Marriage record for William Goddard and Eliza Stockton

[suffolk*sue]

Well gets interesting, I see with the Goddard in 1881, there are two children older than Verdant, Mary and Ruth. I couldn't find Mary's birth, but Ruth's mother's maiden name was HARDEN.

[MacGrigor]

Harden? That's a spelling variation of Harding, and I already have one Harding branch in my tree. This is very confusing. Verdant's mother's maiden name is given as Stockton, and the same applies for his younger sisters, Florence and the other one I forget the name of.

[Jomot]

There is a marriage in Hackney in Apr-Jun 1872, William Goddard & Elizabeth Haden Or Margaret Jane Maher.   

[MacGrigor]

Curiouser and curiouser! Her birthplace is still a mystery, as is what became of her after her husband died in 1891, in Chelsmford.

[suffolk*sue]

There is a marriage in Hackney in Apr-Jun 1872, William Goddard & Elizabeth Haden Or Margaret Jane Maher.

He married Margaret

[lizdb]

Perhaps William had two relationships, one with the mother of the elder children, her maiden name being Harden, and then with Elizbeth, her maiden name being Stockton.

Maybe he couldn't marry Elizabeth, as he was already married.

Or maybe they couldn't marry because she was already married - in which case her name would not have been Stockton but that of her first husbands name. Though her maiden name would still be Stockton and be recorded as such at the children's births.

Or maybe they did marry, but she was a widow so did not marry under the name of Stockton.

Lots of different possible scenarios. Deeper digging required - things are rarely as straitforward as a census may suggest!

[suffolk*sue]

Found it!!!!
William Goddard and Elizabeth Harding, November 20th, 1882,both aged 39 and both widowed. Elizabeth father Henry Stockton, confectioner
All Saints, Battle bridge, Middlesex

[MacGrigor]

Well done! Well done indeed!

[MacGrigor]

I'm not having much luck locating census records. Can anyone help?