That just leaves the puzzle of why her maiden name was Denham but her mam and dad are Cameron.
Michael
I read that and didn't have time to look but looked this afternoon. Get yourself a cuppa and a sandwich, this goes on a bit :-)
I think there is a possibility that her "Mam and Dad" were, in fact her paternal grandparents well I think her "Mam" may have been her paternal Granny anyway.
24 Feb 1840 James Denham married Margaret A Moore at St Hilda South Shields (per south tyneside registrars index search)
1841 census Piece825,Book11, Folio31,Page18 Clive St, North Shields - possible
Margt Denham, age 20
Q4 1841 GRO Births Index, Isabella Denham, MMN Moor
15 Jan 1845 Henry Denham was born, 02 Mar 1825 baptised at Christ Church Tynemouth, son of James and Margaret Ann of Clive St BTs
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kbu/ GRO index gives MMN of Moor
1851 census Piece2409, Folio421, Page16
Clive St North Shields
James Denham, 34, Seaman, born Tweedmouth
Margaret Denham, 29, Born Shields
Isabella, 9, Born Shields
Henry, 6, born Shields
GRO Index has a Hugh Robert Denham, MMN Moore in Q1 1854, which would match for the 17 year old Hugh Robert 'Cameron' you saw on the 1871 census for the Cameron family - NB no Hugh Robert Cameron in the births index to correspond to this 'son'
I haven't found a death reg for James, nor anything in the newspaper, but he was a mariner so could have died anywhere.
Assuming that Margaret Ann was widow by 1855:
Marriages 1855 Q3 James Cameron and Margaret Ann Moor - technically, her surname (if I am right) should have been given as Denham, but that could depend on what questions she was asked.
1865 - 14 March Shields Daily Gazette
Newcastle, At St Nicholas Church, on 26th ultimo, Mr Henry Denham to Miss Elizabeth Magness, both of North Shields.
1866 GRO index no birth for a Margaret Ann Cameron in the right area, but there is a registration for a Margaret Ann Denham Q1 1866, Tynemouth, MMN Magnus - not found a baptism for her on family search
1868 GRO Index, Q1 1868, Tynemouth. Birth registration of Mary Jane Denham, MMN Magnus - baptism on Family Search
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kbt/ there is also a possible death registration for Mary Jane Denham, aged 1, Tynemouth Q3 1869
Looks like the marriage was not a happy one:
1870 15 Feb Shields Daily Gazette
This is to give notice that I, Henry Denham, will not be answerable for any Debt or Debts my Wife, Elizabeth Denham may contract after this date
Feb 15, 15 Clive Street, North Shields
1871 census Piece5119, Folio3, Page56
Linsvale (?) St, North Shields
John Todd Head, 79
M A Magness, Daughter, 48
H Magness, daughter, 18
M H Denham, Granddaughter, 5 - perhaps the enumerator misread a A as an H?
1872 5th Jan Shields Daily Gazette:
A son assaulting his mother
Henry Denham was charged with assaulting Ann Cameron, his mother, on Tuesday afternoon last. It appears that the defendant is a married man, but is not living with his wife at present, and on Tuesday afternoon he went to the complainant's house in company with a woman with whom he cohabits, and on his mother requesting him to go out of her house he assaulted her in a shameful manner, Two witnesses having been examined for the prosecution, the defendant's wife, who was in court was put in the box, and explained to the Bench that she had been married to the defendant five years and had one child. She was obliged to leave him about eighteen months ago on account of his keeping company with another woman, and during that time she had not received any maintenance whatever from him. The Bench sentenced the defendant to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, and strongly advised his wife to take proceedings for maintenance against him on being liberated from prison.
maybe Margaret Ann was also known just as Ann, or maybe the reporter couldn't read his own court notes and got her name slightly wrong.
Its not writ in stone, all a bit smoke and mirrors and needs checking and I'd like to have found a death for James Denham to make it more likely, but its a theory to be explored and considered.
Suggestions
The two (possible) marriages for Margaret Ann Moor(e)
1 James Denham and Margaret Ann Moore South Shields register ref CF1 - which according to the list is St Hilda
2 James Cameron and Margaret Ann, 5th Sep 1855 South Shields register ref CF8 - which according to the list is also St Hilda
South Shields library has these records on microfilm, if you can get there to see them then hopefully the details for Margaret Ann's father will confirm/deny that the bride was the same person? If the second one also says she was a widow then even better :-)
Boo