I have found a relative who cites her place of birth on 1861 and 1871 census as Malta! 1834. A Mary Richardson.
She had a son here in England in 1853, William Joseph Edgar Newman, Sculcoates (Hull). GRO confirms maiden name for Williams mother as Richardson, Mary on the census forms. I can't find trace of her marriage to a Newman here in England either.
William, her son, appears on 1871 census in Bristol listed as son to Mary Simpson and five new Simpson kids. Presumably determined to find his mum now he is 18. So I presume her first husband died in Malta, Crimean War? She came back to Hull, gave birth to William and left him with his/her grandparents. She then went to Plymouth and married a William Simpson in 1856. She named one of her children Maria, a nod to her mother perhaps?
Its a good story but I would like to track her Maltese roots and first marriage, presumably a serving soldier/sailor in the Victorian services in the Crimea.
Whats it like trying to track Maltese relatives, can anyone give me a pointer or two. I think I've found a lot but the Malta connection has me stumped.