John O'Leary

[sputnik]

You commented about Rosinas age seeming to get younger with successive censuses. On her death certificate in 1936 she is listed as 78 years old which would have made her DOB 1858.This is 15 years different to the 1843 of the 1881 census.Did she continue to lie about her age until her death?

[groom]

Have you actually got the death certificate - what name did she die under?

I dont think she was born on the Isle of Wight as it is clearly written B---ford England on the 1891, whereas all the children are given as being born on the island.

[Little Nell]

Rosina's father's name was allegedly James according to the entry on the FamilySearch site.  So she does not appear to have been married to anyone else before she married John O'Leary.  Her age was given as 23.

Nell

[groom]

Hi Nell, we think she may have been born in Brentford and possibly around 1859, but I can't see a birth that fits. She changes her age with every census. 

[Little Nell]

I think she was quite practised at telling porkies - her age, where she was born etc.  Perhaps it hides a secret.

Nell

[sputnik]

I would have thought her age 23 at the time of her marriage would be  more accurate than censuses from later in life which would make her born in 1850. It's not as if John's age (presuming that's correct)is such that she would need to lie to make it respectable.If thats right there is a choice of three censuses to find her in before marriage.

It is pretty likely that John was on the island as part of the military activity to protect against French invasion at that time but what was a young woman from London doing moving out to what was a fairly remote rural area? Did they arrive together?

The whole story is quite a mystery.

[groom]

She certainly is a mystery. I think you are right about her age on marriage being the most accurate, as obviously if she was married in 1873 she cant possibly have been born in 1859 as that would have made her only 14. I wonder if the 1881 census has been badly transcribed and she was in fact 30 and not 38 as it says, that would give a date of about 1850. The 1891 says she was 41 which makes her born 1850 as well. I think the reason that she suddenly became younger in the 1901 and 1911 census is that her new husband, John, was born in 1861 and was therefore 11 years younger than she was - she obviously wasn't very honest with him. 

So, we are looking for a Rosina Taylor born 1850 possibly in Brentford. As you say, odd why she ended up on the IOW, unless her father was also in the army and they were over there with him. That could also explain why we cant find her in earlier censuses, perhaps they were abroad. Hopefully the marriage certificate will clear a few things up.

Jan

[groom]

I think I might have her in 1871   

RG10/1165/72/24  76, Union Street Ryde

Henry Joblin 47
Charlotte Joblin 49
Henry R Joblin 20
Sydney Joblin 16
Charlotte Joblin 14
ROSE TAYLOR  20   General Servant     BRENTFORD ESSEX

[Little Nell]

Except Brentford is not in Essex, but Middlesex.  Brentwood is in Essex, though 

I think all danger of invasion from the French was past by the time John O'Leary and Rosina married.  The emperor Napolean III was exiled from France and lived in Britian.  Britain and France had been allies during the Crimean War in the 1850s.

The son born in Ireland was born in Kildare, 18 Mar 1877.  No idea if that helps at all. 

Nell