Annie Hill

[Greaves]

Annie HILL was born on 14 Nov 1876 at Woking in Surrey. Her father was John HILL, a labourer. her mother was Rosa Ellen HILL (née LAMPARD). In the 1881 census, she is living aged 4 in Worplesdon with her parents. And in the 1891 census, she is still living with her parents aged 14 in Guildford.

On 03 July 1894, Annie married Herbert Edward BERRY at Worplesdon, Surrey. The witnesses were James BERRY and Emily Sarah BERRY. Herbert had recently returned (February 1894) from Army service in East India.

After this marriage, Annie disappears from all records, or at least those that I can find or access.

However, on 13 October 1898 at Wandsworth Register Office, Herbert Edward BELLINGER, a batchelor, married Rose HARDING (née PONTING), a widow. The witnesses were James BELLINGER and Emily Sarah BELLINGER.

I know for a fact - and it is well documented - that my family were originally BELLINGERS (var sp), but adopted the name BERRY. For a period of time, they seemed to use the both surnames, choosing whichever was most convenient at the time. There is no doubt that the Herbert Edward that married Annie HILL was the same Herbert Edward that four years later married Rose HARDING.

I would love to know what happened to Annie HILL. I don't believe she died, at least I can't find an appropriate record. Nor can I find any records for children of the marriage.

Was the marriage annulled? At the time of the marriage, Annie claimed to be 19, though she was in fact not yet 18. Would that be grounds for an annulment? Or did Herbert Edward simply dump her and enter a bigamous marriage with Rose? He certainly wasn't a bachelor as he claimed at the time of his second marriage.

Any suggestions as to how to find Annie post 1894?

[CaroleW]

Did they possibly go to India if James was still serving in the army?  If they did - perhaps she died there.  However - that doesn’t tie in with him claiming to be a bachelor on his second marriage

[Greaves]

I’m fairly sure that they did not go abroad, as he was in the Army reserve between 1894 and 1898. I think the most likely explanation was that the second marriage was bigamous, perhaps explaining the choice of a Register Office and facilitated by the convenient name change.

With regard to Annie, I suppose there are a range of possibilities: death, desertion, institutionalised, annulment, divorce, affair with another man, etc. Trouble is I can’t find any relevant record or in some cases records to search.

Interestingly, according to the 1911 census her parents John and Rose had 10 children, 8 of which were still alive. I have been trying to trace the lives of the 10 children to see which had died by 1911. The idea being that if I found two who had died then Annie must be alive somewhere, perhaps under a different name. Unfortunately this has not proved to be an easy task. If an more proficient researchers could aid in this search I would be grateful.

[CaroleW]

No births recorded on GRO online 1894-1898 under Berry or Bellinger

[Comberton]

Possible children that died before 1911 census
John Hill
born 1/1883 Guildford mmn Lampard
baptised 25 Mar 1883 Guildford,  John (labourer) & Rose of Banister Farm
died 4/1900 aged 17 Guildford
buried 6 Dec 1900 Woking St Peter, res Round Hill Farm, Woking
from the newspaper he died on the 1st, 1901 Cyril H Olliff at the farm

Ellen Hill
born 1/1895 Guildford mmn Lampard
baptised privately 19 Feb 1895 Worplesdon,  John (bailiff) & Rose Ellen of Gravetts Lane, Worplesdon
died 4/1895 aged 1 Guildford
buried 28 Dec 1895 Worplesdon
It would  need confirmation that the births and deaths are the same people.

[CaroleW]

Hi Comberton

It's the whereabouts of Annie Berry that are needed.   Annie Hill was b 1876 married Herbert Berry 1894.  He remarried 1898 as a bachelor.  No births under Berry or Bellinger with mmn Hill between 1894-1898

Lampard was Annie's mothers maiden name

[Comberton]

Thanks Carole. I can't help with Annie Berry but I was trying to help with the identification of the two children who died before the 1911 census as mentioned at the end of reply 2. The death of Ellen is likely as she is not on the 1901 census but the death of John is more uncertain. Greaves may have this information already.

[Greaves]

No I don’t have anything definite. I think Ellen is dead by 1911. There is a probable burial on Anestry. I also think John is dead, but do not have any proof. A number of trees on Ancestry support these views, but as we all know it is wise to take such trees with a big pinch of salt.

If the above is true, it suggests Annie was alive in 1911. Or at least, that her parents believed her to be alive.

But as to her whereabouts, that is even more problematic.

[CaroleW]

Hi Comberton

Sorry - now realise the reason you were posting re deaths 🤭🤭