Genealogy Chat

Are there any tips as to finding out for definate how many spouses a person as had. Or is it the usual double check and then tripple check option ??

Hi Patricia. Not that I have found yet, however I did notice that on my gr gr grandmothers birth certificate it says the following: Name, surname and maiden name of mother Sarah Ann Cook late Skelton formerly Thornalley after further checking I found her first child by her first husband, not managed to find his details as yet but it did show that she was definately married at least twice. Laurie

think most of my rellies couldnt help themselves it seems 2-3 spouse's was the norm.

There were no state benefits in the olden days, so I think marriage was expediant then, the man needed someone to cook & clean for him as he worked long hours, and the woman needed to have someone to provide for her financially, I doubt whether love came into it very often!!

One of mine was married three times within a few years. He had a daughter with his first wife, no children with his second and two with his third wife. George

One of mine had 8 children with his first wife,remarried a lady 34 yrs younger than him and had 7 more,the youngest being born when he was 71! [his eldest was 49,hows that for an age gap!]

A marriage certificate will sometimes tell you if person has been married before. Condition should state widow/widower or even previous marriage disolved. We knew great grandfather had been married before as widower on marriage certificate. I have finally found his first wife. He had a hard time of it back in the 1880s. 1881 census shows 2 sons, 1 a year old and 1 a month old. By the end of 1881, both sons had died, and his wife died 6 years later.