RootsChat.Com

Exactly what I was about to ask...

I've just been looking at the DNA testing kits that are on offer today at £29. I'm not sure how a £9.99 shipping fee is justified but hey-ho. I'll speak to my dad today and see if he fancies doing one with me - it certainly sounds like it could yield some interesting results.

I've actually got more info from my paternal grandmother's side over in Ireland, NORAH/NORA REDDINGTON. I've found a fair amount of documentation relating to the REDDINGTON side of the family, but as my dad said yesterday, "they didn't have TVs in those days" and according to my dad, NORAH was one of 11 children. The biggest issue I'm finding is being able to decipher the handwriting on the BDMs from the Irish sources. The REDDINGTON family lineage looks huge.

I've been using https://www.freebmd.org.uk/ as well as https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/ in a bid to try and trace the REDDINGTON line.

I did randomly message one of the MARKERSON grandchildren on Facebook, and whilst the initial response was him confirming he was the cousin of the granddaughter I made contact with a few years back, so is definitely of the lineage connected to GORDON's brother ERNEST, he hasn't responded since. I may take a punt and message one of the other connected MARKERSONs from their connected 'Friends' list as they are all obviously part of the same family.

I did start off on the Ancestry free trial membership but ended up signing up to the Essentials at £10.99 a month. I'm finding though that some of the resources it finds and hints require more expensive subscriptions so am toying with upping that the £13.99 Premium membership for now to see what more that yields.

I'll keep this updated in due course but once again, thank you to all who are helping me research, it's a massive if somewhat interesting journey.

Thanks Boo.
Christina was actually the wife of one of the brothers, Ernest. I’d got that wrong as the hints generated double entries in at some stages, see right hand side of this image.
The lineage to the left is obviously what I know from my own side.

Quote from: PatLac on Saturday 05 April 25 23:34 BST (UK)

... BIGAMY ALLEGED Mr Markerson, Engineer, Enfield Avenue, Leeds, who pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the Assizes in Leeds today om a charge of bigamy. Mr.
N. C. Haslegrave, prosecuting, said Markerson was married at Aylesbury ...

Published: Friday 09 August 1946
Newspaper: Yorkshire Evening Post
County: Yorkshire, England

Just in case you haven't been able to access the newspapers the rest of the above article says

... in 1934. There were four children of the legal marriage.
While serving in the Army he was stationed at Leeds in 1944
and there met Norah Reddington,  a single woman then
living ain Woodhouse Lane. They went through a form of marriage
at St Anne's Cathedral in Sept 1945. Accused then used the name of Markinson
Norah Reddington, in evidence, said "we have been very happy together.
It is my intention to stick by him until this matter is over"


and this was published later:

 Yorkshire Evening Post 20 Nov 1946, page 8 col 3
BOUND OVER FOR BIGAMY
Gordon Roland Markerson (44), motor engineer, Enfield Avenue,
was bound over for 12 months at Leeds Assizes today, on a charge
of bigamy with Norah Reddington. The bigamous marriage took
place at St Anne's Cathedral, Leeds, on Sept 10 1945

Boo

I don’t know how accurate the information compiled from Ancestry.com is, I guess, as much as the information input from associated families, but looking into the hints from the MARKERSON side from GORDON (my grandfather) to his first wife PHYLLIS in 1934, there were 4 connected children:
ERNEST W O (1934 - 2022),
REGINALD J (1945 a 2010),
CHRISTINA M (CHANDLER) (1933 - 2016),
PHYLLIS J (1937 - 1999)

I'm not sure if the surname is really Markerson but if it is, the place (Clerkenwell) and his DOB are interesting. Could he be Gordon's brother? No sign of him on FreeBMD.

SERIOUS ASSAULT

... would not keep. . did it because my wife and child were starving were the words alleged have been used arrest by Martin Markerson, twenty five, an electrician, St. John-street,Clerkenwell, who was committed for trial North London charged with assaulting ...
Published: Thursday 26 May 1921
Newspaper: Illustrated Police News
County: London, England

I think this is a completely different person TBH