Mysterious Richard Cork(e) from Kent

[bearkat]

The Sussex Weald site

http://www.thesussexweald.org/N10.asp?NId=4222444

lists a Richars (?typo) CORKE born 1846, Seal to Benjamin & Elizabeth Ann

edit -  the source was the 1851 census

[casalguidi]

I have spent the last couple of hours scouting around and, after typing it all out, have just lost it all so I will summarise

1871 census Northfleet Richard CORK born Cobham

1873 Arthur Frend son of Richard & Charlotte Jane CORK baptised Chatham St Paul

1874 Richard COOLEY (notice change of surname) married Charlotte Jane TOLHURST at Chatham St John (no father given for Richard but witness Jane COOLEY)

1878 Jane COOLEY married John HEDGES in Gillingham (father given as Richard COOLEY basketmaker) - John and Jane appear in the 1871 to (I think without looking it all up again) 1901 census at Chatham with her birthplace variously given as Ivy Hatch, Ightham (the same as Jane dau of Richard CORK born Stone) etc..

1881 census Chatham Richard COOLEY born Chatham

1891 census Chatham Richard COOLEY born (see image below - it's not so far removed from that given for "your" Richard on the 1861 census)

1837 Seal baptism of Sarah to Jane COOLEY (rather a coincidence that COOLEY is rather a rare name in Kent yet it appears in Seal).  Could she be the daughter of Richard CORK born Stone and his "wife" Jane or perhaps Jane's daughter from a previous relationship

It may be nothing but .........................

Casalguidi

[heywood]

The Sussex Weald site

http://www.thesussexweald.org/N10.asp?NId=4222444

lists a Richars (?typo) CORKE born 1846, Seal to Benjamin & Elizabeth Ann

(They can't find him in 1851 either)

that's the one I mentioned earlier at HO107; Piece: 1613; Folio: 22; Page: 3

[IgorStrav]

Right, I've followed your logic.  Can I just summarise?

You are suggesting that Richard Cork junior who married Eliza Miller in 1864, went to sea and then when he returned, lived with Charlotte Jane Cork in the 1871 in Northfleet near Chatham.

They had a son in Chatham in 1873, and then married under a new name - Cooley - in 1874, going on to live in Chatham for the 1881 and 1891 Censuses.

A further link between the names Corke and Cooley is that a Jane Cooley married in 1878, and her dates and place of birth match the Jane Corke, daughter of Richard Corke born 1812 in Stone.

And there is a baptism for a Sarah Cooley in Seal in 1837, daughter of a Jane Cooley, which seems to match the Sarah Corke, daughter of Richard Corke, born 1812 in Stone.

So what you are thinking is that Richard Corke committed bigamy by using his mother's maiden name to marry the mother of his son, Arthur.

Ooooh.

[casalguidi]

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking (if it's the same Richard of course) - there do seem to be rather a number of coincidences.

The marriages of Jane & Richard COOLEY and the baptism of Arthur Frend CORK(E) can be found in the online parish registers http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/

If you need anything from the census, it's getting a bit late so will have to be tomorrow unless anybody else can fill you in.

Casalguidi

[IgorStrav]

Thank you very much for this very interesting suggestion.  Very much appreciated 

My tree is on Ancestry, so I am busy adding on a separate Cooley section (much as my Richard Corke from Stone was) so that I can track down all the family.

I can't however see any Cooleys in Seal in the 1841, but I could always go back to trawling the Census entries themselves, as I did before.

There does seem to be some persuasive rationale in it all - but I would prefer to be able to find them, Corke, or Cooley, in the 1851!!!

[IgorStrav]

One thing you could help me with, Casalguidi, is the source for your birth of Sarah Cooley to Jane Cooley in 1837 in Seal?  Where are you sourcing the record for this?

I'm not sure if I can find it on Ancestry - is it in time for registration?

[heywood]

It is on Family Search if that helps.
I'm not too sure about all this and apologise for repeating what is already known- it's helping me to think 

1841 has a Richard Cork b 1796 with wife Maria and children including Sarah b 1837  (this would be much older than the Richard b Stone)

1851 has same family- he is widowed - Sarah's birthplace is Maidstone.
Richard is still born 1796 and possibly in Wichling 

1861 RG9; Piece: 486; Folio: 102; Page: 4
Sarah Louder b Seal 1837 also brother Stephen Cork b 1851
Is this the same Sarah as 1841 and 1851?

1861 Richard b 1817 Stone with wife Jane and children. Are James and Jane the children of Jane and not Richard.  Has Richard taken 20 yrs off his age or is this a different one?

Just found ;
1861 RG9; Piece: 502; Folio: 96; Page: 15 Maidstone
Richard Cork b 1795 Bickley - think this is the 1841 and 1851  (

So now I realise that the Richard of Maidstone is not the same one- so.. back to the drawing board.

Sorry I am no help at all 

[heywood]

and have just seen the Sarah Cooley and Peter Lowder marriage so I apologise for my doubts - Casalguidi