West Hanningfield Marriage Entry. THOMAS HESEKIAH BURGIS 1818-1856.

[olleym]

But given his possible re-invention as a tea trader in 1851 and a possible bigamous marriage, he may not have ever been married to Sarah in the 1st place

Mark

[LizzieL]

I'm inclined to think they didn't marry. Even if Burgis had been mistranscribed as something slightly different, a wild card search on his unusual middle name should bring it up. He included it in his marriage to Selina, so I would have expected the same on any earlier marriage.

[Jolee]

Don't know if you have seen the marriage cert but they married 26/12/1851 at West Hanningford
Both of full age
He was son of James both father and son tea dealers and he was living St Giles Cripplegate
She was the daughter of Daniel Neville a bailiff and was living West Hanningford
Witnessed by James Neville and Sarah Ann T??

I have kept the image so if you want a copy pm me direct and I will send it to you

[LizzieL]

Did Thomas claim to be a bachelor when he married Selina? Still no sign of a previous marriage to the Sarah from Benson, who he is with (if the same person) in 1851 census.
Can't find his father on 1841 census, but there is a James b abt 1777 widower, grocer in Benson in 1851. With some children and grandchildren. I suppose a grocer could be described as a tea dealer,  but I would expect him to sell a lot of other things besides.
James and Charlotte had lots of children baptised in the independent chapel in Wallingford starting from early 1800s

[olleym]

Yes, he claimed to be a bachelor!

[LizzieL]

On census day (30 march 1851), Thomas was living with Sarah, they claimed to be married but the evidence so far indicates They weren't. 
At the same time Selina is a bar maid in London, living with uncle and aunt (James and Sarah Brunton) at 1 & 2 Peters Lane, parish of St Sepulchre, Borough of Finsbury. James Brunton is a victualler from Yorkshire. As Sarah's birthplace is Essex (looks like Rumset) she's more likely to be the direct relative. There are a lot of unmarried men in the household, no relationships given, but I guess it might be a lodgings house. If Thomas was in grocery / tea dealing trade, it's quite possible he did business with the uncle and met Selina then.
Thomas and Selina marry on Boxing day 1851 in her home village. They have a daughter Selina jnr early in 1853 (registered in Q1 1853) Hackney. Not a shotgun wedding, unless there is an earlier Burgis not registered in hackney or Essex, who didn't survive until 1861 census.

Thomas dies in 1856, is buried in Hackney on 4th Feb 1856 (the day before his birthday!). In 1861 Selina Burgis (widow) with Selina jnr is living with her parents in West Hanningfield.

There is a possibility that Sarah Burgis remarried in 1860. But if she had never been married to Thomas, if she went on to marry someone she would marry in her real name, not one she had assumed. 

[chempat]

Have we got Thomas in 1841?

[chempat]

Living on the High Street
Bensington      Ewelme      Oxfordshire
Wallingford
Jas Burges   60  grocer all born local
Esther Burges   25
Mary Ann Burges   25
John Burges   30
Thostt Burges   20
HO107    Piece  881   Book 1    Enumeration District 9   Folio 35   Page 11

James Burgis junior (a maltster) is a few doors away.

[LizzieL]

Well done, I searched for ages, both Ancestry and FindMyPast, how did I miss it?

So Thomas was at home with dad and some of his siblings. Maybe we'll find the mysterious Sarah as a 15 year old  next door.