Marriage of William Johnson and Mary Bowler 1891 Bedford

[Ouse who]

Am wondering if anyone has access to or seen their marriage registration which would show William's occupation, the couples' ages or whether they were previously married.

Is he the widower vermin catcher of Biddenham - and she the Wootton born widow of John Bowler, Mary Garratt, whose first wife Rhoda was an elder sister of William?

The 1911 census has a Wootton born widow Mary Johnson living with her daughter Eliza Fellows (née Bowler) in Walsall, Staffordshire which gives some weight to my conjecture.

Best wishes, O.

[amondg]

Have you found them in 1891 or 1911?
Are they living near each other in 1891?

It appears to be a registry office marriage, details of which are not online.

[heywood]

The 1901 census has a Wootton born widow Mary Johnson living with her daughter Eliza Fellows (née Bowler) in Walsall, Staffordshire which gives some weight to my conjecture.

I can’t find this.
However, there is this entry in 1901:

1901 1491/5/2

Church End, Biddenham

Mary Johnson, 63 yrs, Laundress b Wootton.

[heywood]

Mary is living with Eliza and family  in 1911.

[johnP-bedford]

It appears to be a registry office marriage, details of which are not online.

Yes agreed... as the marriage is not recorded on Steve Gibbs database that is sourced from Anglican parish records. Perhaps it'd be easier to just buy the certificate from the GRO

[Ouse who]

My entry had a typo, should have said 1911 as Heywood has pointed out. I have amended it.

If William Johnson was the vermin catcher, he died in 1898, so Mary would have been a widow as 1901 census suggests. William's headstone at Biddenham makes no reference to Mary, just his 2 earlier spouses. If he indeed had married Mary Bowler (nee Garratt) I suspect the omission could have been intentional.

I have found them in 1891 census, he widower living in Biddenham, widower and she a widow, laundress, living St Paul's Bedford.

As amondg and johnP-bedford suggest it does look like a Registry Office marriage.

Thank you, O.

[johnP-bedford]

A William Johnson was buried at Biddenham on 15th Jan 1898 aged 70

On 1891 census at Church End Biddenham, William Johnson widower age 63, vermin destroyer