Leicester Marriage 1897: SKELDING / COOK

[Newfloridian]

I'm seeking help to resolve a small conundrum (not exactly a brick wall) from this branch of the family.

On June 21st 1897, Albert Ernest SKELDING married Louisa COOK at St Paul's Church in the West End of Leicester. 
On April 4th 1904, his brother Thomas Samuel SKELDING married Mary Ann COOK at the Primitive Methodist Church (also in the West End of Leicester)

My unresolved question is: where Louisa and Mary Ann related (they were NOT sisters but could be cousins)
Around this time, the SKELDING family and Mary Ann's family lived Tudor Road and were near neighbours. Louisa's family lived in Catesby Street (at most half a mile away).
At the time of their wedding, Albert and Louisa were said to be living at 40 King Richard's Road. This was most probably a "post box" address as the 1898 Wright's Directory has this registered to butcher, Frank Pickering.

The mystery surrounds Louisa's family. Her father is named as Thomas COOK, brewer. The most likely entry in the 1891 census places a Thomas Cook with his family (4 children including Louisa of the right age and a grandchild) at  78, All Saints Road.  This Thomas declared he was born in Northamptonshire: his spouse Mary and the children in Leicester.

I have been unable to find a Louisa COOK (or her older sister Georgina) in the new GRO birth indexes that would fit those criteria. I cannot find that Thomas COOK family in earlier censuses either.

I would appreciate any thoughts

Alan
 

[suzard]

thomas Cook and family are in 1871/81 census as "Cooke"
there are these birth reg's
Louisa Cooke Jun qtr 1873 Leicester 7a 196
Georgina Cooke Jun qtr 1866 Leicester 7a 170
You can check in the new GRO index for mother's maiden name

My great aunt married twice both of her husbands were "Cook" not related - but she never knew whether her 2nd husband had an "e" on his name -so she used to do a little squiggle on the end of her name in case there was an e !!! She was too embarrased to ask

Suz

[suzard]

This looks like Thomas Cook/e in 1881
78 All Saints Rd Leicester
Thomas Cooke Head M 46 Brewer Leics (p.o.b. dittoed as leics -it is Northampton in other census
Mary wife 48 Husband Bosworth leics
Elizabeth daughter 21 Silk Winder
Annie (think her full name is Sarah Annie) daughter 20 Warper
Mary R daughter 20 Cotton Winder
John W son 16 Rivetter
Georgina daughter 13 scholar
Tom son 11
Emma daughter 7
LOUISA daughter 6
children all b Leicester
RG11 3179 101 21

1871 (Thomas not at home)
4 Corah St leicester
Mary Cooke wife m 36 Warder's wife Husband Bosworth Leics
Mary Rebecca daughter 10
Sarah Annie daughter 10
John William son 7
Georgina daughter 4
Thomas son 2
children all b Leicester
RG10 3286 27 16

twins Mary Rebecca and Sarah Annie have birth reg's in the name "Cooke"

I do not think Louisa and Mary Ann were cousins - there is no mention of their fathers living together as siblings - and Mary Ann's father was b Buckinghamshire and Louisa's father in (possibly) Northamptonshire

this seems to be Mary Ann's father
1861 Church St Buckinghamshire
Joseph Cook Head M 35 Farm lab
Mary A wife 31 lacemaker
Roseann daughter 8
WALTER son 7
George son 4
Levi son 1
all b Grandborough Buckinghamshire
RG9 870 102 7

Suz

[Newfloridian]

Hi Suz

Many thanks for that

Also sent a PM

Cheers Alan

[suzard]

this looks like Thomas in 1861 - Cook and b leicester!!!
1861
34 Clawston? St Leicester
Thomas Cook Head M 25  Maltster Leicester
Mary wife 27 Husbands bosworth
Mary R daughter 2mths
Sarah A daughter 2 mths
children b leicester
all surname Cook
RG9 2283 48 16

Suz

[Newfloridian]

Looks as if they married in Leicester (7a 222 JFM 1859). His surname is Cook (no 'e') in the indexes. His wife - Mary Bailey (also confirmed from GRO birth indexes)

Cheers Alan

[Newfloridian]

... and that leads back to the census of 1851 and him being the son of William Cook (a licensed victualler) where Thomas (aged 15) is already a malster. WIlliam was born in Newarke, Nottinghamshire; Thomas in Leicester.

This all makes it highly unlikely that Louisa and Mary Ann Cook mentioned in my first post in this thread had any other family connection.

Cheers Alan