Lost some parents! Brettwood in Rye

[MaryA]

But what about the anomolies in the marriage index?

I think it's definitely going to be down to a birth cert!

[hilsbee]

Good Lord! What an amazing amount of information - I thought I had tried all possible combinations of names (including just Wood) on LDS and census and I did try ploughing through all the different pages of the Rye census. I must have been doing it wrong!

Having a quick look at some of that info - I have a verbal anecdote that they came from Whitstable and one of the witnesses on the marriage certificate had a last name of Care - so it looks like this is the right track.

Wow - now off to plough through all of this.

What can I say apart from thank you so much -  and I do hope the dinner got cooked eventually

[hilsbee]

This is overwhelming - I can't see why I couldn't find a James Wood in Rye - and believe me I looked several times 

I've sent off for Mary Jane's birth certificate but I'm pretty sure you are all on the right track - her eldest daughter was an Eliza. And the Care family definitely ties in with the witness at her marriage.

Once again, thank you so much - it looks like you had a bit of fun doing that, but I really appreciate your enthusiasm 

[MaryA]

It's always fun when you find a tiny clue and can run with it and unravel a few knots 

Please let us know when you get the cert and see if the hunches are right.

[hilsbee]

I've just got back some certificates and you did ask about them!!

Mary Jane Wood born in 1857 shows parents James Wood and Eliza Wood formerly Care, living at the Strand Rye which fits in with the 1861 census.

Mary Jane's marriage certificate shows surname Brettwood and a witness with the name of Care

The birth certificate of MJ's daughter (my grandmother) shows the mother's maiden name as Wood, not Brettwood.

Marriage certificate of James Henry Wood shows him married to Eliza Ann Care. Now interestingly, James has not father listed which I assume means he is illegitimate.

Now that might explain the difference in surname - maybe Wood was his mother's name and maybe his father was called Brett so he added it to his name at some point - could be his mother's deathbed confession 

I don't know, but it now opens up a fascinating line of enquiry - so thanks again for getting me started on this.

Hils

[MaryA]

Your certificates seem to have turned out well - all except the one without his father's name on it, you are possibly right on this point, it usually indicates illegitimacy!   Interesting thought about a deathbed confession 

Thanks for bringing us up to date with it, it's nice to hear the confirmation of the census research since that can never be conclusive without the certs.
 

[Little Else]

1861 does have Military Road, Playden, Sussex
James Care Head Mar 64 Ag Lab Kent Rolvenden
Mary Wife Mar 64 Sussex Rye
John G (although it was transcribed as a J it reads G) Son Mar 43 Ag Lab " "
RG9; Piece: 557; Folio: 146; Page: 1

I'm assuming Mercy is being badly written and rewritten as Mary, definitely Mercy in 1851.

The 'G' in 'John G Care' stands for Goble - he was my g,g,g grandfather

Mercy was Mercy Clark of Rye I believe

Regards Kirsty

[Eyesee]

From the Sussex Marriage Index
Rye, East Sussex, 17 Feb 1817
James CARE
Mercy CLARK
 
Ian C

[heirhunter]

The mystery of the Brettwoods lies with my great great grandfather who was born in Rye in 1853 and was the brother of Mary bn 1857 and Sarah 1848. He was born William
Henry Brett Wood and ran away to sea when he was 12. My granny, Dorothy Brettwood Chicken told us that when he went aboard ship and was asked his name they wrote it as William Henry Brettwood. This seems to be confirmed as on the 1871 census he was at sea and recorded as william Brettwood. There are no other Brettwoods prior to 1871. When he came back from sea he kept the name and his sons carried the name on. He settled in Seaham harbour near Durham married and had 9 children.
I can only think that his sister liked the name Brettwood and decided she would also become a Brettwood. Their parents were James Henry Brett Wood and Eliza Care.
I can only think that the error occurred as it was quite unusual to have two middle names and certainly in my family tree these are the only two with two middle names
Hope this information is useful
Barbara