Attempted bigamous marriage Higgs and Kench

[Saxlingham]

From other sources it looks like my husband's great great grandfather tried to marry in Oxford possibly St Giles in 1864/5 bigamously.
Are there any banns or scanned images which are available ?
Thanks
Louise

[CarolA3]

Related thread here: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=689692.

The only marriage for a Charles HIGGS at St Giles was on 23 Feb 1862, to Mary JACKSON.  He was only 30 (so can't be your chap who was married in 1835).  He names his father as Charles HIGGS, a wheelwright.  The are no other banns for HIGGS or KENCH.  Info from OFHS transcripts on their CD OXF-OX02.

Can you tell us where you found the name KENCH, and why you think St Giles might be involved?

Carol

[avm228]

Hi Louise

What is your source for the 1864/5 dates?  A report in the Oxford Times of 7 March 1868 says that his lawful wife Eliza, whom he married in 1835, applied at Wantage in 1868 for an order protecting her earnings and property from Charles (as has been referred to on your parallel thread).

Eliza is reported as saying that Charles was "about ten years ago...convicted at Oxford for bigamy" and that she had not heard from him since.

If true that would suggest that (a) there was a bigamous ceremony of marriage, not just an attempt - hence the conviction, and (b) it took place by about 1858.

A report of the same proceedings on the same date, 7 March 1868, in the Berkshire Chronicle does not mention bigamy but describes Charles Higgs as "late of Abingdon, servant".  It goes on to say that he deserted Eliza in October 1835 having married her on 1 January that year.

[avm228]

This looks possibly relevant.

From Jackson's Oxford Journal, 12 May 1855

City Court, Friday May 4

Charles Higgs, a painter, was committed to take his trial at the next Assizes, on a charge of making false statements to the Deputy Register [sic] of Marriages, and by that means procuring a solemnization of matrimony.  Mr G Brunner presented, and Mr Mallam defended.

So the "solemnization of matrimony" in question took place in a register office or nonconformist church/chapel, rather than an Anglican church which would not have required the involvement of a Registrar.

[Saxlingham]

Thank you everyone for the above. Sorry for my patchy info . I am travelling overland thru Switzerland/Germany /Austria with a mobile phone and no computer
This last article was the most intriguing. My Charles Higgs was a painter.  The mother of his children lived previously in st Giles in oxford I don't know his dob  as the later cesuses don't match and I can't find him in 1841/51 at all.

Thanks again
Louise

[hanes teulu]

Re the 12 May 1855 newspaper item - the Reading Mercury 21 Jul 1855

"Charles Higgs, 35, plumber, wilfully and corruptly making a false statement to Mr John Thos Dobney, for the purpose of being inserted in the Register of Marriages, at Oxford. Sentenced to 6 months hard labour

[avm228]

Interesting! Well if he was really 35 in 1855 he was a very young bridegroom for Eliza in 1835.

[avm228]

Thank you everyone for the above. Sorry for my patchy info . I am travelling overland thru Switzerland/Germany /Austria with a mobile phone and no computer
This last article was the most intriguing. My Charles Higgs was a painter.  The mother of his children lived previously in st Giles in oxford I don't know his dob  as the later cesuses don't match and I can't find him in 1841/51 at all.

Louise, who was the mother of his children? Eliza said he deserted her after a few months of marriage, so presumably she only had one pregnancy at most?

[Saxlingham]

Matilda Kench was the mother
Louise