Martha Deakins/Apps/Stroud

[lolmac3]

I really hope some kind person can help me with this mystery! it's driving me nuts 

Martha Deakins was born in 1834 in Buckland, Surrey. On the 1851 census she is married to Edward Apps (born 1831 in Maidstone). On the 1861 census she is married to Edward Stroud and is camped at the Deptford Fair.

I know it is the same Martha as in the 1851 census she is next door to her parents and in the 1861 census her sister is in the next tent.

Now did Edward Apps die?  I thought so and have the death certificate of every Edward Apps that died in 1851! and none are him, could she have divorced him? I can't find either of the marriage records, I'm baffled!

Any help would be appreciated!!!

Lorraine x

[Jane Masri]

Hi Lorraine,
I think the obvious answer here is that Martha & Edward parted company & were probably never married in the first place.  Then she took-up with Edward Stroud, again not marrying him.  Of course, Edward Apps & Edward Stroud could be the same person    Were they travellers?  Have you found a death reg. for Martha?  If so what name was used, Deakins, Stroud or Apps?

Jane

[Jane Masri]

Lorraine, something looks a bit fishy on the 1861 census.  I know Edward & Martha are next door to the Deakins family but Edward Stroud has a DOB of 1833 as opposed to 1831 in 1851.  I know that's not a big deal but  Martha's DOB has gone from 1832 in 1851 to 1823 in 1861, a big difference.  There's also a 12 year old daughter, Elizabeth with them who doesn't appear on the 1851 census.  Frustratingly the census page doesn't give place of birth to confirm if they are the right people 

Jane

[keyboard86]

Hi not sure if this is of any help, but their is this marriage possibility:-

Edward Francis Stroud Dec 1860 Croydon 2a 309 with a Martha DEACONS on same page?

Keyboard86

[keyboard86]

Hi again, on the 1851, when you look at the original there is a Deakins child aged 2 with no first name. shown as daughter to Thomas and Elizabeth Deakins. on looking up a possible birth on FreeBMD there is an Elizabeth Deakins b Reigate March 1849 ref 4 461, could this be Martha's child shown on the 1861?

Keyboard86

[lolmac3]

Hi Guys

Jane - The 2 Edwards are different people. Stroud's were travellers and this is the first generation of Deakins that started to travel probably because their father died very young leaving them on their own. I am not too worried about the date of births as travellers are famous for lying about DOB, place of birth etc.

Keyboard - The unknown 2 year old child in the census is actually my great grand mother, Phoebe. I think you are right about the marriage record though, Deakins was sometimes spelt Deacon (along with a lot of other abbreviations)

The parents of Martha were Thomas & Elizabeth Deakins. Is it likely they would divorce in the 1860's? or as you say maybe they didn't marry in the first place.
If you dig up anything else let me know, many thanks both of you! x

[Jane Masri]

Hi Lorraine,
Highly unlikely they would have divorced at that early date, it was possible but usually reserved for the upper classes,

Jane

[keyboard86]

Hi Lorraine, so who is the Elizabeth aged 12 on the 1861, as I cannot locate a birth for a Phoebe?
That is unless I did not tick variants!
Keyboard86

[Jane Masri]

Lorraine, don't you think it's more than a coincidence that both Edward Apps & Edward Stroud were born in Maidstone, Kent?  In 1871 Edward STROUD & Martha are in Reigate Foreign with a large family including Elizabeth (20) who was born Buckland Sry.  Same POB as Martha so could she be the illegitimate daughter of Martha?
The 1841 census might just be a clue.  Harietsham, Kent  HO107/459/bk 5/4/page 1
Francis EPPS  47  Shoemaker?
Eliza STROUD  44
Elizabeth  Stroud  7
EDWARD STROUD  10
All born Kent.

Could this mean that Edward was the illegitimate son of Eliza Stroud?  He had the choice of 2 names, APPS or EPPS as well as STROUD. 
On the marriage keyboard found, Edward's middle name was Francis 

I'm still looking,

Jane