What happened to Edwin's wife?

[Brie]

Hello. I'm looking at the Pettitt family for a friend and it has raised several questions. The first one is about Edwin William Wynne Pettitt and his wife, Sarah Aston.

Edwin William Wynne Pettitt was born on 16th Feb 1818 and baptised at St. Martin's, Birmingham, UK on 5th October 1820.

He married as Edwin William Wynne Pettitt (full age) Glazier & Plumber at St. Philip's Church, Birmingham on October 1st 1839 to Sarah Aston, a minor. His father was Charles Pettitt, a Glover.

The next sighting of EWWP is in the 1851 census. He is living with Lucy, his "wife" and two children. I haven't found the children's births yet but I suspect that the eldest at least would be Lucy's by a former relationship as he was born about 1840 only a year after EWWP married Sarah.

I cannot find any marriage for EWWP and Lucy, which begs the question - was Sarah still alive?

EWWP subsequently leaves Lucy and marries Ann Hawker in 1856. So has Sarah now died?

There are claims on family trees (none of which have evidence on the tree - at least on the ones I've seen) that Sarah and EWWP had a son, Edwin Augustus Pettitt born 1845 in Australia.

So and I've finally come to the point  is this true and if so did EWWP leave Sarah in Australia or did she die? If Edwin Augustus did exist, what happened to him?

Brie

[CaroleW]

1856 - he married just as Edwin - no middle names

21.7.1856 marriage at Manchester Cathedral shows him as a 35yr old Bachelor - occ engineer- abode London - father Charles occ glover

Ann Hawker was an 18yr old spinster - father Charles Hawker occ book seller

Charles & Anne Hawker were witnesses

[mckha489]

Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922  Certainly has an Edwin Augustus born 10 May 1845 Adelaide. Parents Edwin Pettitt and Sarah Aston


Purchase of the cert can be made here
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01sw4/

But I don’t know how much more it would tell you

[CaroleW]

1851 - child Harry Alfred Pettitt b 1847 Birmingham - mmn Hart

1861 - Lucy Pettitt 38 is with son Harry 13 and daughter Lucy 4 in Middlesex - shown as married.  Harry is shown b Birmingham but Lucy Middlesex

Lucy Jane Pettitt b Dec qtr 1856 Islington - mmn Hart

Lucy married Edward Jane Nicholls in 1878 & shows her father as Edwin - civil engineer

[mckha489]

Did he invent a new Plough?

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/158918291?searchTerm=pettitt

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/158920669?searchTerm=pettitt. (Has returned to England)

(fish Guano.  Not any help in this case but incase you haven’t seen it https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19030311.2.24?items_per_page=10&phrase=2&query=Edwin+pettitt&snippet=true)

[Brie]

Thank you for your replies. Edwin certainly had a colourful life. He had a family with Lucy and with Anne. One of his children with Lucy went on to be a successful dramatist and another married a well-known actor. He was also an author himself.

It is interesting that there is a real possibility of a child in Australia. He apparently went abroad following some business failure but that was supposedly later. However, that was also the story given out by his playwright son and it may have helped cover up the fact that Edwin wasn't married to Lucy and that he left her for another woman. Some aspects of his life appear to be glossed over, particularly in his son's obituaries and biographies.

Brie

[Brie]

Oooh thank you. I'll look at these later - have to get supper out now 

He did invent things and your findings look as if he was in Australia for a time. So he could have had a son out there - but what happened to his wife............

[mckha489]

Arrival in Australia 1840?

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01sw5/

[mckha489]

I wonder…

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/158926039?searchTerm=pettitt


1848…her name was Mrs Pettitt not Johnston.  Been in Aust 9 years.
Lived with Mr Pettitt one year. Was married to him in Birmingham
Had been living with a Johnstone since she left her husband

Going by Esther not Sarah but I have seen that interchange of names before.

Anyway…if that is her, then Edwin Augustus is might not be Edwin’s child. 


Found another article which says she is the wife of Henry Pettitt