Why didn't he??

[topmarx]

My Gr Grandfather was born in 1857 he was Henry Mellors

I have checked the census and could find no Mr Mellors.

So I checked the 1861 census, the first one after Henry was born and still no Mr Mellors, but mum Sophia Mellors was living at the home of John Henstock.

She is named as a housekeeper
her son Henry is down as a visitor.

She lives with the same person on following census even though her family grows. She is named as a servant

On one census the youngest was 7 weeks.

I presume that John Hemstock was the father of all of Sophias children.

But Why didn't he marry her?

What could have been the reason? My mind boggles.

[Willow 4873]

Hiya Topmarx

Probably social standing. If you could afford a servant you didn't marry them as you would have been looked down on.

Have you checked to see if Mr Hemstock was already married? He could have been living seperated from his wife

Unfortunately it could be you will never know the answer to why he didn't marry her

Willow x

[topmarx]

Thanks for the reply.

I wouldn't have thought that ones social standing would have been in very good standing if one fathered the children of the servant and still did not marry either?  But maybe that was looked on differently.

Mr Hemstock was a Castrator by occupation would that have meant that he had money do you know? Just that suddenly after he died Sophia seems to have become Head on the census.

How would I find if this guy was a married man or not?

I have just this second received Gr Grandads bc and name and surname of father are not given as I expected.

[ec]

found this interesting

Marriages Jun 1860
~~~~~~~~
 
GASCOYNE  John    Basford  7b 174   
HEMSTOCK  John     Basford  7b 174   
Mellors  Mary Ann     Basford  7b 174   
PAXTON  Elizabeth     Basford  7b 174   

[janan]

Have checked the 1871 census image for you - John Hemstock is listed as married. Regards Jan

[Willow 4873]

If he is listed as married on the census there is a chance his wife was ill and in a nursing home or living away from him for other reasons

If you could locate a copy of his will it might be interesting to see if Sophia inherited the house on his death

Mary Ann Mellors married John Gascoyne as I found her in the 1871 census with him. John Hemstock married Elizabeth Paxton but she isn't turning up as Elizabeth Hemstock on the 1871 or 1881 census. I wonder if they separated? Or was she off abroad spending his money?

Willow x

[topmarx]

I am having trouble getting my head around all of this.

So John was a married man, but surely his wife was aware that the woman he had living there as a servant was re-producing? Where did she think Sophia was getting them from? By proxy?

Maybe the two couples that married on the same day were friends and Mary Ann was Sophias sister and thats how they met. But never mind the maybe's

Would a Castrator be well off enough to have left a will do you think?

How would I go about finding it?

You have all been so helpful.  Thanks to you all.

[ec]

Perhaps you could get a look up on both Sophia and John in the 1851 census and see if there are any further clues there?  He is quite a bit older than her, but I would have thought that would make him more likley to marry her, not less....

[ec]

Could you post up the info you got from the 1861 census - might be some clues