I remember why I didn't mention a John in Leicester, he is c 1850. What I am not sure of is, who is this chap?
Welford Road CA 729
MARCHANT JOHN 1865 DEC 10
Age 39 LEICESTER LUNATIC ASYLUM SAINT MARY
Hi everyone,
This is all very exciting, couldn`t wait to start catching up with your thread. John Merchant and his Wife Ellen have been elusive for so long now I had almost given up finding out what happened to them both until I found this post. I almost don`t know where to start but I shall begin with John Merchant/Marchant.
Following on from Willsy`s find about a John Marchant in the Asylum ----where did you find that piece of info` Willsy, please? I have found a newspaper article about an annual report about the Leicester Gaol which may be connected to the one that you have found;
The Chronicle & Mercury United, Sat 22 Oct 1864. Leicester Michaelmas Sessions;
"J. Marchant removed to the Leicester Lunatic Asylum 14 Sep 1864 for reasons of insanity. Insane upon admission".
I then found this John`s death GRO thanks to the volunteers here and ordered the death cert;
John Marchant OND 1865 Leicester. Vol-7A Pge-153
Hopefully it is the right one and if not we may learn of what happened to this John. So this John was in prison in 1864-I wonder what for? I will try to find the Criminal record.
Ellen & John`s kids Betsy & John were born 1860 & 1862 so he has gone to prison between 1862-1864 which may well apply to my John because he disappeared from 1862. If it is him then it would make sense as to where he went and the further struggles that Ellen appears to have suffered.
Betsy`s bigamous marriage; Elizabeth Merchant-Barnes to Edwin Arnold. 17 May 1899 Chatham Registry Office. She stated that her Father was John Merchant-Barnes an Upholsterer.
I do not believe that he was at this wedding nor aware that changes had been made to his surname. She changed that name quite deliberately because she knew she was committing bigamy.
This year I came to the conclusion that firstly, the name Merchant-Barnes was bogus -and secondly that this marriage was a bigamous one as she was still married to Robert Welsh.
Dr Barnado`s 1906 report stated that they thought Robert was living in Maidstone, Kent--Betsy had said on the 7 Feb 1890, when placing their 2 Sons Robert & John into Care that Robert had died in the Leic Infirmary--Mike on the Leic boards was able to prove that this was untrue because there was no record of a Robert Welsh dying up to 1890 there.
Furthermore and more importantly when Robert & Betsy`s Daughter Ellen married, 3 times, 1897 & 1904 she stated that her Father was alive but when she married 1923 she then stated that her Father Robert Welsh was deceased.
It is possible that Ellen made up the details about her Father but 3 times in a row, doubtful?
Elizabeth Merchant had to create stories about her circumstances in order to keep placing her children into Care---she lied. She married as a bigamist changing the surname to avoid detection.
She was born and christened Betsy/Elizabeth Merchant in 1862 and now you have shown that she and her Brother John were also re-christened with the name of Barnes one day after the Trial in regards to Thomas Barnes-1865.
Could this have been done because John was in prison and had become insane and she felt that she had no future with him? The evidence that Thomas gave touched upon Ellen`s affair with John and those two having had kids together--maybe had them baptised again for a sense of public decency with such a public Trial about her marriage? Surely, not to try and get back together with Thomas.
Through you fabulous volunteers here you have now demonstrated where the name Barnes comes from-well done. I am off to look for John in the Criminal records and newspapers.
