HANLON in Shropshire

[The Engineer]

Hi everybody!

I'm hoping someone may be able to help here!  My Gran was Ethel Mary HANLOW born 3rd March 1904 in Condover, Shropshire.  Her father is unknown, blank on her birth certificate. 

But I am trying to find details on Mr Hanlow!  My great-grandmother was Sarah Ann REYNOLDS born in Mainstone, Bishop's Castle, Shropshire on 20th June 1878.  At some point before 1904 she married a Mr HANLOW - that's all I know!!  The marriage did not last for whatever reason - we think Mr Hanlow died - and she remarried Pryce ROBERTS about 1910.

Can anybody help me to find the marriage for these two people, or has anyone any information on a HANLOW family around this time?  I have searched the 1901 census for Sarah as REYNOLDS and HANLOW without result, although I have her and her family on the 1881 census.

Any help or tips anyone can offer - please - would be most appreciated.  I am still quite amateur at this game,but willing to learn!!

Garry Brookes - Preston, Lancashire (UK)

[Tati]

Hi Garry,

This seems very mysterious and I'm not sure I'll be able to help. Was your gran at Hanlow at birth?
I can't see her birth registered on FreeBMD http://freebmd.rootsweb.com although they give the birth coverage for the years 1890-1909 as 100% (marriages for the same time frame are also there at nearly 100%, except 1906)
 
Often, when no father is stated on a birth certificate, it's because the child was born illegitimately. Does it say Sarah Ann Hanlow formerly Reynolds on the birth certificate?   

Do you have Sarah Ann's 2nd marriage certificate stating she was a widow?

I can't find Sarah Ann in 1881 straight away. Would you mind posting the reference or the details for her family? I'll have another look in 1891 and 1901.

Tanja 

[The Engineer]

Hi Tanja,

I only have a certified copy of her birth certificate, hand-written in 1963,  Looking at it again - because of the joined-up hand-writing it is not clear if it is HANLOW or HANLON on her surname.

I have a full copy of Ethel's marriage certificate to my grandfather, George Albert Gittins at Cockshutt on 31st December 1925.  But here she is called Ethel Mary ROBERTS and her father is shown as Price (sic) Roberts, her-step-father.

Appreciate your looking for me!!!

Best Wishes,
Garry Brookes - Preston, lancashire (UK)

[Tati]

Indeed she is down as Hanlon. Did she have a sister Gladys Nora R born 1906?
I'm very confused about her father not being on the certificate if the parents were married (although those things do happen sometimes, of course). What does it say exactly regarding the mother's name?

Sorry, I can't see a likely candidate for the father in Atcham registration district (or elsewhere, in fact) on FreeBMD or on the 1901 census. There's a Felix Hanlon marrying in 1907.
There was also Henry Dean Hanlon born 1878 but he's married to somebody else in 1901.

I'm not much help  Hope somebody else comes up with a bright idea...

Tanja
     

[The Engineer]

Hello Tanja,

again,  I must say thanks for the research you have done for me!  Yes, my Gran did have a sister called Nora, this must be the one.   She was certainly younger.  there was an even younger sister called Ivy Roberts, her father was Pryce Roberts after they had married (we think!).

I seem to have got into trouble here with family recollections (Oh, my aged Aunts!!) not being quite the "whole" truth!!.  I have just applied for a full copy of Ethel's birth certificate and we will see what that says.

As Ethel has seemingly changed her surname before her marriage from HANLON to ROBERTS - to match her mother's new name - does this mean that Ethel has had her name officially changed??  Anyone have an opinion??

Now looking at IGI, I find that a Sarah Ann REYNOLDS married an Albert Ashley HANLON at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in June quarter of 1903.  Newcastle is not that far from Shrewsbury, so is possible??

Looking in the 1901 census, I find only two names of Albert HANLON - one is in Montgomeryshire at Berriew, not far from Shrewsbury, and the other is in London, a fitter's mate.  Now the one in Montgomeryshire is shown as a "Commission Agent" , and he is living with his wife Mary at his father-in-law's (John ASHLEY) cottage - note the ASHLEY in the name in the Newcastle marriage!!

So, perhaps his young wife Mary died, and he met and married Sarah Ann REYNOLDS soon after??  The lack of any other marriages for Sarah Ann REYNOLDS seems to support this.

What I think I'll do now is wait for my Gran's - Ethel Mary HANLON - birth certificate to arrive and then from that decide if I need to go for that wedding certificate.

I am sure this is a case of the truth being far more complex than the story which was known and told to relatives later....

Again, thanks for your research and inspiration Tanja - I am hoping that I am getting there now....

Best Wishes,
Garry Brookes - Preston, Lancashire (UK)

[Tati]

  You really didn't need me to solve this!

If Newcastle upon Tyne is anywhere near Shropshire, then this would indeed be a good bet.

I see he is registered under 3 different names too: surname HANLON, ASHLEY HANLON and ASHLY HANLON. And he definitely looks like the Montgomeryshire chap. Great news indeed.
As for Ethel's surname, I don't think she would have needed to be officially adopted to use it.

Tanja     

Wondering now  about the Montgomery Albert - I see it's his father in law and not stepfather who was named Ashley. Would he really have taken on the surname of his 1st wife when remarrying? 

 

[The Engineer]

Hi Tanja!!

well, you are too modest!  I am sure you have helped me a lot today, it sometimes needs someone else's views and opinions to get the old gray matter into the proper gear! 

But now its a case of seeing what the certificates actually say.  When I get the birth certificate for Ethel Mary HANLON I will post up what I find.  As for exactly who Mr HANLON who married my great grandmother Sarah Ann REYNOLDS really was, I am sure we will get there eventually. 

Would Albert HANLON have taken on his wife's surname as a middle name when getting remarried?  It sounds too good to be true, we chaps are not usually THAT sentimental.

But if anyone can find me another marriage for Sarah Ann Reynolds to any HANLON around this time I'd really appreciate the lead!

best Wishes,
Garry Brookes - Preston, Lancashire (UK)

p.s. I didn't mean to say Newcastle-upon-Tyne is close to Shrewsbury, I was thinking Newcastle-under-Lyme (Doh!!)

[Tati]

I'd believe anything about English geography - I had never ever heard about Dudley before I discovered 2 years ago I had a grandfather from there 

Can't wait for your certificate to arrive.

Tanja 

Was thinking he might be down as Albert Ashley on the census... no evident match either, unfortunately.
 

[The Engineer]

Hi Tanja!! 

well, the full birth certificate for my Gran arrived today.  She's shown as born 3rd March 1904 as we knew.  But the actual place of birth is The Workhouse at Berrington, Shropshire.  It does show that the father was one Albert HANLON, a photographer, and her mother Sarah HALON (formerly REYNOLDS) of St Mary.  The informant was the mother.

Now it does show we have an Albert HANLON as my great grandfather, puts even more likelihood that the Albert Ashley HANLON to Sarah Anne REYNOLDS marriage at Newcastle-upon-Tyne is the correct one, even though its miles away from where she lived.  I can only imagine that they may have eloped!! 

Whatever, if Sarah was in the workhouse, they must have fallen on hard times.  Where was Albert, why didn't he register the birth??

So I will now go for the wedding certificate and see if this is the right one.  I am still puzzled by whether this is the Albert HANLON married to Mary ASHLEY in 1901 - if so, what happened to Mary??

The mystery is revealed, and the mystery deepens....

Best Wishes,
Garry Brookes - Preston, Lancashire