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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Staffordshire => Topic started by: Davestringer on Monday 11 September 17 08:30 BST (UK)
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Hi. Am unable to find a marriage for William Meeson c 1900. My great grandmother iscFlorence nee Tittle formerly Averill
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Ummm! 1911 says that they have been married for 8 years :-\
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Yes. Have found that and am able to trace the Tittle family back. However the Meeson family of Chesterton is very difficult to figure out. Are they related to Penkridge or Walsall branches?
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Florence and George married 1899 (Wolstanton). A son, George Henry (mmn Tittle) was born in 1900 and died a few weeks later (Wolstanton). I cannot find a death for George Henry Averill senior in the period through to Lydia Meeson's birth in 1904 (mmn Tittle).
I suspect that George Henry and Florence opted to go their separate ways at some point between 1900 and 1904 and that no formal marriage took place between William and Florence. This is supposition of course, and is open to correction.
BB
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The 1901 Census for Silverdale Staffs gives:
William Meeson aged 50, born Penkridge
Sarah (wife) aged 44, born Wolverhampton
William (son) aged 26, born Burslem
Seven other children, ages 22 to 8, all born Wolstanton.
Thus the link would seem to be to Penkridge.
BB
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This might or might not be a long shot but I think the missing marriage might be: Florence Averill married William S Mason in Stoke-on-Trent in 1945. I suspect that they could not legitimise things until Florence's first husband, George Henry Averill eventually died. Thus they would have been in their seventies at the time. As yet, I haven't found a G H Averill death to suit this hypothesis.
It's worth noting that William S Meeson's name was recorded as William S Mason in the 1875 GRO record. The registrar might have insisted on the use of his 'correct' name in 1945.
William Meeson of Penkridge married Elizabeth Nixon of Abbots Bromley at St Paul's Church, Forebridge, Stafford in 1874. After having Sarah Ann (Polly), William junior, Charlotte and Mary, Elizabeth Nixon Meeson died in July - September 1882 aged 34 (Wolstanton). William senior then remarried before the end of the year 1882, marrying Sarah Corns (later Cornes on the children's birth records) at St Mary's in Stafford. Their children included Hannah Elizabeth (baptised Harriet on 4th March 1883 - very interesting timing suggesting Elizabeth must have died at the very beginning of July 1882 - but GRO recorded the child as Hannah in 1883), Lydia, George, Frederick, Samuel, Annie and Alice.
Perhaps you should chance a tenner on this 1945 certificate?
BB
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More charitable line of thought re 1883 Hannah/Harriet: it could be that this child was conceived out of wedlock but that William Meeson was not the father. However, in late 1882 he needed another wife to look after his young family while Sarah needed a protector and someone to provide legitimacy for her expected child. Thus the marriage offered mutual benefits.
All speculation, of course.
BB
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Slight correction: the daughter recorded in the 1901 Census as Polly must have been Charlotte, not Sarah.
BB
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George Henry Averill died aged 30 in 1900 (Stoke T., December Quarter 1900, Vol 6b, page 156).
Assuming he was the husband of Florence then, as a widow, she should have been able to marry William Samuel Meeson in 1902-04. Perhaps William wasn't free to marry?
BB
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At the risk of turning this research into a plot line for an Arnold Bennett novel, here is my (hopefully) final contribution.
William Samuel Meeson married Mary Hogan in Leek, Dec Qtr, 1900, 6b, page 594.
If the marriage went quickly and horribly wrong, William could be back with his parents in Silverdale in time for the 1901 Census. The Census might record him as single (I've not checked) but that could be accounted for by dismay, disappointment or shame.
I know this is fanciful but the dates are all roughly in line. A certificate or two would test out the ideas.
BB
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1901 census - RG13/2585 folio 166 page 8
William Meeson aged 26, Chemical Worker, born Burslem and son of William and Sarah is stated to be MARRIED.
Added: there is no indication of a wife for William within the household
The 1900 marriage certificate for William S Mason would have to be purchased, as it was a Civil Marriage.
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Thanks for all of this. I very much suspect that there was a common law arrangement between William and Florence. I remember William from my childhood and I resemble him facially and was told that everyone wanted him as their favourite grandad. Little did we know that he may have been keeping a skeleton or two in the cupboard!!! Especially as Florence was apparently a very prim and proper person!!! Interestingly the original death certificate (of which I have the original) named him as Mason. Also Sarah Tittle was known in the family as Mama Tittle and did much of the early parenting for my father and his brother. My Uncle is one of the last of that generation alive but he can shed little light on the story and was even unaware that Florence had the maiden name of Tittle. As you say a new Arnold Bennett novel has already been scripted out!!! Do you know if the Cheddleton St Edwards hospital records are available to view?
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Cheddleton - Staffordshire Record Office
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Is it just co-incidence that you're asking about St Edward's Hospital or are there family rumours to follow up concerning William's first wife? You might need to check line-by-line entries for Mary Hogan Meeson in the 1901 Census for patients at St Edward's, and at the Wolstanton & Burslem Union workhouse hospital at Chell, and the County Asylum at Stafford. A catastrophic mental breakdown would be one answer as to what happened.
BB