Can you help solve this conundrum?

[groom]

Could well be that he came from Ireland as we cant find him. They had a child William born 1877. I'll have a look on Family Search. Thanks for your help.

Jan

[bishenbertie]

You are welcome Jan, I'll keep searching too, I'll post anything I find.

[groom]

Just returning to this branch of the family and I still haven't solved this problem!

The marriage I found of Francis Routledge to Sarah Jones in 1886 doesn't appear to be him as he says his father was Francis not James. So that could rule out the Irish connection as that is the one with wife Sarah in 1891.

The confusing thing is that Martha had a brother Francis born 1832, and most of the records that come up are for him, not her husband Francis!

Can anyone with fresh eyes see any clues as to who he was?

Thanks

[..claire..]

Hi

Both of these marriages appear on Anc*, have you checked them out ?

Both signatures of Francis are pretty similar. Maybe he fibbed about his father, knowing he would have been still legally married to Martha.

claire

[groom]

I've seen both but didn't think to check the signatures, I 'll look again. Thanks.

[groom]

Claire, where did you find the image for the 1886 one on Ancestry - I cant find it, just the one that says index only? I have the 1876 one.

[Kay99]

This is 1886 
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01fwy/

[groom]

Thank you - why couldn't I find that?

I'm not sure it is the same person unless he told lots of lies. If he was 30 in 1886 he can't have been of full age in 1876. He was a widower in 1876 but says he is single in 1886. Name of father is different  but occupations are the same. What do people think about the signatures?

[Kay99]

I think it could well be the same person. The capital R in Routledge is different but first name Francis is similar -particularly the dot over the i which looks quite distinctive.