Samuel WESSON

[mareanna]

This is one of VERY many questions about this branch of the family who seem to be a bit vague about their age and forgetful when it comes to registering births.  Added to that, Wesson is often recorded as Weston (and vice versa). 

I'm trying to find out if this Samuel is one of Mary Wesson's brood, whose often first sight of this world is in a workhouse, followed by a struggle that some didn't make to adulthood.  One way out would be the military.  Samuel is not on any census or record of birth apart from the 1871 as aged under one (as a Weston).

The only possibility is the military records of a Samuel Wesson, but born about 1867.  Helpfully he says his NoK is Annie Nicholson, whom he married on 13 May 1901 at St Matthew's, Nottingham.  I CANNOT find the record for this      The NFHS disks only go up to 1900 and there appears to be no GRO for this wedding.  Is there anyone who could look this up at the record office 

There is a GRO for a Samuel Weston in 1867, but no MMN 

[Milliepede]

Have you checked for deaths - early if he is so young in 1871 and doesn't appear elsewhere? 

[mareanna]

Yup, nothing, zilch, nowt 
It looks like his mother had married by the next census (she appears as Mary Beech, but it should be Birch) and he is not there.  It could be by then he is in "community care"  His grandmother has died and his grandfather is in his late 70s.  No nephew with aunts or uncles.

The Samuel Birch born and died 1871/2 is not connected

[Milliepede]

Really struggling to find anything   

I see the military record where he gives wife/marriage but as you say there is no registration for it so have to wonder if he really was married. 
Hopefully someone can check the date for you and see if he was telling the truth!

Who was the father of your Samuel or wasn't Mary really a widow in 1871?

[mareanna]

Indeed whom the daddy    and is there really a wife  There's no official paperwork to find out who he really is.  Could he really have lied to get a pension for a "spouse"

Of Mary's other children I have managed to find, before her marriage to William Birch in 1872, the online GRO index shows no MMN.  I've ordered the .pdf for Alonzo Wesson registered in Leicester to confirm (I hope) that she was his mother too.  He also went in to the military

[Milliepede]

Intriguing 

What about the other daughter Ellin who is 12 in 1871 - have you got mother Mary prior to 1871 - is she single/married/widow status? 

I can only see Mary in 1871.

[mareanna]

Unmarried Mary and her daughter (Ellen L) are with with Mary's parents Thomas and Hannah Wesson in Nottingham in 1861.  Alonzo names the married Ellen Letitia Hart as his sister and NoK on his service papers. 

It follows Mary can't be widowed in 1871 and have the same name unless she married another Wesson.  With her life so far, probably not, much easier for her to say she's a widow

On 1861 Thomas and Hannah have four Wesson grandchildren, none of whom are children of their sons.  I suspect Alonzo was registered in Leicester, the pdf is on order

It was all straightforward until the GRO allowed ages to be shown for the earlier deaths.  Checking the death for Mary showed the wrong age, and it's been a long slog since to find what did happen to her