Who were the wives of Charles Davis, New Malden?

[ln4266]

Hi,

My family research has gone off on a bit of a tangent, and I am now researching Charles Davis (1832-1918). He was one of the founding members of the LME. I know that he had 3 wives, as it is mentioned in his will. He requests to be buried with the first 'Fanny [gosden?] d 1864', and says that the third 'Lydia Pamplin' has not been a good wife! Lydia had five children as mentioned in the will, although they seem to be fathered by a number of different people (she had a habit of giving the children names that closely resembled men that she knew...). Charles and Lydia married in 1911, when Charles was already quite elderly. Lydia then goes on to have further children.



I can't seem to find a record of the second wife? Any ideas?

[groom]

Have you found him in any census between 1871 and 1911 as that would give you the first name of the second wife and perhaps make it easier to find the marriage?

[lizdb]

Is this him in 1861?  Not New Maldon, so I wasnt sure

9 Cowley Place, Kennington
Charles Davis 28 commercial clerk bn Knightsbridge
Fanny 26 bn Brompton
Bessy 3 bn Islington
Eliza 1

[lizdb]

Ah! In New Maldon area by 1871

Rose Villa
Charles Davis 38 widower metal broker bn St Geo Hanover Sq
James H Davis 65 father Schoolmaster bn St Johns Westminster
Eliza 62 mother bn Chelsea
Bessie 13 dtr bn Islington
Herbe? 8 son bn St Mary Lambeth
William Morris brother in law
Fanny Morris sister

[ln4266]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies. I forgot to mention that I had found him on the census - those above are the ones that I've found.

1871 - he's a widow
1881 - he's a widow, living with parents, daughter Bessie, niece and nephew. Frederick A (ubrey) Waight is also living with them - not sure of the connection, but he's also mentioned in will
1891 - he's a widow, living with servant and lodger Stephen Gillham (mentioned in will - Charles wanted funeral to same standard as his)
1901 - he's mentioned as a widow, living with Walter Goodall (boarder), Lydia Pamplin (servant), Amy Ethel Pamplin (servant) and James Davis (Pamplin) a 3 month baby
1911 - he's still living with Walter Goodall, Lydia Pamplin and James (davis) Pamplin - now adopted son, and Walter Goodall Pamplin (now adopted son).

I assume that his second marriage is sometime between the censuses, but I can't seem to find anything that fits in any of the marriage records...

[lizdb]

The child I read as Herbe, but I think on later censuses is Henry - do you know if his mother was also Fanny? Or was wife no.2 in that era?

[ln4266]

I think 'Herbe' was his son, Henry Charles. Henry was born approx 1863, and Fanny died in 1864, so am assuming she is his mother...

[groom]

New Malden comes under the Kingston registration district, so it might be a case of working through the marriages of all the Charles Davis between 1871 and 1911 and seeing which can be eliminated by following them through censuses. There are some with middle names, so you may be able to discard them if you know that he didn't have one.

[lizdb]

Good idea
Need to start at 1864 when Fanny died though.
By 1871 he may have already been widowed for the second time.