Genealogy Chat

My gggg Grandfather was a Coachmaker born in Hampshire. By luck I found this marriage on the net. His father was also a coachmaker and left his son his tools but seems to have changed his mind at the last minute- selling them and leaving his son a small sum of money instead. I think he may have cut him out of the will in fact as his son then leads a poor life by comparison to his sisters. His father was very religious. My question is - why might William have married a girl fron Appleby Leicester in Birmingham - had his first child there and then returned to Southhampton? Guess we will never really know the answer - but any clues below? See marriage below:

William Faichen to Ann Smith* 31st December 1833 at St Martins, Birmingham William Faichen of this Parish - Bachelor Ann Smith of this Parish – Spinster Were married in this church by Licence this Thirty First day of December in the year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Three. This Marriage was solemnized bewteen us - Wm Faichen and The Mark of Ann Smith. Witnesses are - Robert Powell and Alexander Sanders Why was he married by licence instead of Banns? Can anyone tell me?? Alice

My friend has an ancestor who was a coachbuilder and he travelled around the country. It would seem that he built coaches to order and travelled to where the client lived, did the job and then moved on to the next client. Perhaps yours did the same? Jay

Maybe his Father diddnt approve of the marriage? maybe the wife was from a different religion? Gerri x

So they were both otp when they married. Banns took 3 weeks to be read - lic you could get married as soon as you'd got it. When was first child born? Jay

I suppose\he may have done - but I get the impression he worked for someone else in Southampton - His sisters married men who had coachmaking businesses and seemed to live well by comparison - hence my theory about his fater's will - which I don't really understand so I could be wrong... Thanks for your help. Alice

Jane the first child was born in Appleby so I guess they lived with her parents for a while. William died in 1851 - several deaths in the family in a few months. Ann went to London leaving newborn baby in the workhouse along with another child. She remarried and I have been in contact with the family of the second husband - he was a builder and apparently the business failed - Ann being blamed for the failiure and disowned - second husband died - she later died in the workhouse. She was described as a Theatrical cleaner on one census I wonder if this was an acceptable way of saying she was an actress - sure William's father would not have liked that! but maybe I am having flights of fancy! Alice

He probably got married by licence as he hadn't lived in the parish long enough, or never lived in the parish. You need to be in a parish at least 3 weeks for your banns to be read on 3 consecutive Sundays. We got married in a church 20 miles from home, purely because none of the churches nearer were big enough to hold our guests, so we were married by licence. However, my dad was from Cheshire and my mum from North Yorkshire. Dad was living in a town in North Yorkshire about 7 miles from my mum's village. They got married in my mum's village but he had to go home to Cheshire to have his banns put up, even though he had been living in the North Yorkshire town for about 2 years. I have never quite understood that, he just did what the vicar told him to do. Dianne xx

You might be able to track down a copy of the licence which might give you a bit more info. I remember reading an article about marriage licences in one of the family tree magazines - but that was a while ago and I'm a bit fuzzy about the details. Worth pursuing though. Your local FHS might be able to point you in the right direction. Jill

Thank you everyone - may try to persue the licence thing - if I can find out how. Alice