032; Book: 13; Civil Parish: Haverhill; County: Suffolk; Enumeration District: 2; Folio: 25; Page: 3; Line: 15; GSU roll: 474641.

Well, here is the death entry

d. Mar 1849 Poole Maria Bury St Eds 13 323

and here is the marriage

5 Nov 1830 Maria Branson & George Poole Haverhill, Suffolk, England

now to go back a bit ...

FreeBMD records have plenty of omissions esp 1837 - 1851 and in any case go no further back than 1837.

Margaret,

A few queries:

You say that she died as Maria Poole in Haverhill, Suffolk in 1849. There does not appear to be a death registered showing at freebmd.

You say that in the 1841 census her birth county is unknown. When recording the 1841 census the only indication of birthplace shown was whether the individual had been born in the county they were in when the census was taken. Presumably you mean that she is shown as not being born in the county where she was recorded in that census. In 1841 was she known as Poole or Branson and in what location did she appear? Remember that in the 1841 census the age of adults over the age of 15 were generally rounded down to the nearest 5 or 0 years so how sure are you that she was born 1811/12?

As I cannot spot a Maria Branson marriage to a George Poole taking place between the September quarter 1837 and when you say she died in 1849. Do you know where and when the marriage took place? Also how did you discover her maiden name?

I have come to a full stop with Maria Branson
born about 1812-13 died as Maria Poole in 1849
in Haverhill Suffolk wife of George Poole
in the 1841 census it says birth county unknown
so it looks as though that is as far as i go.Any Ideas thankyou
Margaret