Hi Karen
Let’s take a step back and look at that notarised 1915 document. Alexander, son of Thomas, having lived in Canada all his adult life, born on the Isle of Wight, is not out of the blue going to invent the fact that his father was from Stotfold Bedfordshire. This is something he must have got from his parents, so there has to be at least a grain of truth in the statement.
I think I mentioned to you off board that whilst there were no Franklins in Stotfold in 1841 there were a number in Stotfold in 1851 born at Langford which is only 3 miles away.
I’ve looked closer at these in the light of the information on the marriage cert.
In 1851 in Stotfold there is
John Franklin head marr 61 Chelsea pensioner born Southill Beds
Sarah Franklin wife 56 charwoman b Northill Beds
James Franklin son 21 ag lab b Langford
Sarah Franklin dau 17 b Langford
Also in Stotfold
Thomas Franklin head marr 23 ag lab b Langford
Philis Franklin wife 26 b Stotfold
Mary Franklin 9 mths b Stotfold
BVRI has a christening of Thomas Franklin at Langford, son of John and Sarah, on 2 Sept 1827. “George’s” age in the 1881 Canadian census was 52 as at 4 April. So he could have been born 5 Apr 1828 – 4 Apr 1829, which is close to the 1829 date mentioned in the 1915 document, and pretty close to the 1827 date.
In 1861 in Stotfold there is
Phillis Franklin head marr 36 b Stotfold
Plus children Mary 10, Emma 9, Elizabeth 6, Joseph 3
No sign of Thomas in 1861 or any subsequent census. The description of Phillis as head implies that her husband wasn’t just away for the day the census was taken. And John was also missing in Stotfold in 1861 – deceased?
Doubtless you see where I’m leading!
Was the 1861 marriage bigamous? Not unheard of! Particularly in London, then they moved down to the Isle of Wight and then moved to Canada. Well away from a wife in Stotfold.
It would have too much of a good thing to have found Alice Cousins living in Stotfold in 1851, but she wasn’t!
Purely a flight of fancy I know, but it’s the best I can come up with. As all of the detective stories used to say “cherchez la femme”! Oh that they could be found in 1861, but I cannot see them. Perhaps they deliberately avoided the enumerator.
OK, that’s enough fiction for today!
Regards
David