PICKERING - Coventry. Help required finding birth, marriage and parents

[daval57]

I'm having difficulty in finding birth / marriage of James Pickering born c1851 - 1854 (depending on census result).

I have him in various census after he is married.
There are no obvious relevant census records prior to his marriage that I can be sure of so I THINK I need to find his marriage in the first instance to get his father's name. 
Would that be my correct course of action?  (I'm not used to English research).

What I have so far is:

James Pickering c1853 Coventry
wife: Elizabeth (Wilson?) c1853 Coventry (surname based on mother in law living with them).
children:
Bertha c1876 Coventry 1878 Meriden
Alice c1878 Coventry
George A Coventry
Ada c1881 B'ham
Alfred c1882 B'ham (the line I'm following)
Edith c1887 B'ham
Rose c1888 B'ham
Harry c1889 B'ham
Helen c1890 B'ham
Charles c1892 B'ham

from these census records:
1911 RG14; Piece: 18255  68 St Clements Rd, Dudeston Aston
1901 RG13/2873 178 Thimble Mill Lane Nechells Aston
1891 RG12/2424 11 Nechells Pk Rd Nechells Aston
1881 RG11/3035      do             do             do
1871   4 or 5 possibles but nothing definitive
1861      do              do            do     

Using Ancestry, I can find no obvious marriage
I'm not familiar with how FreeBMD works but searching for James Pickering with Elizabeth Wilson as spouse:

Sep 1874 (likely given birth dates of children although it's in Nth Yorkshire?)
PICKERING    James        Pickering    9d   647    

Sep 1877 (less likely as after birth of !st child but correct area?) ADDED *will look for 1st child birth date to confirm - suppose she could be illegitimate found 1st child - 1878
Pickering    James         Aston    6d   433

Searching for Elizabeth Wilson (with James Pickering as spouse) gives same two results.


Any help or guidance in finding James' birth or marriage, hence parents would be appreciated.
Thank you
Dave


ADDED:  On Ancestry, Does 2 marriages with the same reference, ie, 6d 650, one in the male name and the other in female name, indicate both entries are for the same marriage?

[Blondie1]

Yes if they have the same date and reference I should think its the same

[daval57]

Thanks Val,
That would have been my guess too. 
I was hoping for a definitive answer - I'm now finding conflicting information on FreeBMD and Ancestry.

Oh, and as for my other question - do you think looking for the marriage is the correct way to go, or do I have alternatives to try before forking out for possibly the wrong marriage?

D

[jim1]

Same reference no. only means the marriage was registered on the same day at that particular Reg. office.
The name Wilson may only refer to the mother-in-Law who may have married more than once or Elizabeth may have done so.

jim

[daval57]

Thanks re ref no Jim.
Good points re mother in law / wifes name although I'm fairly sure I have her with parents (double checking).

I'm really not sure how to progress this one to get more info on James.

Dave

[jim1]

You had it all along:
Sept.1877/Aston/6d/433:
Eveniss Mary
Newey Henry
Pickering James
Wilson Elizabeth.
Names on the index are always listed in alphabetical order.

[daval57]

Thanks. Good to know I was on the right track.

Just one more thing. 
I'm probably being dumb but what is / are:
Eveniss Mary
Newey Henry

Dave

[daval57]

Ah, yes. I see now - the previous names. 
Thanks for the help.
Appreciated.

Dave

[julianb]

I think you'll have to fork out for the identified marriage cert.  How's your busking skills?

BTW on English certs, you only get a father's name (if the bridegroom knew who he was) and occupation. Don't get a mother's name.  I'll have a bit more of a look to see if there's anything I can drag up from the depths (if so will let you know).

JULIAN