Patience the minor

[Soden55]

I have been searching for Patience Barber's birth or baptism records.    Her marriage Sep 1836 to Henry Soden in Lambeth M/sex says she is married with consent of John Barber, father of the said minor. 
   All her Middlesex census returns state she was born in Chediston Suffolk, somewhere within the years of 1813 to 1822.   Census of 1841 Patience is 20 years (rounded down) in 1851 - 32y,  1861- 39y, 1871 - 58 and in 1880 is 66 on her death cert and 67 in the newspaper death notice. 
    But the only transcription record so far is a baptism in Chediston of 23 Oct 1812 to parents John and Ann Maria Barber which makes her 24 when she married.   Would this age be too old to be a minor ?  Both the Banns of March 1836 then Sep 1836 also say she is a spinster minor.
Thanks Louise

[amondg]

Does it say the child was an infant?

Could be a late baptism.

[Soden55]

No age details were given on the transcription (found on FindMyPast) and as yet have not found another site that has the original church baptisms.  Did not think of the possibility that it might not be an infant. Thanks

[amondg]

There is also a village called Chelmondiston.
Suffolk registers are supposed to be on line next year, fingers crossed. I would cast a wider net.

ADDED
If it was a late baptism she would be even older and not a minor!

[ribbo39]

Hi Soden55,

I have found the following "Barber" baptisms in Chediston St.Mary;
23-10-1812 Patience Barber d/o John & Anna Maria (inf)
also for info if needed;
10-7-1819 Anna Maria ]
     "          Elizabeth    ]   dtrs of John & Anna Maria, Labourer.
There is also a John 14-4-1816 s/o John & Ann, husbandman - can't say if part of same family.

Taken from the Suffolk FHS CD for Dunwich Deanery

Hope these help you.

Alan

[LizzieL]

Patience (1812) was rejected at the beginning because she would be 3 years to old to be classed as a minor. But could she have lied to Henry about her age because she was older than him? She  may have knocked enough years off to be comfortably younger than Henry without realising that meant she would need parental consent. I doubt if the vicar would have challenged her if she said "yes, my dad, John Barber, says it's OK" or similar.
In 1841 and 1851 when she is with Henry, she has ages consistent with being a minor at marriage. In  1861, her age would give a birth year of 1822 - only 14 at marriage if this was correct !
In 1871 and 1880, the ages are more consistent with the baptism in 1812. Had she given up the pretence by this time and told everyone her correct age 

Just a theory.
 I wonder where Henry was after 1851, she says she was married not widowed. had they split up or was he just working away from home on both census nights?

[Soden55]

Yes, that would seem to make more sense. A slight tweak of age to be more desirable to a beau.   By 1852/53 Henry (previously a clerk) was licensee of the Bell Inn in Borough Market and was in trouble for not paying the taxes.  Henry seems to have left Patience as his brother Joseph in Australia put several adverts in the newspaper asking for Henry to contact him.  Henry never did appear in another census that I can find, maybe to avoid debt collectors.  Then by mid 1854 he was living with Jane Millard and they had a daughter Amy Jane Soden, supposedly born in Bow.  Amy Jane's baptism on 7 May 1871 at St Mary Newington states she was born 7th Feb 1855.   Henry and Jane married in June 1880 after Patience died in April 1880.
Thank you LizzieL for the suggestion.  I often find that people embellish the truth but forget that they also downright lied about things.