MMF George Spence - which one, where?

[Janet]

I didn't look to see if they were serial witnesses. Got to go! The work crew is here and loading up the equipment.

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Merry

The William Spence who was aged 5 and 14 in 1841/51 with parents Wm and Elizabeth (ie the one born before his parents marriage and half brother of George) MAY be the same person who loses a couple of years from his age on the subsequent censuses, says he was b in Tockwith (very near York) and has these GRO entries.....

Marriages Sep 1851
Barry John York 23 763
CASSY Thomas York 23 763
Dixon Robert York 23 763
FRANKISH Caroline York 23 763 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
HARVEY Sarah York 23 763
Jennings Bridget York 23 763
MELLET Ann York 23 763
Spence William York 23 763 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Marriages Dec 1878
Park George William York 9d 102
Smith Rebecca York 9d 102
Spence William York 9d 102 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
WIMBLES Ann York 9d 102 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< (widow of Isaac Wimbles)

Likely death:

Deaths Jun 1884
SPENCE William 46 York 9d 36

The interesting thing is that Yorkshire BMD shows the first marriage as possibly being a Reg Offcie marriage like George's 1851 marriage (I'm not sure if it could just be registrar attended?). Annoyingly the second marriage doesn't show up anywhere else than the GRO as far as I can tell.

I was thinking that baptism which Kate found (Wm Spence Burley) might say where they were living (Tockwith?) and you never know, George might have been a witness at his brother's wedding given they married the same year. (though I suppose Wm wasn't George's witness!)

Did William really get married in 1851 when he was only 14 or 15?

[Merry]

lol Drat lets do that again!!

So.....I miscalculated his age by ten years somewhere along the line (but the death reg was when I was using the right age!! pmsl!).

So, the William from Tockwith isn't the right one because he is too old.

Can't see the right Wm after 1851.

[kiterunner]

How about this one in 1871?
21 Fetter Lane, St John Micklegate, York
William Spence Head Mar 34 Labourer York
Ann Do Wife Mar 31 Launderess Do
Ada Do Dau 9 Scholar Do

[kiterunner]

Can't find a birth registration for Ada Spence, but William kindly used this name on his marriage to help us find him! (Taken from FreeBMD)

Marriages Jun 1865
Harrison Ann York 9d 29
JACKSON Mary Jane York 9d 29
McMillan Robert York 9d 29
Spence William Burley York 9d 29

There are a couple of possible Ada Harrison birth regs if she was Ann's daughter.

[kiterunner]

And the marriage is transcribed on FamilySearch - William Burley Spence, age 27, father William Spence, married Ann Harrison, age 25, father Thomas Harrison, All Saints North Street, York.

[kiterunner]

Death registration Jul-Sep 1876 at York for William Burley Spence, age 39.

[Merry]

That's much better.

I'm sure Janet didnt want the bigamist in any case!!!

[kiterunner]

Looks like Ann (William Burley Spence's widow) married a Francis Grainger in 1878 and on the 1881 census they are at 8 Church Lane, All Saints North St., York
Francis Grainger Head Mar 48 Engine Fitter York
Ann Grainger Wife Mar 44 York
Thos Grainger Son 6 Scholar York.

[Janet]

Holy cow, how am I ever going to wrestle all this into a tree?

Thank you, Kite! Thank you, Merry!

But you mean I have to give up the bigamist? Aw, shucks.