The story behind Harriet Skelcey marrying Ernest Eden in 1908 and then Henry Bolt in 1919 is more complicated than it seems.
FreeBMD gives twins Caroline E and John T Eden Sep 1911 Dorothy May Jun 1912, George Henry Jun 1913, William R Eden Sep 1914, Rose Emily Eden Mar 1916 and Mabel Violet Eden Sep 1917. So far, so predictable. We thought Ernest Eden may have died in the Great War.
However, Carol found these christenings at St Mary's, Leamington. Dorothy May born 19 Apr 1912, chris. 10 july 1912. she died in 1916 age 4. George Henry born 13 jun 1913 chris 5 oct 1913. Rose Emily born 28 feb 1916 chr 25 sep 1916 died sep qu 1916. Mabel Violet born 10 aug 1917 chr 7 oct 1917. all to Henry and Eva BOLT!! I wonder if using her middle name was another part of the disguise.
Carol didn't find the christenings of the twins John and Caroline Eden, but when looking up FreeBMD I found that in Sept quarter 1911 they are registered both as Eden and as Bolt! It's too much of a coincidence to be anyone else, and anyway John T Bolt was given the mother's maiden name Eden, whereas for Caroline E it was Skelcey!
In any case, if next daughter Dorothy May was born in April 1912, these two must be rather late registrations. It seems that they used Bolt at the baptisms for the sake of propriety, but for the registrar they were obliged to tell the truth. Almost a decade of living a lie!
No sign of Ernest Eden after that - no death nor in the war records, there are some but with wrong middle name and too young. I heard that a Bolt died in World War Two, but I don't know if it was one of these children renamed, or a child of their marriage.
Chris
