The puzzle of Edward Henry Eltham

[LizzieL]

Edward Henry Eltham was born in Wantage in 1884 (birth reg Q3 1884)
He married Elizabeth Payne in 1904 (reg Q1 1904)
Children:
Eva Elizabeth (b Q1 1904, d Q1 1905)
Edith May b 19 Jun 1908
Doris Beatrice (b Q1 1909, d Q4 1909)
Elizabeth Mary b 8 Feb 1910

Edward enlisted for the army in 1907, first in Royal Berks, then transferred to Welsh Fusiliers. He was discharged in 1908. He gives his father as Next of kin not wife.

In 1911 Elizabeth is a visitor staying with her widowed mother, her 2 surviving children with her, she is listed as married. Can't find Edward
I have found 8 more children indexed with surname Eltham mmn Payne in Wantage, the last one born on 18 Nov 1927 when Elizabeth would be about 41.
In 1939 Elizabeth is with one of her sons and 3 redacted entries below (probably younger children) In the household is an unrelated male (probably lodger) Elizabeth is listed as widow.
I cannot find a death of an Edward Henry Eltham in the correct time period - between early 1927 and 1939.

However I can find an Edward H Eltham of right sort of age in 1954 in Eton district. He seems to have had a wife and family in Windsor. I cannot find a birth for an alternative Edward which would fit the Eton/ Windsor death.

Has Edward left his wife and committed bigamy - found possibly marriage to Clarke in Pancras.
Any ideas please?

[louisa maud]

The Edward Eltham , no middle initial shown
married 1917, Pancras
to Caroline M Clarke

1950 was living as follows

Edward H Eltham
and
Caroline M Eltham
The White Bungalow
Lower Village Road
Sunninghill
Windsor
Berks

Neither marriages can I find online giving his fathers name and occupation, the only way to find the information  unfortunately is to purchase them

Louisa Maud

[mckha489]

If he is the same man, he was Living in Lower Village Road (Berkshire electoral rolls on Ancestry) as early as 1920
Which makes one think those later Eltham Payne births might be suspect too.

I cannot see another birth either

[mckha489]

On one of the attestations (there seem to be two for the same man) on FindMyPast, in 1907 he says he is Single

[Eyesee]

Looks like there might have been more children to Edward and Elizabeth as well according to Wantage PRs

Eva Elizabeth bapt 16 Feb 1904 d/o Edward and Elizabeth, Cowman, Martins Yard born 7 Jan, buried 31 Jan 1905
Edward George bapt 11 Mar 1906, s/o Edward & Lizzie, Labourer, Priory Rd, born 6 Jan buried 28 Mar 1911
Edith May is listed as daughter of Elizabeth only bapt 6 Oct 1908 born 19 Jun
Doris Beatrice is baptised at daughter of James and Sarah ELTHAM, buried 25 Feb 1909
Elizabeth Mary is listed as daughter of Elizabeth only, bapt 10 May 1910, born 8 Feb

Ian C

[louisa maud]

Edith May 1908 Wantage no maiden name
Doris Beatrice May 1909 MMN Strange
Edith Mary 1910 no maiden name
Still looking for Edward circa 1906

Louisa Maud

[heywood]

In 1925, before the birth of the youngest child, Elizabeth Eltham is living at Kent’s Cottages.
Ernest Brewerton also has this address.
It could be a different cottage, I suppose.

[LizzieL]

Hmm... Ernest Brewerton pops up again!
Thank you all for your help, the children seem a bit clearer now.
The two with Elizabeth in 1911 were Edith May b 19 Jun 1908 ( she would be age 2 as her birthday fell after census day) and Elizabeth Mary b 8th Feb 1910 (age 1 as she had her birthday a couple of months before the census). The two who had died were Eva Elizabeth and Edward George.  (died shortly before the census). It seems Doris Beatrice was the last child of Edward's uncle James Woodley Eltham and his wife Sarah Ann Strange.

So it looks as though Eva Elizabeth and Edward George were Edward's children, Edith May and Elizabeth Mary probably not  - but why no mmn on birth registration, there was with the later ones which definitely were fathered by someone else. As one was named Ernest, I would suspect Ernest Brewerton.

So it does look as if Edward was a bigamist and I ought to look for DNA matches with the children of him and Caroline Clarke rather than with any children of Elizabeth since the two pre 1911 ones who survived to marry and have children are of suspect paternity.

[LizzieL]

In 1911 Ernest Brewerton is a boarder at the pub down the road. In 1891 at home with widowed mother and siblings in same street. He has a sister called Edith and a brother called Alfred.
Can't find him in 1901.

Has anyone seen Edward in 1901 and 1911?