What am I to think?

[Phoenix]

DNA match.

From shared matches, it appears to be a Portsmouth connection.

Possible surnames are Riley, Poling (Pulling/Poulden) or Couzens.

Joseph Jones marries Ann Miller at St Mary's Portsea 10th September 1827. Winesses are Elizabeth Cousins x and Joseph Carmell.

Here is the marriage on FMP: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/reco...2F00110040%2F1


Ann is buried in 1855 as Ann Jane Miller, aged 47 (wife of Joseph of Pye Street) and Joseph promptly remarries.



So the only chance of Ann's birthplace is the 1851 census: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...cklabel=Return


This gives her birthplace as London, and Ancestry has her baptism in Bermondsey, bp 1 November 1807: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...162.1531920438


So it looks as if this family is merely passing through, and it's a sheer accident of location that they are in Portsmouth, in Pye Row/Street all their married life.


Here they are in 1841:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...cklabel=Return


Lodging next door is Joseph Carmell, presumably THE Joseph who witnessed their wedding, so no doubt they were good friends and socialised together. And it must be mere coincidence that Joseph Carmell and his wife are lodging with William and Rebecca PULLING.


Can anyone provide an innocent explanation to disperse my cynical fears?


(NB, my illiterate ancestor Elizabeth Pulling married a John Couzens. She, or a dozen other Elizabeth Cousins could have been the other witness)