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We have a family mystery which seems unsolvable, so we are hoping to find answers here.

  My husband's maternal grandmother, Florence Heppenstall (b. 1882) married Arthur Marsden Shaw in June 1902. They named all their children with the middle name of Marsden, and their last child, Lilian Marsden Shaw, was born in 1906. Arthur's father's name (as stated on their marriage certificate) was Thomas Shaw.

  Then Arthur seems to disappear!

  The next we see of Florence is in the 2 April 1911 Census where she is listed in the household of her parents, Beaumont and Mary Jane Heppenstall in Honley, Yorkshire, along with two of her children, Jack Marsden Shaw, and Lilian Marsden Shaw. She puts herself as 'Married', not widowed.

  Then... on 14 June 1911 we find born to Florence a son: Harry WILSON Shaw. Three more children follow, but all die in infancy, all with the middle name of WILSON. Then my husband's mother Mary is Florence's last child (without the middle name of Wilson), but on her birth certificate it clearly states her father was Wallace Wilson Shaw.

  Now... I have been unable to find a Death Record for Arthur Marsden Shaw (except a possibility in 1918 in France & Flanders, WWI); but that is a long gap between his disappearance and his (apparent) death. And how come Florence was having children (apparently) by Wallace Wilson Shaw? She died at the birth of Mary, my husband's mother, in 1923.

  We also have the death certificate of Wallace Wilson Shaw in 1942, in St. Luke's Hospital, Lockwood, Huddersfield. His address being 40 Ridings Road, Sheepridge; occupation: Retired Newsagent.

  We are coming to terms with the possibility that Florence and Wallace were never actually married, since I have never been able to find a Marriage Record for the event. We also are wondering if his real name was Wallace Wilson (without the Shaw), and that he adopted that name to 'save face' for Florence. It obviously stuck, because that name was on his death certificate.

  Can anyone throw any light on the above conundrum? If so, we would be very grateful.

PS -  By the way, there is another Arthur Marsden Shaw 'out there' who is not the man I am refering to above. This other Arthur's father's name is Henry. I found that out from his WWI Army Pension Records.

     
 

After reading, "Do not ask someone to go take a picture unless you're sure there is a gravestone there," does anyone happen to KNOW whether there are standing headstones in the 1925 era at St. Paul's (off Manchester Road) in Walkden, Lancashire? I tried calling the Vicarage to inquire, but got no answer.

  Just in case anyone reading this happens to KNOW, the grave I am hoping to find is that of Thomas Collier Marshall, my husband's grandfather. Born in 1900, he died in Sheffield Royal Infirmary in September 1925 (of TB), and his body was taken home to Walkden for burial on 25 September 1925. We would love to hear from anyone who is also searching for Thomas Collier Marshall, and particularly anyone who would like to take a picture of his grave for us. We are in the USA, so cannot go ourselves!