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Just spoken with my grandmother. She does not have any paper records and does not know what has happened to them. However, she is planning to visit Morton's living child in September who will very likely remember as they know all about the family. She also mentioned that Morton and Sarah eloped, which wasn't revealed until 1970. But I may have to update this thread in September: just wanted to see if there were any leads which I may have missed. The censuses look to be a fantastic start. Thank you so much!

Living in Spennymoor, Whitworth - John Buston a tailor born abt  1837 and wife Mary Vasey Snaith
Looks like she died in 1883

Perhaps Morton is an illegitimate child of one of the older daughters?

Daughter Margaret age 21 single is at home with no occupation in 1891 census. She may have been pregnant.

It was suggested that this could've been the case. Family member recalled hearing a story in passing about someone being raised by their aunt but couldn't remember if it was Morton or someone else.

Wow, you guys are absolutely incredible! Thank you all so much!

Hi Daniel,

If your grandfather remembers that Bobby visited Elsie, it's possible to establish a time frame to search for her death or a possible second marriage. Can you tell us what time frame we're talking about?

He claims Bobby was in his mid-20s (rough guess at 1953-56) and had met his half-brother, but otherwise didn't say much about his visit. He knows very little about Elsie as Robert did not speak of her to my grandfather. He estimates that the divorce was in 1935, citing infidelity and Elsie was pregnant so the 1934 birth registry & 1937/8 re-registry makes a lot of sense.

Richard Brian was with Jane Ann Wiltshire nee Marsh 1921

GRO Index- children
Richard W Brian 1918 reg. Morpeth mother's maiden name Marsh

George W Brian 1919     same

Stephen Brian reg. 1921 Morpeth mother's maiden name Wiltshire (her previous married name not maiden name)

I haven't found a marriage.

Possible other children
William F 1923
Reginald   1924
Kenneth 1926
Stanley 1929.
--------------------------

Jane Ann Marsh married Norris E Wiltshire 1914 reg. Morpeth
daughter Lydia Ann Wiltshire born 1914 mother's maiden name Marsh

Norris E[rnest] Wiltshire was a casualty during the Balkan Theatre either in September 1916 or March 1917. Also haven't been able to find a Jane-Richard marriage, but Jane was born 23 Oct 1896 and listed as 'Wiltshire' on the 1921 census, 'Marsh' on the 1928 electoral roll, but 'Brian' on the 1939 register and on FreeREG for her 1977 death. 1939 register shows "William Fredrick" and Kenneth, as well as 3 closed records, in the same household as Jane and Richard. Lydia was born on 4 Oct 1914 (both birth-dates as per Norris's pension ledger), appears to have married an Ernest Charlton and died in 1977.

For the back burner. Believe Thomas Harris died 1956 aged 51.

1939 register gives Thomas's DOB as 31st May 1904 so that could match! On the register, the son is listed as Thomas Harris Jr., born 22/09/1934 (d. 1982) and there is a closed record. Going off your obituary find, there was a Ronald Harris, mother's maiden name Brian, born in Stoke T. in 1938?

Hey all! Currently looking into my great-grandfather's first wife, Elsie Brian - born 1906 (aged 15 years, 3 months in the 1921 census) in Staffordshire. She relocated to Northumberland and in 1928, she married my great-grandfather Robert Robinson. They had a son Bobby (Robert) in 1930.

That is the last record I can find of Elsie: by the 1939 register, they were divorced (Robert's marital status states this) and Robert and Bobby were living with Robert's mother, grandmother and cousin. Elsie was not living with her mother Mary Ellen and step-father Alexander Wakenshaw (as she was in 1921 with her other siblings). I do not know if her father was still alive, her brothers Stephen, George and Bertie had moved to Australia, she wasn't living with her brother William, and I can't find anything other than birth records for her other siblings: Harry, Phyllis, Hilda, Sarah Ellen, Richard and Joseph.

Robert re-married in 1942 and my grandfather was the result of this marriage. He doesn't believe that he ever met Elsie as he did not know her name until I uncovered it through record searches; he's said that Bobby did visit Elsie but cannot remember where.

Any help/research advice is greatly appreciated!

Quote from: AllanUK on Friday 02 May 25 11:11 BST (UK)

Yesterday, danieir said In the 1851 census, her birth year is given as 1788 (est.) and place as Kyloe, Durham. She is living in "[blank], Northumberland". --- not so, they were living at Lemmington Bank Top --- Lemmington is near to Alnwick.

I love connections :-)
Death Notice , Morpeth Herald 09 Feb 1861, page 8, col 4

Boo

Side-tracking a little from the investigation: confirming details of Mary & Thomas Mole's children and notice you're the transcriber for the FreeREG records! So helpful, thank you! 

Also noticed more christening records for 1835-1841. Parents are Thomas Mole and Mary, church is the same that the prior Eglingham christenings took place. Although Mary Grey/Mole would've been about 52 at the latter point