Banns or Wedding entry for Henry Muckaway/Caroline Sayer - High Halden

[DavidTaylor]

Hello.. I am trying to piece together my McQuire family history.. It seems a possibility that at some point, Henry McQuire was known as Henry Muckaway... Whether he didn't like the surname Muckaway or its just a bad translation of McQuire (which is now seeming unlikely because its spelled Mackaway on his baptism and Muckaway on the wedding)

spouse:   Caroline Spinster Sayer
groom's name:   Henry Bachelor Muckaway
bride's name:   Caroline Spinster Sayer
marriage date:   15 Aug 1840
marriage place:   Halden, Kent, England
indexing project (batch) number:   I00876-6
system origin:   England-EASy
source film number:   1786506

If anyone has access to any information or certificates and tell me the name of Henrys father or any info on the wedding that would be great. Also if you have access to any census after 1841 ( I have the 1841 info on another post) that the family may be on?

Lastly, does anyone know if surnames had to be legally changed in the 1800s? If so, would there be a record of a possible name change from Muckaway to McQuire

[DavidTaylor]

It seems by this link from familysearch.. there were 3 boys at least born to Elizabeth... No father is mentioned for any of them... Oversight or woman of ill repute??!!

https://familysearch.org/search/records/index#count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Am*ckaway%20%2Bmother_givenname%3Aeliz*%20%2Bbatch_number%3AI00876-6

Anyway, hopefully a wedding certificate of one of them will shed further light on what's going on here..

[redtonyt]

I have a transcription of the marriage details and Henry was of Full Age and a Labourer of High Halden, but there is a blank space for his father's name.

Sorry I cannot be more helpful. 

Tony

[trish1120]

Elizabeth was Chr. 20 June 1797, High Halden to RICHD/MARY
(Familysearch.Org)

FreeREG has Richards Marriage to Mary POUNE 11 March 1791, St Mary the Virgin, High Halden

Possible Marriage for Elizabeth MUCKAWAY, St Mildred, Tenterden to John VELVICK,  16 May 1828

1851 Census Elizabeth VELVICK is born c 1798 Halden, Kent. Husband John is much older c 1775 Hawkhusrt, Kent.
They are living in Etchingham, Sussex
1841 they are under Velvet

Trish

[trish1120]

1871 Census
6 Poonah Place,
Tunbridge Wells, Kent
RG10/927/145/23
Caroline McQUIRE, 52, Head, Widow, born East Kent, Warehorne
Catherine McQuire, 20, Daug, Unm, Mantle Maker, born London, England
Albert H McQuire, 7, Son, born London

1861 Census
13 Grafton Place,
St Pancras, Middlesex
RG9/110/1/5
Henry McQUIRE, 48, Head, Mar, Cab Owner, born High Halden, Kent
Carolaine, 42, Wife, Mar, born Whareharr, Kent
George, 15, Son, born High Halden, Kent
Catherine H, 10, born Clerkenwell, Middlesex

[trish1120]

Hi Tony,
Are there Witnesses on the Marriage Transcription?

[trish1120]

1851 Census
Clerkenwell, Middlesex
HO107/1516/235/46
Henry McGUIRE, 38, Head, Mar, Porter, born Halden, Kent
Caroline, 32, Wife, Mar, born Whareham, Kent
Ann M, 7, Daug, born Halden, Kent
George, 5, Son, born Halden, Kent
Catherine, 3mths, Daug, born Clerkenwell, Middlesex

[DavidTaylor]

WOW this is all great. Thanks Tony and Trish...

Tony, do the other 2 Muckaways, George and William also show no father on their certificates?

Now, the mystery is how they went from Muckaway,,, which obviously isn't a misspelling since I've seen it over multiple generations.. to McQuire. Which stands until today.. I can't believe Henry just pulled that name out of a hat.. Did name changes have to be done legally in those days?

[DavidTaylor]

Apparently Richard and Mary weren't very good parents. Besides Elizabeth and her illegitimate children, she had a sister Mary Ann who ALSO had illegitimate children... Apparently there is something called  "Bastardy papers" is which Mary Ann got money from the alledged father. Maybe there is something for Elizabeth as well... Also saw something saying the name at one time was MacAway.. Still not sure how Henry came up with McQuire..  :-(