1911 Census has me puzzled

[marysma]

Hi there,

               thought I would have a look at the 1911 Census to see if I could find out where my grandfather was living at that time,also to see what members of the family were left at home(emigration).

I typed in William Horne,Cardiff,Glam and only 1 name came up William James Horne,d o b 1882 Portgordon,Banff.I presume this is my grandfather as right name,birthdate and place of birth and not a common name to Wales.

The thing is he has a wife-Nellie Dorcas from Wocestershire.It says they have been married for 8yrs and have had 3 children(2   dead and 1 living),there are no childrens names on the census.

As far as we know grandfather married Mary Crimmins in 1920 and was widowed the following year,he then married Hannah Crimmins (Mary's sister and my grandmother)in 1922 when he was 40--he put down 37 on marriage certificate.We have never heard of another marriage!!.

I looked at bmd's for a marriage for William and a Nellie Dorcas(surname not known)1902/3 and cannot find anything,the only thing that came up within the timeline was a marriage for a Nellie Dorcas Bird and a James William Daniel.

Now I don't know what to think--did grandfather have another wife and child that nobody knew about!!if so what happened to her.

 my grandfather came to Wales from Scotland when he was about 10yrs old with his parents and siblings and as far as I know the rest of his family
(aunts/uncles etc stayed behind.

This is a real puzzler for my father and me and knowing how Rootschatters love a puzzle I am hoping for some of your thoughts on this.

Thanks in advance,
MM

[hepburn]

Ther's a Nellie Dorcas Bird birth Worcestershire 1885..FreeBMD and a Nellie Dorcas Townsend 1895 born Worcester..

[Evie]

Hi

I am wondering if Nellie could be a 'pet' name also. When did she say she was born?

[marysma]

Hi evie and hepburn,

                                    on the census Nellie Dorcas year of birth is 1885-Worcester(sp).


Thank for reply.
MM

[derby girl]

Dear MM
Have you tried Helen Dorcas - as Nellie is a pet name for Helen?
Derby Girl

[Steve G]

Helen or Ellen, yeppers. And the latter was a popular name back then 

[derby girl]

Sorry, I forgot Eleanor is a possibility too.
Best wishes
Derby Girl

[Manchester Rambler]

I wonder whether this was a common-law marriage?

Nellie says that she has been married for 8 years in 1911, which would match the marriage of Nellie Dorcas BIRD in 1902.  (Her date and place of birth also match NDB.) 

One of the possible spouses in 1902 is Walter Albert WASLEY, and I found this death entry on Free BMD:

Deaths Sep 1915   
WASLEY   Nellie D   (aged 29)
Cardiff 11a 295

There is also an interesting birth and death registration, which could be one of the deceased children:

Births Jun 1905
WASLEY   Albert Henry       
Worcester 6c 292

Deaths Sep 1908
WASLEY    Albert Henry    (aged 3)
Cardiff 11a 184

It would be interesting to find Walter Albert WASLEY in 1911.....

Rambler

[osprey]

Rambler, as it happens, I had a little look for him yesterday in an effort to match up the couples from the marriage page in 1902. No definite sign in Worcestershire. But there are 2 possible remarriages
march qtr 1916 Worcester to Alice Yates
dec qtr 1918 Worcester to Florence E Clark

and possible death regs
Walter A Wasley 48 dec qtr 1929 Worcester vol 6c pg 113
Alice Wasley 23 march qtr 1918 Worcester vol 6c pg 135

possibly another one of the children referred to in the census?
birth reg
Doris Bertha Wasley sept qtr 1903 Worcester vol 6c pg 270
death
Doris Bertha Wasley 0 dec qtr 1903 Worcester vol 6c pg 161