Christian names 'Roady' and 'Mahala'.

[Bobc35]

Hi everyone. I am new to this site, and fairly new to genealogy, so please bear with me if I make mistakes. If this is the wrong forum for this query then I apologise.
  I am tracing a branch of my family (Carrier) from Wisbech, the one currently being Mary Esther Martin, who married Robert Carrier in 1859 in Wisbech.
 From the marriage certificate she was born in Wisbech in about 1833. The 1841 census shows a possible match, with 'Mary' as 8 years old, born in Cambridgeshire. I then went to the 1851 census, which shows some family members (still in Wisbech) but not Mary - since she would now be 18 she could very well have left home, but since the marriage certificate shows her as 'spinster' in 1859 she should be somewhere as Mary (Esther) Martin, but I have had no success.
  The only possible route I have is that in 1841 Mary had a twin sister with the christian name 'Roady'. She is also missing from the 1851 census, and could of course have married by then (so a different surname) but with such an unusual name I thought I could possibly find her, but not so far.
  The writing on the census is quite clear, so I'm fairly sure of the spelling, so has anyone an idea of what Roady could be short for, or might it be a nickname?
  Any help would be gratefully received.
  On the subject of unusual names, my wife has been researching her family (from Devon and Dorset) for a while, and has one with the christian name 'Mahala' - is this as unusual as she thinks?

Thanks again,
  Bob.   

[PaulineJ]

Roady could be a nickname for Rhoda/Roda or the like. Is there a birth registration in that name?

Mahala isn't very uncommon, although it seems to be in clusters.

[avm228]

Hi Bob and welcome

Mahala is a variant of the Biblical name Mahalath.  It enjoyed some popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries but then disappeared from view. The bits of my family who were in Suffolk and Essex seem to have been fond of it.

Roady unfortunately will have been born too early for the civil registration system, but have you looked for baptisms?

[avm228]

N.B. as a general point, beware of inferring relationships from the 1841 census which (unlike its successors) does not identify relationships as between people. That census entry gives you a collection of Martins who were under the same roof on 6 June 1841, but does not tell you whether they are related as parents, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins etc.

[osprey]

pretty sure, it's more than one family, avm228.

Rhoda with her mother in 1851
Prospect St, Wisbech HO107/1766 folio 514 pg 17
Hannah Marten head widow 35 chairwoman b. Wisbech St Peter
Rhoda dau 17 b. Wisbech St Peter
Mary Ann dau 4 b. Norfolk St Mary
 
and some of the others
Low, Wisbech HO107/1766 folio 234 pg 30
Ann Martin head unm 48 (?) shoe mender
Maria dau 23 charwoman
Elizabeth niece 15
Harriet grand dau 5
all born Wisbech

[danuslave]

N.B. as a general point, beware of inferring relationships from the 1841 census which (unlike its successors) does not identify relationships as between people. That census entry gives you a collection of Martins who were under the same roof on 6 June 1841, but does not tell you whether they are related as parents, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins etc.

You should also be aware that ages over 15 were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years (though it didn't always happen) so don't assume twins without other evidence.  Two (apparent) siblings shown as 15 could actually be anything from 15-19

This shouldn't, of course, apply to Mary & 'Roady' as they were under 15

Linda

PS welcome to RootsChat - we love a challenge   

[Bobc35]

Hi all. Thanks for all your help, even if it does confuse me. My wife has just reminded me that I am supposed to be following the 'Carrier' line, so I will obviously have to keep several lines on the go at the same time.
  As a slightly strange coincidence, both sides of my family came from the Wisbech area, and moved to London in the 1800's. I was born in London,and assumed that my family had always been from London.I left in 1973 with my work, and moved to Peterborough, where I lived for over 20 years. I then moved to North Shropshire, and when I retired I first became interested in genealogy. Only then did I discover the Wisbech link - think how much local research I could have carried out in 20 years living just a few miles away. If only I had started earlier.
  I will now go and continue investigations into the various parts of the family, but I have a feeling I may be back soon with further questions. Hopefully as I become more experienced in genealogy I will be able to repay things by helping others.
Bob.