Will a marriage cert have more info than....

[Ceryswyn]

Hiya everyone.

I am trying to blast through a HUGE great big brick wall right now and not having much luck.

I found two marriages for this ancestor (John Richards b. abt 1829 Cheltenham) so I'm sure I have his fathers name correctly. I also find him with his mother on one of the Census's. Father and Mother are allegedly William Richards and Hannah.

I went to the local RO last week in an attempt to find out more and while I found a likely birth for a brother George Richards in 1830, I only found a John Richards with the mother Mary and a William Richards with the same mother.

Now these three people match the brothers I have already found to exist so it appears that perhaps there was a mother Mary that bore the first two brothers and perhaps died and then Hannah came on the scene and bore the third child. However I'm having trouble finding and kind of marriage or death for the two potential wives so I can verify my suspicions.

Which leads me into the real question....

I did find Johns two marriages on Ancestry in the London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 as he had moved to London at this point in his life. In these I have the information Name, Age, Spouse, Father, Fathers occupation and their address.

If I were to order a marriage certificate for these 1858 or 1872 marriages would I actually get any more information that is given in these records on Ancestry? I have a feeling I would just get an exact copy of this info but want to check to make sure in case there is anything else that might help me get past this immense brick wall.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Helen

[greenpaula]

Hi
From what you have already it seems that the only extra info from a marriage certificate would be the names of the witnesses. These can be useful though so I usually buy certificates, especially for close ancestors.
Have you looked on 1841 census for the family? If you are right about a 2nd wife, Hannah will be on there and probably the 3 boys you have found.
It could be that John's father left wife Mary and lived with Hannah as his wife, so you would not find Mary dying before Hannah came on the scene.

[Ceryswyn]

Hi, thanks for the input. The witnesses are on the document on Ancestry also so it sounds like it would not be worth while to get a certificate. I already got this guys death cert and it told me nothing more than I knew already. Not even his fathers name (I guess I got spoiled by Scottish certs lol).

I have looked for them on the census's. At this point I cannot find any of the family on the 1841 so I'm wondering if they're mis-transcribed or something. I found only my lone ancestor, a boy of 11, living with a Green Grocer and his family. Until I find otherwise I'm going with him being my ancestor anyways.

What I have for him so far is...

abt 1829 birth from Census records.
Actual birth of 1827 if the record with Mary as the mother is the correct one.
1841 Census I can find him listed alone, age 11, and when I view original record it shows he is living with Green Grocer and family.
1851 Census he's shown with a Hannah Richards and listed as he Son (not step-son) she is aged 60 at this time. Father William is not shown, nor is brother George but there is a William Richards age 25 and family living next door. My mother insists that he is the brother William but there is no direct evidence that it's not just a coincidence. The age and place of birth do match however.
At some point between 1851 and 1858 he moves to Middlesex
1858 Marries Juliet Ann Bird in Hackney Middlesex. his father is shown as William Richards and it does not say deceased.
1861 Census he is in St George the Martyr and living with wife and 1 year old son
1871 Census living in the same parish as above this time just with one Son, no wife (she'd died)
1872 Marries Sarah Knight
1881 Census he's living in Hove with Sarah and many children both of their own and from each of their previous marriages.
1882 he Dies in Hove.

The brick wall is his parents. I know his father is William Richards from the two marriage records and I'd thought his mother was Hannah from the Census that listed him as Son.

I've checked the local RO Parish records for his birth and those of his alleged brothers (I have yet to see the evidence of the brothers it's my mums info) and got the results listed above.

The only thing I can think to do next is either search for marriages of William and Hannah later, I was thinking along the same lines that perhaps he just left the first wife. Or go and start searching headstones in Cheltenham... but that could take a while!

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated.