A spinster?

[Little Nell]

William seems to have married as William Saunders not Holmes in 1823.

Not having much success in finding his baptism as either Holmes or Saunders in Broughton - his reported place of birth on the 1851 census.

Did you ever try following the two possibilities backwards?

Nell

[boscoe]

No I didn't. Paging backwards in the 1980s was like wandering in a dessert looking for water. I'm not very adept at computer searching. RootsChat people have been so generous to help me.
Thanks.

[boscoe]

So do you agree with my supposition about Sarah? There is no recorded birth date.
[I found no record of her birth anywhere. She had a hard life, birthing 11 kids with a poorly paid seaman husband who died early, but she lived until late 1925, or about 90 years. She was a true testimony that helped to destroy Herbert Spencer].

[BumbleB]

I can't see that anyone has come up with another possibility for Sarah's surname changing from Holmes to Saunders. 

Sarah and siblings have been baptised as children of William and Mary Holmes.  OK. 

Have you considered that William Holmes dies and Mary then marries William Saunders?  It was fairly common that children from the first marriage took on the surname of the step-father after mother's re-marriage.

[Little Nell]

I'll stick my neck out and say that William & Mary had seven children, all baptised in Over Wallop:

Mary Ann 11 Apr 1824                                 
Henry 25 Dec 1826
George 18 Jan 1829
William 19 Aug 1832                                             
Emily 7 Sep 1834
Sarah 29 May 1836
Hugh 10 May 1840

Henry, George, William, Emily, Sarah & Hugh were all recorded with the parents' names as Holmes.  Mary Ann was recorded with the parents' names as Saunders.

I can't find the family in 1841.  I haven't managed to find a burial for Mary Ann or where she might be in 1851, possibly married.  A Henry Saunders born cir 1827 is married (to a Mary Ann!) living in Middle Wallop
HO107/1872/96 p 17.  No sign of a Henry Holmes of the right age.  A Henry Saunders married Mary Ann Leach in Stockbridge RD in 1849.

William Saunders is a widower in 1861 and there is a death registered for a Mary Saunders in Stockbridge RD in 1858.  Mary was 56 which would be correct for his wife if the age given in the census is correct.  She syas she was born in Over Wallop, her maiden name is Vince according to the GRO index and the parish marriage record (I only have a transcript to go by so no further details), but I can't find a baptism for a Mary Vince.

Have you considered that William Holmes dies and Mary then marries William Saunders?

Unfortunately no William Holmes burial at the time. No William Holmes marriage to a Mary within a suitable time frame for him to die and his widow marry again.  Checked Mary Vince marriages (only one).

A very confusing family..........

Nell

[boscoe]

Your searches have been much appreciated. I'll leave them to rest in obscurity. Amen.

[boscoe]

PS: Thinking over your suggestions I decided with Mary Ann Saunders and the rest being Holmes to conclude  with:

Perhaps there was either illegitimacy or a second marriage, much being confused and unrecorded.

Again, thanks.

[cristeen]

Just because she was recorded as a spinster on the marriage certificate doesn't mean she actually was. I have tow examples of widows marrying again and being recorded as a spinster on the second marriage certificate. I have all the records to prove the prior marriages and death/ burial of the first husbands.

[boscoe]

There is no marriage certificate. That's the problem; only poorly kept parish records.