Hi Chris
Many thanks indeed for sending me this extra information about Thomas Gaskill which I hadn't found. It certainly explains a lot about his later life and also how Margaret Tower had money.
On the marriage certificate of Ann and Thomas Marchant her addressis given as Sykes Street in Hulme, Manchester and he was stationed at the Hulme Barracks. They married in May 1857 and in the muster roll for his regiment Thomas is recorded as having deserted on 8th September 1857 but then it says that he was sent to the "Depot troop" on 1st October but I have not been able to find out what this meant. Their daughter Lillian (Elizabeth) was born on 14th June 1858 and on every US census record which I have found for her, her birthplace is given as New York. I have therefore assumed that they went to the USA shortly after Thomas left the army. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find them on the 1860 US census or any immigration record for them but I gather that this is not unusual.
The Elizabeth Gaskill you have found certainly looks a possible candidate. By the way, she is called Betsy not Betty on the marriage certificate. I thought that maybe she was an aunt but a cousin is quite likely and I also thought it probable that Ann was living with her. I tried to see if there were any local directories for Hulme around that time but have not been successful. Ann's daughter was probably named after this person; on her marriage certificate her name is given as Elizabeth M and I like to think that the M stands for Margaret, Ann's mother.
I think that is all the information I have for now but will let you know if I find anything else.
Best wishes
Talmage
