A mystery first marriage: 1830s-1850s

[AndrewMartin]

It often happens that it's not mentioned that a father is deceased. The officiating person merely asked for father's name, but not if he was still alive, and the about to be newlywed didn't volunteer the information

David

well, Robert being deceased would explain why i cant find any eligible Robert Martin candidates in the area and it would go towards explaining why there is an Avis Wisby.... but... this does leave me with the James Martin living with the Moxons on Downham Main Street in 1841... AND living with James and Avis Wisby and Robert Martin Jnr elsewhere.

Did he appear twice or might it be two different Roberts? I'm not sure how to work that one out.

I know i need to go backwards with my Downham baptism notes as i've only got as far back as 1813 in my notes and my James Martin does not appear... yet his siblings do.

Once the records office re-opens, i'll have loads to research

[AndrewMartin]

It seems I'm still stuck 

I purchased the Little Downham parish registers cd from the lovely CFHS and I have been right back through their baptism and marriage records (reaching back to 1558!) and there is a) no marriage for a Robert and Avis/Avice/Aves/Alice/Mavis; b) no Banns for them; c) no baptism for a James Martin of Robert Martin during the right time.

I did momentarily think i had the Robert baptism.. which would have linked me into the Martin/Waddelow dynasty of Littleport.. but then i realised that 'my' Robert was killed off aged >1yr... so that scuppered that.

The Marriage Indexes for pre-1837 Cambs and Hunts deposited at the Cambridge Archives does not include a suitable marriage... so i'm stuck.

I have no evidence that links the 1841 census James Martin at the house of Mary Ann Moxon (on their wedding even) to my family... nor the 1841 census James Martin who is living with his mother and step-father, Avis and James Wisbe - and a Robert Martin.

Maybe the parish concerned has not been indexed? Or they were non-conformists? Either way, it's like an annoying headache but one i'm determined to get solved.

Any help, as ever, is very much appreciated.

[suffolk*sue]

Is it possible Avis' name could have been misheard or did you find Avis' baptism in the Downham registers.
Did it also say if she was a widow when she married Mr. Wisby?

Anyway the following marriage is on Boyds.

1811 / MARTIN  ROBERT / UPCHURCH  ANN / ELY HOLY TRINITY 

[AndrewMartin]

Is it possible Avis' name could have been misheard or did you find Avis' baptism in the Downham registers.
Did it also say if she was a widow when she married Mr. Wisby?

Anyway the following marriage is on Boyds.

1811 / MARTIN  ROBERT / UPCHURCH  ANN / ELY HOLY TRINITY 

Hi Sue, thanks for this. I did a search on findmypast.com last night and this marriage was amongst them.

The name 'Avis' appears on all of the baptisms in Lt Downham alongside Robert, apart from one, where she's noted as 'Avice'.

When she marries Mr Wisbe/Wisby in 1827, she is named Avis Martin (widow).

However, if you've picked up Ann Upchurch, i'll go back and check it as i have the whole EHT registers and maybe there will be a clue that leads to an 'Avis' name.

I recently had this elsewhere in a tree where a Vine Taylor turned out to be Sabina Steadman Taylor... and she'd inherited her name of 'Vine' from her "illegitimacy" father's younger dead sister (her mother married him years afterwards).

Thanks again for your suggestion, it's really useful to get someone else's opinion on these things when i've been staring at them for so long. 

[AndrewMartin]

Is it possible Avis' name could have been misheard or did you find Avis' baptism in the Downham registers.

oh, and i meant to add that i've searched the whole of the Downham baptisms and banns for Avis, Avice, Aves, Alice, Mavis and found nothing that matches. I'll have a look at Ely tonight.

(fingers crossed)

[suffolk*sue]

Good luck, hope it turns out to be the right lady.

[AndrewMartin]

Good luck, hope it turns out to be the right lady.

thanks

[AndrewMartin]

I'm pleased/relieved that i have finally found Avis - found her about 10mins ago after using Free Reg. I'll now need to go through the parish register, if only to see the original marriage entry and check it.

It noted:

03 Feb 1812, Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Norfolk:
Robert (x) MARTIN of Downham, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire married
Avis (x) TALL.

wits: Mary BARNETT and Sarah KINGSTONE.

However, I still need to cement the link with a baptism of a son James Martin, despite them appearing with eachother at later dates (census, death certificate..).

[suffolk*sue]

Well done. 

The name Tall connected with Avis seems to crop up frequently on Boyds index in Willingham, Cambs.

Maybe Avis came from Willingham or thereabouts.