Charlotte Ellen SMITH / EIGHTEEN

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by James18

You said he was 51 on the 1911 census I believe, so your theory seems sound.

I assume that's the last we see of him? I've been looking at death records for someone born ~1850 and died ~1920 (ten years either way) but of course he could have lived much longer I suppose.

I'm looking through wills & probates as they often uncover interesting information, including an exact date of death. One possible lead so far.

Can you remember where he was on the 1911 census? Was it Reading, still?

No, the last I saw of him was the 1901 census where he was age 51 in Hanwell, Middlesex, if it is him (see post #51.)

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by Merry

Buckingham Advertiser and Free Press 19 October 1861

October 13, at the Independent Chapel, Banbury, John Checkley to Mary Preedy, both of Cropredy.

October 13, at the Independent Chapel, Banbury, Thomas Cooknell to Mary Ann Checkley, of Cropredy.

That looks good, Merry.

[James18]

I wonder what Mary Ann thought of her new step-mother!

[James18]

Kate, I assume this is a different Mary Preedy to the one born in Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire ~1840?

She has numerous census records, but with her maiden name and alongside her sister Anne. I think they're farmers or something.

Mother: Catherine Hawkes
Father: Joseph Preedy

(According to several public family trees on Ancestry)

[James18]

Originally Posted by Merry

Buckingham Advertiser and Free Press 19 October 1861

October 13, at the Independent Chapel, Banbury, John Checkley to Mary Preedy, both of Cropredy.

October 13, at the Independent Chapel, Banbury, Thomas Cooknell to Mary Ann Checkley, of Cropredy.

According to a public family tree on Ancestry, John's parents were Thomas Checkley and Mary Ann Scaysbrook, so it would seem appropriate that his daughter was called Mary Ann.

I'll try to verify this information, though.

[kiterunner]

Originally Posted by James18

Kate, I assume this is a different Mary Preedy to the one born in Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire ~1840?

She has numerous census records, but with her maiden name and alongside her sister Anne. I think they're farmers or something.

Mother: Catherine Hawkes
Father: Joseph Preedy

(According to several public family trees on Ancestry)

Your Mary is the daughter of Joseph and Catherine, and has a sister Anne, but I can't vouch for the accuracy of the info on any public trees.

[Merry]

James, I don't know if you usually get your certificates from the GRO, but with that info from the newspaper of the exact date and venue of the Preedy/Checkley marriage you could purchase a copy certificate from the local register office instead. You need to ask if they can give you a photocopy of the register entry rather than a modern day copy (typed or handwritten) then the photocopy will show the signatures of the parties and witnesses (of course they may not have signed - may be just "X, the mark of ....") and whilst (if they signed) you may not end up with other signatures to compare them to, it might be worth going this route as I think you will agree you need all the help the records may be able to provide with this family!!

[James18]

Merry, you're absolutely right of course, and I'd certainly be keen to try that.

Would I have to go to the register office in Banbury, or could I order a copy from my local office? If so, I could do that tomorrow afternoon.

So far for birth/death certificates I've been ordering from the GRO website, as that is much cheaper than doing it through Ancestry.

Any other suggestions?

There's a public tree for John Checkley's family -- the dates are a bit out, but I suppose that's not unusual with someone of his age; I suppose in those days it wasn't uncommon for people to be 'up-aged' simply because people assumed they were older than they really were.

Mind you, if that tree is correct then that contradicts another tree in which his parents are named Thomas and Mary Ann. Still, that's not a big deal as I only want him on my tree.

[kiterunner]

Okay, these are the Preedy baptisms at Steeple Aston, children of Joseph and Pleasant, according to the "England, Select Births and Christenings" on ancestry (which will be taken from FamilySearch.)
Elizabeth 9 Nov 1831
Mary 16 Apr 1833
Anne 22 Feb 1835
Joseph 8 May 1836
Ellen 27 May 1838

The public ancestry trees which you mentioned do mistakenly have links to this Mary on the later censuses.

In 1841 your Joseph, with wife Catherine and children Benjamin 3 and Mary 2, is at Boddicott, Oxfordshire, the birthplace given for Mary's sister on whichever census she was with the Smiths.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/89...62295251/facts
This Joseph is a Horse Breaker.

So his Mary and Anne are not the Steeple Aston ones.

[kiterunner]

I wouldn't put too much faith in those public trees on ancestry, James; you should check for yourself anything that you see on them. Though sometimes you do find useful things have been added to them, like images of certificates, photos, etc.