Here is my conundrum.
I hope I have explained everything clearly and given enough information. I have also given where the variation Read/Reed appears.
Thomas Read 1833 N Fambridge married Martha Bines 1833 Canewdon in 1852. They are together in Canewdon in 1861 but in 1871 Thomas is a
widow with
three children living Ockendon, Essex but there ‘appears’ to be a Martha Bines living at Warley Common Great Warley Essex with
two of his children which she names as her ‘stepchildren’ not as her children. Who was she?
Thomas Read born 1833 seems to have emigrated in 1874 to Queensland Australia with his second wife Rebecca nee
Medd born 1836 (possibly a widow at the marriage registered 1873 at Orsett ) and
four of his children aboard The Glamorganshire in 1874.
From the death registration of Thomas’s daughter Sarah Ann born 1857 who died in 1913 in Australia and gives her parents and Thomas Read and Martha Bines so I am sure that this is the correct Thomas.
In 1871 Thomas was a
widow on the census with
three children living in South Ockendon, Essex.
Was his wife’s death; Martha REED death Reg 1864 Q2. Romford Essex. (after the birth of their last child Rhoda in 1863)
Considering ‘naming patterns' Martha Bines mother was named Rhoda and Thomas Read had a sister Sophia.
Her birth and death are possibly
Rodah Sophia Read. birth Reg Oct 1863 in Rochford, Essex.
Rosa Sophia Read born abt 1863 Death Reg Apr 1872 - Romford, Essex
This shows a move for the family from Canewdon to the Ockendon/Warley area.
Confusingly there is also a death Registered Apr 1872 at Romford for Martha Read aged 39 born 1833 but if Thomas was a widow in 1871 how could this be Martha his wife but could be the Martha on the 1871 census (see later). Were they simply separated but then who was Martha who died in 1864?
The
fourth child of Thomas Read who also emigrated with him in 1874 but was not with Thomas in 1871 was Samuel Read aged 13 in 1874 (born 1861)
Here is where the problem starts
In 1871 Samuel Reed born 1862 Canewdon,
Stepson and Radah [Rhoda] S Reed born 1864 Rochford,
Stepdaughter were in the household of Martha
Pullen [
Gullen on FindMyPast.
Gullier on IGI any other ideas welcome!] a married Dressmaker aged 38 born in 1833 Canewdon living at White Huts, Warley Common. Essex.
Also with Martha Pullen/Gullen was Thomas Bines aged 31 born 1840 in Canewdon (son of John and Rhoda?) and his family. If Thomas Bines was the brother of a married Martha then it seems she was probably Martha Bines.
If there was only one Martha Bines born circa 1834 in Canewdon and she married in 1852 to Thomas Read born 1834 N. Fambridge a widow in 1871, who was the married Martha
on the 1871 census?
In 1871 Martha describes the children not as son and daughter but as ‘step children’, which I understand can also mean related by marriage. Martha’s brother David Bines is given on an earlier census as step-brother to Thomas when he was actually his brother-in-law. If Samuel and Rhoda were Martha's children why did she not acknowledge this, even if she was escaping an unhappy marriage and living under an assumed name?
I have been unable to find Martha Pullen/Gullen born 1833 Canewdon on another census.
I wondered if she may have been related to Martha Bines mother Rhoda Outen. There are three different transcriptions of Martha’s surname, could she have be Martha Outen?
I found a Martha Outen born 1833 Canewdon and that Martha Hales married Edward Outen reg 1854 Q1 Rochford Essex, but this Martha is on the 1871 census with her husband Edward??
I could not find Thomas’s 2nd wife Rebecca Medd on the 1871 census or her death or remarriage in Queensland.
Thomas himself probably died 1883. ** born England aged 53 years (born 1832) QLD Australia death C478
The family lived in the Bundaberg/Diamantina area of QLD.
Any ideas / opinions for this problem / solutions - gratefully received???
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