Ada Brooks born 1902 Sturminster

[Jules1]

Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me please.

The above was my great aunt.

She lived in Trent Park in the 1911 census with my great grandparents and family.  She was born in Stalbridge in Dorset in 1902 and had a son called Leonard in 1934 in Hampstead, London.

All of my family said that Ada married and one day a lady knocked the door to say that she couldn't be married to the man she married as she was already married to him and he was a bigamist.  My grandmother said this broke her heart and so when Leonard was born she registered him under her maiden name Brooks.  The man went to prison and at the time this was reported in the News of the World and other papers.  She never saw him again.

Ada died in Berkshire in 1989, never married or met another man again.

I cannot find a marriage for Ada, my mum and aunt thinks she married in London somewhere.

If the marriage was not valid as he was a bigamist would the marriage still be registered or not?  Just wondered if that is why I can't find the marriage, but it is more difficult as Leonard did not have his father listed on his birth certificate.

Can anyone help me in finding this please?

Thank you.
Julie

[solidrock]

Hi Julie,
If the story was reported in the newspapers, do you have his name? It would make it easier to find a marriage.

[maddys52]

I can't see any reports in British Library Newspapers of bigamy involving Ada BROOKS around 1933-1935.

There is the possibility that it was a story told to help save her reputation. My understanding is that the marriage would still be registered (as the bigamy would have been discovered after).

There are a number of Ada BROOKS possibilities for marriages on FreeBDM, perhaps you could check these against the 1939 register to eliminate them?

Did Leonard marry? Who did he name as father on his marriage certificate?

[Kay99]

Did Ada die in 1989 with the surname Brooks??  I can't see one at the moment. 

Kay

[jonw65]

Looks as though Leonard died in 1978 in Devon. Death registered in Honiton. Date of birth 16 May 1934.
Free index to 1939 Register has Leonard Brooks in Wokingham R.D., with Walter J. Faulks, born 1900, and Mabel Faulks, born 1899.
Mabel likely was Ada's older sister (Mabel Brooks married Walter J Faulks in 1929)

If you have Ada's exact date of birth it might help find her in 1939.

[solidrock]

BROOKS, ADA        BOLLEN        
GRO Reference: 1902  J Quarter in STURMINSTER  Volume 05A  Page 205

BROOKS, MABEL        BOLLEN      
GRO Reference: 1899  M Quarter in WINCANTON  Volume 05C  Page 400