A bit of a mystery - Any ideas?

[Darcy2016]

Hello,

I've been trying to figure out some of the events in one of my relatives' lives and I've come to a confusing finding.  I know no one can say for sure what happened, but I figured someone might have fresh perspective on it  or may have come across a similar finding in their research, so any ideas much appreciated!!  Sorry it's a bit long! 

Here's a bit of a timeline:

1851 Census:  Brothers John Binney Curner (approx 1843) and William Bate Curner (1846) are both living at home with their parents in Beer Ferris, Devon

1868 :  "John Binney Curner", Occupation: Sapper, marries "Margaret Thomas"(approx 1845), Medway (or Chatham)Kent

1871 Census:  No "John and Margaret Curner" found. However there's a "John Binney (mistranscribed as Birmey) working as a Sapper in Aldershot, Hampshire. He is married (but living on the 'base' or whatever it was without his wife).  He lists Plymouth Devon as his birthplace (which isn't too far from Beer Ferris, Devon relatively speaking)

1871 Census:  Margaret Binney (written "Benny") is living with her family with father Thomas Thomas (just as on the marriage certificate). She is married, but no husband living with her.

1871 Census: Wiliam Bate Curner (the brother) is still living with his family in Beer Ferris

1873:   December quarter.  "William Bate Curner" marries "Susannah Williams" in Mile End

1873:  December quarter "William Curner" marries Elizabeth Baigent in Chertsey Surrey

1881: John Curner (written as Kurner) and Elizabeth (from Windlesham Surrey) live in Windlesham Surrey. He is a mason (family occupation)

1881:  William Curner and Susannah Curner live in Deptford, London. He is a mason

So my big question is that John Binney Curner was married to Margaret Thomas in 1868 and also the 1871 Census, but by the 1881 census he was married to Elizabeth Baigent.  The only problem being that  the marriage certificate says that "William Curner" married Elizabeth Baigent.  BUT  "William Bate Curner", the brother, married Susannah Williams that same year, that same quarter.  He could not have also married Elizabeth Baigent.  The 1881 Census also puts John and Elizabeth together and William and Susannah.  There is no William and Elizabeth.  All the birthplaces and ages match up about right and the father's name on the marriage certificate, along with his profession of mason also correct.  Why would the name 'William' be used on the marriage cert.  if it was 'John' marrying her.  His second name wasn't even Wiliam, it was Binney.  Could the official document have been written wrong at the time?  I thought maybe there was another William, but I cant find another William Curner from that area.  I also could not find a death of a Margaret Curner or a Margaret Binney, but also, could not find her living anywhere else on the 1881 census, even under the surname Thomas.  Perhaps I missed it somewhere?

Also, was it common for someone to use their middle name as their last name?  John Binney Curner was listed as John Binney in the 1871 census and his wife Margaret was also using 'Binney' as a last name.


Sorry this so long; I just wanted to give the right details.  Any ideas?  I don't know what to do now.  Thanks!!

Kathy 
Canada

[Clincher]

Hallo: You seem to have a giant headache.
 I get the impression that you are trying to trace a line by coming towards the present rather than going back into the past from the most reliable info you have.
 In my experience the former method is the hardest way to trace a family and the least reliable. For example, you seem content to assume that the Margaret Binney (written Benny) who appears in 1871 census is the same person as the Margaret who married John Binney Curner in 1868. Even though she is with a family whose name tallies with her maiden name (Thomas) and even if the age tallies I wonder if that is a safe assumption on the info you provide..
If you have read so far you are probably thinking what a discouraging so-and-so you've come across here.
But can I finish on an optimistic note. I am not from Devon or Cornwall but I have come across people with possible spelling variants of the name Curner such as Kernow or Curno. Have you searched those variants?
And if you post another message on the Devon  forum say I'm sure there are people who can give you a hand
Good luck

[sillgen]

I think you need to start from square one too.  For instance there is a William Curner in 1871 age 26 b Kenwyn Cornwall.  He has a brother John age 22 and parents Thomas  and Betty.   Presumably they will both have maried?   Very easy to confuse them with yours.
Andrea

[Darcy2016]

Hello,

I'll just add a bit more info (much shorter this time, I promise!  )

I have been working from the present to the past on this one.  My grandmother's father was Harvey Curner who's parents were John Binney Curner and Elizabeth. I'm certain that John Binney Curner was married to an Elizabeth Baigent.  I have Harvey's birth certificate and it has father John Binney Curner and mother Elizabeth Curner nee Baigent listed on it.  So they were definitely together.  That's why it's so weird that the marriage certificate would say William Curner on it.  John and Elizabeth were also together on the 1881 census and had their first child around 1873 (the year of the "William Curner & Elizabeth Baigent " marriage) in Windlesham (which was where the marriage took place).  Everything fits: the father's name, the father's occupation, the groom's age, the location, everything except the first name (a very important part, no doubt !  ).  Their first two children were born in the Windlesham area, where the marriage took place.  I can't find another marriage for a John Curner and Elizabeth Baigent.     Maybe there are some  certificates missing?  Maybe another William Curner who also married an Elizabeth Baigent around that time, in the same place, with same father's name and occupation?  It's just so weird!   Thanks for the ideas! I appreciate it!

Kathy

[Paul E]

Hi

Yes - this could take some puzzling out!

Where were Margaret and her father living in 1871?

Might be worth sending for the mystery marriage cert of William and Elizabeth, to see if the fathers are the same.

best wishes

Paul

[casalguidi]

Hi Kathy

Were these church marriages?  Did John and William sign their names?  If so, you could get copies from the original parish registers and compare signatures/check all the other details.

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[Clincher]

Hallo again, Sorry if you already know about this site but if you Google 'Baigent' one of the hits will take you to www.genforum.genealogy.com/baigent/messages/2.html  and it looks very promising. I started near the bottom of the list and one of the messages mentions Windlesham too - and other places in Surrey.

[Eking]

I'd go with what Casalguidi says - try and get a copy of the marriage entry from the parish register.

Maybe William was a witness.

I have a marriage certificate ( original copy with penny stamp) where it says one of the witnesses names was Dorothy.   Yet when I check the parish register it says the witness first name was Deborah  ( which is actually the correct name)

[Darcy2016]

Hello!

Thanks for all the great ideas and the weblink!  Much appreciated!  I'll look into them.

Kathy