Great Grandfather died in WW1 im starting to think not

[jonw65]

That Durham at War biography of Jacob says
wife Martha Coulthard nee Turner

But have they seen the marriage certificate?
It would make some sense of one thing - Martha's husband dying in 1915 in the war. But it would have been Jacob, not William!

It all seems a bit bizarre at the moment. We need more info!
John

[DavyTee68]

Wow! Could it be?
Marriage, June 1918 Gateshead 10a 1594
Brown, James - spouse  Coulthard   
Coulthard, Martha - spouse Brown

They did live in Ryton, Gateshead in the 1939 register so does link to James Brown

[DavyTee68]

That Durham at War biography of Jacob says
wife Martha Coulthard nee Turner

But have they seen the marriage certificate?
It would make some sense of one thing - Martha's husband dying in 1915 in the war. But it would have been Jacob, not William!

It all seems a bit bizarre at the moment. We need more info!
John

I don't suppose you know if Jacob was a miner do you ?
Perhaps my grandad took him as his father and that's who he's on about dying in the war

[jonw65]

I know as much as you do about Jacob!
I am relying on that biography of him, which says that he was a miner in the 1901 census, and a labourer in the next one.
He would have been stepfather to your grandfather. That is, of course, if his wife Martha Turner was your Martha. How many Martha Turners could there be at 31 River View?
John

[DavyTee68]

I know as much as you do about Jacob!
I am relying on that biography of him, which says that he was a miner in the 1901 census, and a labourer in the next one.
He would have been stepfather to your grandfather. That is, of course, if his wife Martha Turner was your Martha. How many Martha Turners could there be at 31 River View?
John

Martha Isabella Bell 1931 will be Martha jnr married I guess

Indeed it is I've found a scribble I made last week of a marriage Martha I Turner married Louis E Bell 10A 1813 Dec 1930 Gateshead. I didn't follow it up as of yet though

[JenB]

John those are really promising finds. A triumph of persistence!
Who needs paid researchers when we have Rootschatters like you 

[jonw65]

Thank you, Jen.
It is indeed persistence. I think this one has had all of us totally gripped (obsessed?)

Davy, yes, it won't be Martha junior. Is there another Martha somewhere in the family? It could all be a fantastic coincidence, but then what happened to the widowed Martha after Jacob died?
What we do know is that a Martha Coulthard married a James Brown in 1918. Which may be one  coincidence too many? Because there weren't lots and lots of people with that name.

Unless someone has a brainwave, it may come down to getting that marriage certificate.

The other thing is - if it is your Martha, then either she was a bigamist, or William Turner died before 1913!
John

[DavyTee68]

If you saw Martha it would surprise you she could find one husband never mind three.
She must have been a hell of a charmer coz she certainly wasn't a looker 

[groom]

Wow, John that's a great find.

So if I've followed it correctly, it's looking at the moment as if William either died or left between 1908 and 1911, Martha married Jacob Coultard in 1913 and he was killed in 1915. That would make perfect sense as unless she married soon after she met him, her children would have known him for at least 4 years, so possibly called him Dad.