Who was MARIA SHORT

[ian-nz]

I am hoping someone can help me with information on William Henry Short.
This is what I have found. He was born in Portsmouth in 1827 to parents Joseph and Sarah Short. He married Adeline Clark in 1851 in Portsea and they had eight children. Adeline died in 1871 in Henley, Oxfordshire. I have all the information I need up until then.

In about 1877 it appears William Henry Short moves in with Maria ? and they have two daughters Florence b1878, Elizabeth Mary b1879 and a son Frederick William b1880 all born in Southampton, Hampshire. I have not been able to find a marriage for William to Maria or birth reg for the children under the name Short or any other name.

Maria Short and the children are on the 1881 census but William H is residing in H M Local Prison in Milton at this time on a larceny charge. They appear on the 1891 census together and after William death in 1899 I have found Maria and children on the 1901 and 1911 census still under the name Short.

What I would really like to know is who was Maria? She was born in about 1841 in Portsea and the only death I could find is for a Marie Short in 1926 in Southampton, Hampshire.

Anyone have any ideas.

Pauline

[CaroleW]

In 1881 - Elizabeth Mary is shown as 1yr 9mths which puts her birth around mid-1879

Birthplace is shown as Freemantle Southampton.  Freemantle was in Millbrook parish

Millbrook came under the South Stoneham registration district at that time

Freebmd has 3 x Elizabeth Mary births in South Stoneham in the June-Dec quarters - surnames Olden/Street and Tizzard

You could check the 1871 census for a Maria under those names to see if any match her profile

[ian-nz]

Thank you Carol for your suggestions. I was not able to tie up Maria with any of thoes surnames.

My thoughts are that the children were never registered.

Thanks again for your help.

Pauline

[CaroleW]

May be a coincidence but 1881 shows son Frederick William as 7mths old so born approx August 1880

There is a birth in South Stoneham for a Frederick William S Street (I wonder could the S be for Short)

And then this birth reg

Births December qtr 1877   
Florence Short E Street    South Stoneham  2c   68

And this one - again the S could be for Short

Births September qtr 1879 
Elizabeth Mary S   Street    South Stoneham  2c   70

The 1871 has an entry for a 29yr old Maria Speak b Portsea you may want to take a look at

[ian-nz]

Thank you Carole for finding thoes births. It is to much of a coincidence to not be the children of Maria and William. I have found a death for Frederick William Short in June 1971 in Worthing, Sussex and his birth date is 2 September 1880 which fits exactly. So it looks like William and Maria never married.

Thank you so much for your help. I would never have found them.

Pauline

[ian-nz]

Hi again

I have just found a marriage for a Maria Spratt on 3 April 1871 to George Benjamin Street. This Maria Spratt is the one on the 1871 census that you found Carole as Maria Speak which was wrongly transcribed. It is possible Maria was still married to George so was not able to marry William.

Pauline

[CaroleW]

Hi

I had traced Maria Spratt back to the 1851 when she was with parents but because her name was clearly spelt as Spratt, I dismissed it. 

So well done for finding the marriage.  Looks like William Henry died before George Benjamin hence no marriage