cody-monks conundrum

[Steve_C]

Here's the situation, to whomever may shed some welcome light, insight or knowledge to my problem!

A Mary Ann (nee Monks) had children with a Thomas Cody (boot-maker, & my great grandfather BTW) in Cardiff, Wales from late 1896 thru to 1903 - I have these certificates; this is also substantiated with 1901 & 1911 Wales census, which happens to state Mary was from St Philips, Bristol; however, this is my problem: I can't find Mary & Thomas' marriage certificate, despite extensive searching!
 
According to my father memoirs (God rest his soul), he wrote; "Mary was a devout Catholic born in the West Country (Wiltshire?) & that Thomas Cody (his father) was born on the border of Waterford & Cork, Ireland; & that Thomas traveled over to Wales, where he met & then married Mary Monks'.

I'm not sure if this might mean they had a Catholic marriage perhaps & would there be a recording in the parish records in Wales which are generally Anglican/ Methodist etc??

That said, I have found a marriage cert for a Mary Hope Monks (I believe from the West Country) marrying a Thomas Cody (boot-maker) in Wales in 1887. There then appears to be a 'first' child born 1888 in Cardiff, to a Mary Hope Monks & Thomas Cody (boot-maker). Go figure!!

I am left so far to ponder: did Mary Hope change her middle name to Ann & thereafter all her subsequent children have certs with her as this; or, is this a different couple altogether, but so strikingly similar in too many details that it's not funny?

Help!!     

[Milliepede]

Do the ages match - for Mary Ann on the census you have and for Mary Hope on the marriage certificate?

Rather a gap between first child for MH born 1888 and MA having children 1896-1903 if she was the same lady 

Would Mary Ann be old enough to have a child in 1888?

[Milliepede]

Have you got whichever Mary, Thomas and the child born 1888 in 1891?

Child Mary Margaret Cody.

Maybe they were in Ireland in 1891 as a child was born there - Margaret per the 1901 census.

5 children have been born by 1911 - that might help work out who was who.

Margaret 1891 Ireland
Catherine 1894 Cardiff
James 1900 Cardiff
John 1904 Cardiff

Doesn't quite fit with below, perhaps you could name the children you have?

A Mary Ann (nee Monks) had children with a Thomas Cody (boot-maker, & my great grandfather BTW) in Cardiff, Wales from late 1896 thru to 1903

[KGarrad]

The Thomas & Mary Ann can be seen on the 1891 census, living in Liverpool.
Thomas born Ireland; Mary Ann born Lancashire.

So, not your couple!

[Steve_C]

Do the ages match - for Mary Ann on the census you have and for Mary Hope on the marriage certificate?

Rather a gap between first child for MH born 1888 and MA having children 1896-1903 if she was the same lady 

Would Mary Ann be old enough to have a child in 1888?

Wow that was quick -thanks!
Yes I've mulled over that gap in subsequent children up til now as well. My father had also written they had 15 children, but I've only found records so far for 5. (Maybe he meant Mary was one of 15 children).
Anyway, yes she was old enough I beleive: I have her death cert as MA, in 1929 aged 64:- this would make her born c1866 therefore 22 yr if the right one for first born was '88.

[Steve_C]

Have you got whichever Mary, Thomas and the child born 1888 in 1891?

Child Mary Margaret Cody.

Maybe they were in Ireland in 1891 as a child was born there - Margaret per the 1901 census.

5 children have been born by 1911 - that might help work out who was who.

Margaret 1891 Ireland
Catherine 1894 Cardiff
James 1900 Cardiff
John 1904 Cardiff

Doesn't quite fit with below, perhaps you could name the children you have?

A Mary Ann (nee Monks) had children with a Thomas Cody (boot-maker, & my great grandfather BTW) in Cardiff, Wales from late 1896 thru to 1903

I'm not sure what record you're referring to as '1891': is that a census? Please let me know.
I've had a 1891 England (Lancashire) census with a Thomas Cody from Waterford Ireland with a Mary A Cody from Lancashire only. I know from experience that these census records can be quite inaccurate in all mannner of ways, so this could be them. If so where was their child born 1888?

Yes I have investigated the possibility they went back to Ireland & had first child there (Mary Margaret) but haven't found a record as such to date.
Interestingly the 1901 wales census has child Margaret born in Ireland in c1891, & then in 1911 a Margaret Beatrice born in Cardiff c1892. The ages are similar, probs with names although Mary-Margaret can be interchangeable, but, I've found no birth records for a Margaret Beatrice or any other...

The other two children you were asking after were Thomas c1896  & Maurice c1899

[KGarrad]

There are 2 marriages of a Thomas Cody to a Mary!

March qtr 1882
Liverpool Registration District     vol 8b, page 328
Cody, Thomas
Mahoney, Mary Ann A

and

September qtr 1887
Cardiff Registration District     vol 11a, page 481
Cody, Thomas
Monks, Mary Hope

I would say it's a safe bet that any Cody-Monks children born in Liverpool belong to the first couple.
And that any born in Cardiff belong to the 2nd couple.

You check Mother's Maiden Names by using the GRO Index Search?
You have to register, but it's free to us.
www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

[Christine53]

From the GRO website :

Mary Margaret CODY J Quarter 1888 Cardiff 11A 334 ( Monks )

Maggie COADY S Q 1891 Cardiff 11A 280 ( Monks )

Kate CODY D Q 1894 Cardiff 11A 372 ( Monks )

Thomas CODY D Q 1896 Cardiff 11A 360 ( Monks )

Maurice CODY J Q 1899 Cardiff 11A 385 ( Monks )

Patrick Thomas CODY S Q 1900 Cardiff 11A 363 ( Monks )

John Thomas CODY D Q 1903 Cardiff 11A 371 ( Monks )

[Christine53]

Mary Margaret Coady aged 2 d S Q 1890 Cardiff 11A 135

Maurice Cody aged 2 d J Q 1899 Cardiff 11A 200

Edit - Maurice Cody 2 months perhaps ?