Cuddy Family

[Lucy2]

I would like to know what steps she would have had to take to declare her first husband dead or missing before she could marry again.

Sarah Ann CUDDY m. Arthur SUTTON -- 1888

The following excerpt from "Divorce in England and Wales" (ex FamilySearch) perhaps best explains the situation at that time.
"If one party to a marriage disappeared for seven years, it was, by the eighteenth century, generally assumed that the deserted one could marry again ...
Desertion and bigamy were not infrequent, but prosecutions were rare ... "

With the (NZ) Intention to Marry notice (ITM), the question regarding "length of residency", applied to the length of time the bride and groom had resided in the particular parish (or locality) in which they were to be married.
Sarah Ann's "length of residency" is given as "7 years", so she no doubt would have been well-known in her community - probably as Widow CUDDY.   Deserted wives also usually referred to themselves as "widows".   

Some more to follow >

  ~  Lu

[Lucy2]

"Fernglen" - arrived April 1876 at Port of Nelson.

Although there doesn't appear to be online, a comprehensive list of the immigrants arriving by this vessel, the list given at the following site (and as well, the newspaper report of immigrants destined for Westland), records that  "Michael CUDDY, wife and child" were amongst the "nominated" immigrants.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzbound/fernglen.htm
 
What that means is that somebody living in the Colony of New Zealand (usually a family member or friend) had nominated the couple for passage to New Zealand.  This nomination may have been part of a scheme whereby fares were subsidised, or it may be that the nominee paid all or part of the passage money.  Usually the passenger immigration list recorded in the "Remarks" column a reference number, which referred to another "file" containing details of the monies paid in New Zealand, and by whom (- the nominee's name).   It seems though that these files / records, may no longer exist.  [Check made of Archives NZ website shows records only up to 1874 ? ] 

Do you know if Michael or Sarah Ann had relatives who may have come to NZ ahead of them ?

   ~  Lu   


 

[Lucy2]

Michael (Joseph) CUDDY

Mmm ... I tend to agree with ("sparrett") Sue's suggestion in reply # 15, that Mr CUDDY's disappearance occurred quite some time before the birth of the child Albert ?
[Had Michael CUDDY still been in NZ, then I would have expected to see his name on a voting list or electoral roll in 1880-1881 when voting rights were relaxed to include all men over the age of "majority". ]

The child Albert Francis CUDDY was actually born on 25 December 1881 (birth registered at Christchurch - appears in registrations in next quarter (Jan-Mar 1882).

Isabella Mary CUDDY was born on 3 May 1877 - birth registered at Hokitika, Westland.

Incidentally, both these children were baptised, at what seems like a week apart, in Christchurch.

Record from "Catholic Diocese of Christchurch Baptism Index" shows >

CUDDY - Albert Frances - bapt. on 20 April 1882
CUDDY - Isabelle [sic] Mary Eliza - bapt. on 28 April 1882 
Parish:  Cathedral - Christchurch

Just a bit puzzled as to why daughter Isabella wasn't baptised earlier ?   (The Catholic Diocese of Christchurch also included the parishes of Westland.)

Did Michael CUDDY maybe "disappear" after the birth of Isabella in May 1877 ?

The "West Coast Times" of 26 September 1877 - Resident Magistrate's Court, reported a claim of PAMMENT v. CUDDY ... followed by, "non-appearance of both parties - case struck out". 
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

[PAMMENT was likely, James PAMMENT an importer who ran a store in Revell Street, Hokitika, supplying an array of goods, including furniture, clothing, etc. etc.   Difficult to say if the CUDDY in question was in fact Michael ? ]

   ~  Lu

[sabena]

Hi LU
Thank you for your reply.
On the marriage notice in the paper of Alice Cuddy eldest daughter of The late Joseph Cuddy in January 1895
He seems to have gone by the name of Joseph sometimes and Michael Joseph other times.
the other daughter Isabella got married in May 1896, it does not say anything of her father.
Albert Francis who was my grandfather was born 25 December 1881, I have his birth cerificate which says his father is Michael Joseph Cuddy.
Quite a mystery, I  will just have to keep digging, to see if I can uncover what happen to Michael.

Sabena

[Lucy2]

Post deleted (by me) ... information no longer relevant.

  ~  Lu