Marriage of Martha Powditch 1st Q 1864 West Ham help please

[nannyj]

There's a probate record for Thomas powditch died 17 June 1879 shipowner. Widow was Mary. Lived in wells next the sea. The burial gives his age as 73, so birth 1803, which is quite close to his baptism.

[amondg]

The Thomas Powditch who died 1879 married Mary Matthews at Wells 20 October 1829.Witness was Henry Cook Garrett, Elizabeth Powditch and Avice Matthews.

Children of Thomas and Mary (all at Wells)
Cook 1831,(ref middle name as witness to marriage), Mary Ann 1833, Thomas Williams 1835, Sarah Elizabeth 1837, Eliza 1839, John Matthews 1841(mothers maiden name), James 1843, Hannah Sarah 1845, Emily Jane 1847, Kate Cook 1850.
Notes James, Hannah and Emily were all baptised the same day in 1862 birth dates given in each case.
The father Thomas was a Ship's Captain.

Thomas and Susanna (nee Dowdy)Powditch can be excluded as he was a shoe maker

Thomas and Emma (nee Nickels)Powditch had a child Ellen in 1831 he was listed as a sailor.

Thomas and Sarah nee Thompson has Thomas Thompson Powditch born 4 March 1807 from the baptism record at Wells. He is a mariner
Martha' father is Thomas Thompson Powditch.

So four families headed by a Thomas Powditch all at Wells.
They each use the mothers maiden and relevant other surnames to distinguish the families.

[nannyj]

People were very inconsiderate in those days, using the same first name, weren't they?!

[kit54]

Hi nannyj, CaroleW and amondg,

Thank you so much for all your kind replies and all the effort that you have obviously put in on my behalf - you are WONDERFUL!
Please, nannyj, re the 1864 marriage - do you know the names of any witnesses?
There were 3 Thomas Powditch baptised between 1800 - 1807 in Wells (I've been looking into this for a while!):
1. On 20/6/1803 with parents:William Powditch and Mary Pond - I think he married Susannah
     Dowdy in 1821 (and lived in the Brancaster area, but on the 1871 Census they're in Suffolk).
     This Thomas I think was the one who died in  4th Q 1884 in Docking
2.On 20/10/1804 with parents:Wells Powditch and Sarah Cook - I think he married Mary Matthews
    in 1829 (he's the one who died in 1879 in Wells)
3.(Thomas Thompson Powditch) On 4/3/1807 with parents:Thomas Powditch and Sarah Thompson
    - I think he married Emma Nickels in 1826 and one of the witnesses was Emily Powditch (his
    sister)
BUT!
There was a burial for a Thomas Powditch in King's Lynn on 17/7/1834 aged 32)  AND
Emma remarried in 1836 in Wells (Robert King)  AND
There was the 1837 marriage in Cromer for Thomas Thompson Powditch and one of the witnesses was Emily Powditch (his sister)!
So, I'm scratching my head over this!

Thanks again for all your tremendous help,

Kit

[nannyj]

Thomas Thompson powditch married Mary Ann porter in 1837 (you might have missed this on my earlier reply). The witness was Emily powditch. I'll look up the 1864 again and see. As I didn't put the witnesses I suspect there wasn't anyone with same name but I'll check again later and let you know.

[nannyj]

Witnesses John bass and Sarah Dane.

[amondg]

The Thomas Powditch who married 1826 at Wells  signs his name but his signature is not practiced for lack of a better phrase, he doesn't stay on the lines.
Then look at the signature of Thomas Thompson Powditch who married 1837 Cromer, his signature is very well written.
Two different men I would say.
Emily' signature looks much the same in both cases, but is she a witness for a cousin and not her brother?
 Not there yet.

[kit54]

Hi Nannyj and amondg,

Thanks very much indeed for that - I really do appreciate it (I didn't miss the 1837 marriage - thanks very much for it). Thanks to you, I now know that her father was not one of the witnesses at Martha's marriage.
Yes, I agree - looking at the signatures, I would say that they were 2 different men.

Thanks again for all your kind help,

Kit