Age Difference

[Alfred Smith]

I have been tracking down the marriage certificate for my Great Grandparents James Williams and Elizabeth Phillips.
James Williams born in Withington Herefordshire
Elizabeth Phillips born in Weston Beggard Herefordshire

The information I have gathered I know to be correct which shows their age difference to be about 5 or 6 years. See below.

James Williams
1950 death certificate aged 82 born about 1868
1911 census aged 43 born about 1868
1901 census aged 34 born about 1867
1891 census aged 24 born about 1867

Elizabeth Phillips
1936 death certificate and funeral report aged 74 born about 1862
1911 aged 50 born about 1861
1901 census aged 39 born about 1862
1991 census aged 29 born about 1862

However I have just received what I thought to be their marriage certificate and find that James was 24 and Elizabeth 26

This is the only marriage that I can find for a James Williams and Elizabeth Phillips in Herefordshire that fits and am now unsure if this is the correct one.

Would be grateful for any feedback that might explain whether Elizabeth was older or James younger than stated on the marriage certificate.

Don’t know if this was a factor but if the marriage certificate is the correct one they moved to Blaina in Monmouthshire straight after the wedding where Elizabeth gave birth to a son about 3 weeks latter.

Apologies for such a long post but wanted to give you all the information.

Many thanks

Alfred

[Marmalady]

One or other of them could have lied about their age either on marriage or on the censuses

What date was the wedding?

Have you found possible births for either of them matching either of the dates?
Have you found them on censuses prior to their marriage?

Have you looked further afield for a marriage --maybe in Monmouthshire if that is where Elizabeth gave birth ?

[Alfred Smith]

The marriage was 31st January 1891 at The Register Office in the district of Hereford

I have  checked the Monmouthshire records but can’t find them

Trying to find their births is still work in progress. There’s a lot of James Williams and Elizabeth Phillips in Herefordshire at that time. Several possibilities.

Cheers
Alfred

[stanley1]

Hello!

After reading your post I had a brief look and found the following:

James Williams marriage to Elizabeth Phillips @ Hereford, Herefordshire in 1891

Qtr: Jan - Feb - Mar
Registration District: Hereford
County: Herefordshire
Volume: 6a
Page: 770
Their first son was born in 1891.

Hope this helps!

Gaynor

[Pejic]

1861 marriage with birth dates in 1861 to 1868?  Am I missing something?

[trish1120]

What are there Fathers names/occp's from the 1891 M/C?


Trish

[trish1120]

Christening;
James WILLIAMS, 26 April 1868, Withington, Hereford
Parents HENRY/ELIZABETH

1871 with Parents in Withington, 1881 with Father and Siblings. Henry is Widowed.

Christening;
Elizabeth Sarah PHILLIPS, 30 December 1860, West Beggard, Hereford
Parents JOHN/MARY

1901 Census Elizabeth is 5yrs older than James.
Looks to me that she is the Daug of JOHN/MARY Phillips born c 1861 Weston Beggard.
Johns Occp is a Labourer in 1871, 1861 Elizabeth Sarah Philips is 6mths old.


Trish

[Alfred Smith]

Thank you all very much.

Apologies to Pejic marriage should have been 1891 and not 1861 as in my post.

Gaynor that’s the marriage certificate that I purchased with the conflicting ages on. It’s the only one I can find that’s fits.

Trish the information that you have posted for James and Elizabeth were top of my list of contenders.

I forget to tell you that James father was Henry and Elizabeth’s father was John if the marriage certificate is the right one.
The information you have provided fits perfectly with that. I am now convinced that this is James and his family.

The problem I had accepting that this was the Elizabeth I was looking for was her middle name (Sarah), as this has not been entered on her Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate, Birth Certificates I have for her children or any other information I have for her. Do you know if this would be the norm?

Still unsure why the ages should be wrong on the Marriage Certificate.

The Christening of James Williams and Elizabeth Philliap is a real bonus for me thanks very much.

Cheers

Alfred