I wondered if anyone can help me find more information about my great great grandparents John Henry Eltringham (1852) and Mary Ann Bunting (1861).
The only definite records I can find for John Henry Eltringham is the marriage certificate to Mary in March 1881 - John is 28 years old, widower, a coal miner, lived Framwellgate and father is listed as John Eltringham - Boilersmith - deceased. Mary is 20 years old, father Thomas Bunting.
I have their daughters birth certificate Dorothy Ann Eltringham, born July 1881, Father is John Henry Eltringham. Birth is North Beechburn, however informant is Mary Eltringham, September at Bridge Street Crook.
Dorothy's baptism is December 1881, of Castle Eden, at Monk Hesleden, parents both Mary Ann and John Eltringham.
My problem lies here: I cannot find ANY record of John before or after the year 1881. The only information I really have about John is his probably birth year of 1852, his father was a boilersmith and deceased by 1881, John lived at Framwellgate. (I have ordered a birth certificate for a record of a John Henry Eltringham born 1852, Chester-le-street - though I have no certainty that this is the John I am looking for, I will hopefully find the fathers name and occupation on this certificate).
I cannot find any fitting Census of the family in 1881, which was taken two weeks after their marriage - yet I have spent hours upon hours eliminating any Eltringham family recorded in the whole of England that year. Not one of what I have found fit this family. I have tried various spelling variations of the name.
Strangely though, I can find no death, convict or immigration records for John - yet his wife Mary was remarried the following year, 1882 to Septimus Nelson. They are found in the 1891 Census with Marys daughter Dorothy. They have a child Mary in 1898 who lives with Mary Anns parents by 1901. Septimus has died in 1899 in the lunatic asylum. There is no trace of Mary Ann since her daughters birth. I believe young Mary was living in the workhouse by 1911 - though I am not 100% sure this record is definitely her.
I have all Census and marriage records for Mary Ann's family, Thomas Bunting and Dorothy Sims, they have been easy to trace.
Mary Ann lived with her family around Crook which was where Dorothy was born. Her parents moved to Castle Eden Colliery, it looks like Mary Ann followed there sometime in 1881 as thats where dorothy is baptised. I dont know if this is before or after John disappears. She married Septimus in Hartlepool.
If anyone has any information on this family, no matter how small it may be I would really appreciate your help, every little bit I have found is a piece of the puzzle I'm putting together!
Thank you to anyone that can help
