I am not sure if my questions are within the "Roots Chat" remit, but here goes.
I am not trying to FIND a person. Rather I am trying to find out WHO - or WHAT they were.
From previous posts we know that Christina PHIPPS (mother MARY) was born at CLENT in 1828.
When she married Henry GRIFFIN in march 1849 she was CHRISTIANA PHIPS. I know of two of their children, WILLIAM HENRY, born 1849, Clent and Sarah, born 1851, Clent.
As indicated in previous posts CHRISTINA, throughout the period 1849 until the death of her husband Henry in 1891, is continually changing her name in census records. Names she uses are Hannah, Roseanna, Christina, Christiana and so on. Only after Henry died did she revert back to the Christina title.
It was if she was trying to hide - but from whom? From what?
We also know from the census documents, and lack of other evidence, that WILLIAM never married. I do not have the names of Christina's other children (other than Sarah) but I believe there were other siblings, and I would be very interested to find out who they were, and if ANY of the children married.
I do know that "Baggies" in his post "Trying to find a Father" says he is a GGG Grandson of Christina - but was that from an illegitimate birth from another of Christina's children?
I ask this because I am a great grandson of Harriet Pardoe, who lived in "Hartle Lane" Belbroughton, and who had seven illegitimate children, one being my Grandmother Louisa. I also believe, from circumstantial, but very pointed evidence that William GRIFFIN was the father of her seven children. William lived with his mother, very close to where Harriet Pardoe lived with her mother.
Now you have the background, my questions are these.
Why would a woman continually try to hide by changing her name whilst she was married? And why would a man and woman, who love each other enough to have seven children over a 22 year period not marry?
Did ANY of William's siblings marry?
Was the reason for not marrying to do with RELIGION, or ETHNICITY?
Mary PHIPPS had an illegitimate child - Christina - and it appears that Mary never married.
Christina was pregnant with WILLIAM, but did marry Henry GRIFFIN in 1849, but then spent the next 40 years changing her name at every census - trying to hide??
William, Christina's son - had seven illegitimate children - I believe with Harriet PARDOE.
Something, or someone was strong enough to prevent the marriage, but not strong enough to kill their feelings for each other.
I have rambled on, I know.
But - is there anyone who can cast any light on the enigma?
