Charles Franks (born 1839 in Wolverhampton) and wife Martha (born 1850, Crayford

[Milliepede]

Thanks I see it now.  Difficult to read isn't it.

1851 Chatham there is a Martha Watson b Chatham 2 months old with mother Caroline Watson 25 (23?)
Caroline is a soldiers wife and the husband is missing so we don't know if George or not.
Caroline is born Warwickshire.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

I suspect Charles and Martha did not marry this looks to be him with a different wife in 1861 in Liverpool

Thomas Sutton    35
Eliza Sutton    22
Charles Franks    22 - b Wolverhampton, basket maker, married [boarder]
Sarah Franks    18 - b Wolverhampton, married [boarder]
Mary Marsh    22
   
RG 9 /  2695 / 35 / 5

[ERT]

Martha was also listed as a widow on her second marriage, which implies she was married before, but I can't find any evidence of her first 'marriage' either.

I don't have a date of death for Charles Franks her first husband and the last information I have is the 1881 census.

Her daughter Elizabeth Ann had a lot of children and one of them has an interesting middle name of Margesson - might be an old surname.

[KGarrad]

I suspect Charles and Martha did not marry this looks to be him with a different wife in 1861 in Liverpool

Thomas Sutton    35
Eliza Sutton    22
Charles Franks    22 - b Wolverhampton, basket maker, married [boarder]
Sarah Franks    18 - b Wolverhampton, married [boarder]
Mary Marsh    22
   
RG 9 /  2695 / 35 / 5

Be careful!
The census doesn't say they are married to each other!
It's an easy assumption to make, and you'd br right 99% of the time, but . . . . !!

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Her daughter Elizabeth Ann had a lot of children and one of them has an interesting middle name of Margesson - might be an old surname.

Interesting - I just came across a Charles Franks b Wolverhampton in 1860, with his grandmother Jemima Magness and mother Eliza Franks - she seems to have married a Charles Franks in Dudley district in 1860!  As there was also a Sarah in this marriage quartet, thought it might be Charles and Sarah, but maybe not.

[ERT]

I couldn't find Margesson on the Franks side, so will have look at that. I was assuming it might be on the Watson line, possibly George's wife, or perhaps Elizabeth Ann just liked inventing interesting middle names.

I'll investigate the missing soldier as it might explain why a girl from Kent met a basket maker from Wolverhampton.

[casalguidi]

Martha dau of Robert and Caroline WATSON baptised Brompton (Chatham) Garrison church 7 Feb 1851 of Chatham, private in the 12th regiment see http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/ and follow the link to online parish registers in the left hand menu.

Casalguidi

[MaureeninNY]

Glad you found the marriage of Martha to Walter SOUTHGATE! Your eyes are a lot better than mine!

I think this is probably their deaths:
Dec Qtr 1882 Holborn
Franks Charles  age 44

Mar Qtr 1892 Holborn
Southgate  Martha  age 41

Walter and Martha are on the 1891 along with son Charles and 2 others.

Maureen

[MaureeninNY]

Interesting-there's a marriage Dec Qtr 1849 Medway for a George John Margesson WATSON.

Also-I think perhaps the Martha Watson born Medway 1851 may have died later that year.
Maureen