The mystery of Annie Badger

[Vicki Morley]

I noticed she married in the name Polly Johnson. What does she give as her fathers name on the marriage certificate?

Willow x

John Johnson, not very imaginative of her!

The marriage of Harry Campion and Polly Johnson and the banns are in the Brecknockshire parish records on Family Search and indicates that the actual images are available on Find My Past.

William

Yes I saw them, I bought some credits and have a copy of it.  Originally I thought she was Polly Johnson so started tracing back her via her father John.  Im glad I didnt go too far!

There's an Ann Badger born Wolverhampton in Sep 1886. 

What about the little boy George Henry born in 1908 - would his birth certificate give any clues?

I have my grandad's certificate (George's brother), so I wasnt sure whether that would have more information?  But its worth £9 to find out I guess. 

As for proof of Annie and Polly being the same person, I can only go by Harry's war record.  Yes, its definitely an interesting read.  I was quite stunned when I saw it.

Its quite interesting, because as the story goes, my grandad married a lady in Birmingham and came back from WW2 to find she had given birth to a child very clearly not grandads.  He left her, moved to Suffolk (no idea how or why) and met my nan and had mum in 1946, but didnt marry nan til 1948. 

My family history is quite dull from there on in!

Thanks for all the replies. 

I guess that Walsall/Wolverhampton are fairly interchangeable when it comes to older records?  I dont know the area (Im Leicester), so I wasnt sure.  The two Anns that Ciderdrinker has found, is there any way of positively tieing them to my family?  I cant think of a way to check for certain.

[Vicki Morley]

Ive just read Ciderdrinker's post properly now, but I think my question remains.  How do I tie Ann of Thomas and Mary to me?

[Willow 4873]

The marriage of Harry Campion and Polly Johnson and the banns are in the Brecknockshire parish records on Family Search and indicates that the actual images are available on Find My Past.

William

Not much help if you dont subscribe to FindMyPast 

I'm wondering if she gave her actual fathers first name so it might be worth searching for a John Badger

Willow x

[avm228]

Ive just read Ciderdrinker's post properly now, but I think my question remains.  How do I tie Ann of Thomas and Mary to me?

It may be that you can eliminate her by tracing her forwards from the 1891 census (in which she's with her family aged 2, as we've seen) and finding her death or marriage etc. Her parents are still in Wood End in 1901, but she's not with them. 

One thing which concerns me about her is that Thomas seems to die in 1903.  In the letter on the Army file from Annie Campion explaining the "Polly" situation she said she had lied about her name on entering the workhouse because she feared her "parents" would be contacted. Would she have said that if her father was dead?

She's also a bit young to be your Annie; based on Polly Johnson's age at marriage and Annie Campion's age in 1911 she ought to have been born in 1886-7 rather than later. 

[avm228]

Incidentally the timings are a bit odd.

According to one of the statements Harry and Annie had met in 1906 and when he was invalided and returned to Hay  "in the early part of 1907" he found Annie, now called Polly Johnson, had had a child by him and was in the workhouse.

In fact the first child we see of theirs, George Henry, was born on 21 December 1907 in Worcester.

[Milliepede]

Yes I suggested the birth certificate for that child specifically because he was born before she married Mr Campion.  He may well have been his child but what was on the birth certificate.

Are there any other little Badgers born before him this workhouse child 

[Willow 4873]

When did Annie die? and you dont happen to have her date of birth do you?

Willow x

[Vicki Morley]

No idea when or where to be honest.  I can ask mum to ask grandad if he can remember when he lost his mother. 

As for George's birth certificate, yes that would be quite interesting as they werent married.  I will get that ordered.

I had noticed about the timings, and really am not sure what to make of it.

[avm228]

Harry seems to have died in Hay in 1960, but I can't easily see an obvious remarriage or death for Annie.