I’m trying to find information about Caroline Emma Douglas. Unfortunately we don’t know where or when she was born or died. It should be born around 1892, probably London or Middlesex.
I can’t find her at all, no birth, census, or death. Perhaps someone with more experience can look up or suggest something please.
After the death of my Grandfather we discovered that his wedding certificate to my Grandmother gave his marital status as widower when he married my grandmother. Yet he had never mentioned being married previously to his children.
When I started investigating I obtained a marriage certificate showing Caroline Emma Douglas as the mystery wife. However trying to find more information about her, it appears nobody of that name was born or died within the right timeframe to be her.
He joined the Army almost immediately after marriage. He served in India and the Middle East during the First World War until 1919. After the war he returned to India as a civilian. I believe he worked for the Times of India newspaper. We have a photograph taken in India and on the back is written the name of the place it’s taken in India and dated ‘Xmas 1922’.
It’s therefore possible that Caroline accompanied him to India and died overseas anywhere between England and India. When Granddad returned to England he returned to the St Pancras area and according to the family story, married shortly after return. So Caroline probably died around 1923.
In particular we want to know if there were children from the marriage.
Here’s what I have.
1915 Marriage solemnized at St Pauls Church in the Parish of St Pancras
in the County of London
Certificate No 279
When Married 25th December 1915
Groom: Alfred Clarence Hoare, Age 23 Bachelor. Occupation: Printer
Address 21 Goodinge Road, St Pancras.
Fathers name Charles Richard Hoare; Fathers Profession Retired Turncock.
Bride: Caroline Emma Douglas aged 23, Spinster – no profession- living St Paul’s Churchyard – Fathers name William Douglas his profession was Carman. (A Carman was a driver of a Horse drawn carriage)
The witnesses were Charles Richard Hoare and Ethel Kate Hearsum.
Both witnesses were from the groom’s family. I knew Ethel Hearsum. She never mentioned this marriage. Why the conspiracy of silence?
Did Caroline in fact die, could there be some other explanation? If she didn’t die then maybe we have bigamy.
