I need fresh eyes on a problem.
It concerns my husband's grandmother. I do have all his grandfather's details and ancestors.
LUCY SHARPE born Bermondsey about 1877/8, married 5 August 1900 stated she was 22 as was John William Boden.
census 1901 unable to find the couple
census 1911 both 33yrs and both born Bermondsey. 5 children born - 1, their first, died aged 1.
I have all the details of the children born from 1901 - 1920, 8 children in total, all except the first child survived childhood. Lucy died of a stroke 26 June 1926 4 Swan Building Cornbury St aged 48.
What I had was Lucy Sharpe born 1877 to William Sharpe and Emma Radley so chased up the Sharpes and Radleys. All fitted and many others found the same info.
Lucy became Lucy Margaret sometime after her marriage and the 1911 census. The 1st daughter born 1904 was named Lucy Margaret and the 2nd daughter was named Margaret Ann born 1906. I am adding this in case it's relevant, you'll see later.
I have recently sent for the marriage cert.
The 2 witnesses are Tennant Arthur Boden, John William's uncle and Elizabeth Pleaden. The address for Lucy and John William is down as 96 Spa Road. In 1901 Elizabeth Pleaden is living with her widowed mother at 96 Spa Rd with boarders so looks like they asked their landlady's daughter to be a witness. Maybe Lucy worked with her.
The problem is father's name on the cert. is James Sharpe labourer.
I can't find any birth or census for a Lucy, other than with William and Emma, to give me a mother's name or MMN. I have wondered if her liking for Margaret stems from her mother but can't find a Margaret Sharpe. I have checked Sharp and near spellings as well.
Either I've gone very wrong or she lied, perhaps because of a family problem of some kind. If she is being truthful where are they? The family had managed to evade census takers and not registering Lucy's birth from what I've found or should I write not found.
I'm now going round in circles so thought fresh eyes might see something that I'm missing.
None of Lucy and John William's children are still alive to answer any questions and my OH never knew his grandmother, his father never talked about her. I once asked his last surviving aunt about Lucy just before she herself died but she couldn't even remember what happened and she was 13 when her mother died. His aunt said her mother went out shopping and died in the street but according to her death cert she lay in a coma at her home for 24 hrs before she died.
Thanking you in advance.
Pat