Traveler as occupation on certificate

[liz-bris]

Thanks Tiggi for those insights.

I guess you saw the birth certificate on ancestry?

I also noted that they seemed to be living in a lodging house in the 1841 census as well, so maybe they were moving around looking for work? Makes it a little harder. I also noted in 1841 census, just a few people down was a William Russell at the same address. Coincidence or connected ~ hard to tell even though probably related.

I may get the Ben death cert from Bideford, but the Mary Russell's are harder to pin down which one to choose as there are a few. The birth cert would be a better bet as you get more information I suppose.  And at least the year of birth is easier to ascertain.

Food for thought!

[liz-bris]

Something else interesting is that I have a Devon marriage listing in 1841 for Charlotte Loosemore but no listing for Benjamin Russell. Makes me wonder - how to find out if the index was misread? 

[tiggi]

Yes I did see it on ancestry
I would suggest getting Ben Russell's death certificate in Bideford to at least rule that one out  you didn;t say what year that was?
I am presuming before 1851 when Charlotte is saying widowed?

Are you also postive that Mary died ?
I know she isn;t with mother in 1851 but at the age of 13 she could be in
service herself although I did look in 1851 No Mary Russell of that BD in Devon

As for Marys birth according to 1841 neither her or father Ben were born in county so Devon is out...
Although Charlotte  was born in Devon according to census

So it would mean if they married  it was elsewhere and Mary was born  somewhere else too as she was born 1839 you would need to look for possible marriage about that time or maybe 1837/8
I have tried FindMyPast site nothing comes up even with just surnames anywhere that matches them

I don;t think the marriage in 1841 is your Charlotte because she is with Ben Russell in 1841 & 1851 with son B Russell

What puzzles me also is that Charlotte Russell is not in 1861 Census in Devon so did she remarry ?

Its possible if Mary died that she  could be also known as Elizabeth
I found a Elizabeth Russell death Barnstaple Devon 1844 Oct/Nov/Dec 10 33
 Barnstaple was where Charlotte & Benjamin were in 1841

[liz-bris]

From free BMD- I have deaths of Mary Ann Russell in St Thomas Sept 1842, and St Thomas Sept 1845, Plymouth 1847 ~~~ as well as Mary Russell in Chard June 1843, St Thomas Dec 1844,  Tiverton June 1845 and another 6 Mary Russell's before 1851. 

So that is impossible to find which one to choose as its a needle in a haystack. You could be right, Mary may have moved to somewhere else working as a servant.

Ben is in London in 1861 as a servant, and he emigrated within a few years after. Maybe his mother has died or remarried?

I just found a marriage of Charlotte Russell in Taunton in Dec 1861, on the free BMD so I will try following that up.  That would mean she married as her married name not her maiden name. Not sure if that was the usual way it worked.

Thanks for your help Tiggi!

[Ruskie]

With a second marriage the woman usually marries in her married name, her status would be "widow" and her maiden name would usually be noted. This can vary though. 

[liz-bris]

Thanks Ruskie.