This character (1866 Wellesbourne -1917) is not my relative, but he did marry a fairly distant cousin of mine, she died childless, so I thought no more about it. Then I got a message on GR from David who told me of three more marriages - two found from census records, the third his relative he'd researched. Then I found a fifth that seemed to be his. Look up Frederick George Hirons on FreeBMD and you find only two births in the relevant period, but 7 marriages 1890-1909, including 6 in a decade and 6 in mid-Warwickshire.
It turns out that the 1899 West Brom one (to Eliz. Woodhall) is of an unregistered Fred Geo, and the Stratford (Claverdon) 1909 one to Ellen Jeffs is the man born 1880 Northants - both confirmed by censuses and the latter by WarwickshireBMDs on A****y (he a bachelor right age). But the other five all in Warwick or Coventry point to our man, three confirmed by censuses, the other by her relative. Here's the lowdown
wed Hannah Cox 1890 Warwick, died 1899 Warwick, no issue, confirmed 1891 census
wed Emma Rose Loveridge 1899 Warwick, she died 1903, Frederick Wm 1901, on 1901 census
wed Flora Jane Lancet 1903 Warwick, she died 1904, confirmed by relative
wed Matilda Mowe 15/11/1904 Coventry St Mark, she d 1905 Warwick, confirmed marriage record
wed Ellen White 1906 Coventry, confirmed on 1911 census, children of this marriage
I'd hoped to find corroboration of some of this on Warwickshire BMDs but I was disappointed. It seems Fred didn't baptise any of his 4 known children, didn't inter any of his dead wives in a churchyard, married 4 times in registry offices - some of these records could be missing, but all? Warwick town records are pretty good.
The one exception, St Mark's 15/11/1905 to Matilda Mowe, describes him as Dealer, 37, so it has to be him (Pedlar on censuses, though I can't find him 1881 or 1891). Blank space for father. I assume she is the mother of Kathleen Matilda Hirons b 1905 Warwick (found on the 1911 as Catherine Matilda) she died the quarter her child was born. Death in childbirth was a common cause of death, even this late (a contemporary of his had this happen twice) but four times? There are no childbirths around the death quarters of the others.
I was beginning to think we had a serial killer on our hands, but surely he was just unlucky? I've found it was common for widowers with children to remarry quickly, unless there was another female relative to help - he just did this over and again. He did marry some vulnerable women - Flora Lancett was an orphan from Gloucs, a servant in Shipston in 1891, but in an institution in Alvechurch "feeble-minded" in 1901. Rose Loveridge was quite young at her marriage. Ellen White (identified from her Manchester birthplace) was in Coventry workhouse in 1901, single with twins William and Annie 1 month, of whom only Annie was alive in 1911 (a household with 5 children from 4 marriages!). But she survived Fred.
I messaged the owners of the Maw website who have Matilda Mowe:
http://www.family-maw.co.uk/GEDmill/indiI32813.html but so far no reply.
There are people out there who may like to know - the euphonious Lloyd George Hirons died aged 9, and David was never registered , but Frederick William and Kathleen Matilda seem to have married and had children.
So what do expert Rootschatters think? Unlucky widower or dodgy character? I've found nothing untoward in old newspapers - that Hinckley tramp is just too far away - and no, I'm not going to fork out £100 odd for certs re someone who's not even a relative. Just opinions please.
Chris
