I have an ancestor who it seemed had families by two women at the same time, neither of which he married.
Samuel Marland had 3 children by Margaret Jane Bather of Preston:
Allen (1889)
William (1890)
Margaret Alice (1892)
He also had 2 children by Fanny/Frances Eyes of Oldham/Widnes:
Mary Elizabeth (1887 Ashton Under Lyne)
Edith (1891 Widnes)
I know it's the same Samuel Marland as there are multiple references on both sides (certificates, censuses etc) to him being a musician.
Censuses:
1891 - Samuel Marland living with wife Margaret J Marland and children Allen and William Marland, Preston
1891 - Fanny Eyes living with parents Samuel and Sarah and child Mary E Eyes, Widnes
So Margaret appears to have been his 'live-in' wife and taken his surname, whilst Fanny was potentially the 'other woman', however I can find no evidence of a marriage for either, and on Allen Marland's baptism, the vicar has pointedly written "son of Samuel Marland and Margaret Bather" whereas for all the other kids he's written say, "son of John Smith and Mary"
Samuel dies in 1896 after which point Margaret Jane Bather remarries. Fanny Eyes moves in with a James Kennedy of Oldham (appearing on the 1901 census with him as his wife Fanny Kennedy, with step-children Mary and Edith Marland) and continues to pretend to be his wife until 1928 when she actually marries him!
Do you think the women were aware of each other or what was going on? Surely a Victorian woman would question why a man wouldn't marry her or would ask her to pretend to be married, especially if he was a musician who kept mysteriously disappearing to other cities?
And why would Fanny pretend to be James' wife for almost 30 years when it doesn't appear there was anything (other husband etc.) keeping her from just marrying him?
Any context/thoughts appreciated!