Married as a Spinster twice - How? my theory

[majm]

NSW ER 1903 ILLAWARRA polling at Berry
George Henry DAVIS, of Berry, fettler

The George Henry DAVIS of Marrickville who died 6 July 1945 probate granted 28 Aug 1945 valued at  £130 was a Retired Fettler.

NSW BDM online index has his mother as Mary,   #18215 registered Marrickville, 1945.

NSW SRO has a Deceased Estate file for a G H DAVIS of Forest Lodge, death 10 April 1903. 
Could this be for a George DAVIS,  NSW BDM # #4937 registered Sydney?  or a George DAVIS NSW BDM # 5288 registered Berry?

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/101693984 Kiama Independent, and Shoalhaven Advertiser 17 April 1903   ....  George Davis a Ferryman, brother of an Alderman.

So it seems there's perhaps two chaps, both named George DAVIS who died in NSW perhaps on same day as  each other.   One at Forest Lodge, and one at Berry.    (Good Friday was 10 April 1903 as per notices for Church services at Trove)

Cheers,  JM

[meggles]

First Marriage: George and MinnieDate: 26.Feb. 1907
Where: the Methodist Parsonage Forest Lodge
Religion: Methodist
Groom: George Davis
Bachelor
Where Born: Nowra
Occupation: Farmer
Age: 28
Current Residents: Balmain
Father: George Davis (deceased)
Mother: Mary Carmody
Fathers occupation: Publican
Bride: Minnie Croft
Spinster
Where Born: Singleton NSW
occupation: Private Life
age: 24
current residents: Forest Lodge
Father: Charles croft (deceased)
Mother: Elizabeth Russell
fatehrs occupation: iron Mouger
Wit: Bertram Collier and Elizth Collier
Minister: J.Wl Collier

Second Marriage - George and Jessie
Date: 30.10.1907
Where: St Luke's church Berry
Religion: Church of England
Groom: George Henry Davis
Bacholer
Where born: Shoalhaven, nsw
Occupation: labourer
age: 28
usual Residents: Harley Hill, Berry
Father: George Henry Davis (Deceased)
mother: Mary Carmody
Fathers occupation: Hotel Keeper
Bride: Jessie May Chamberlain
Spinster
Where born: Shoalhaven
Occupation: Domestic Duties
Age: 22
Usual REsidents: Harley Hill, Berry
Father: Richard Chamberlain
Mother: Charlotte Burgess
Fathers Occupation: Tanner
Witnesses: Richard John Mathers and Henry Reuben Chamberlain
Minister G.Jeannings.

George Henry Davis's father (G.H Davis senior) was born in Batherust  and then moved to Berry where he spent 38 years running the ferries on Broughton River as well as Bomaderry, he then sold up and moved to Sydney for about 19years where he had hotels.  He then moved back to Berry in his later years where he died and is buried.  In 1903 his sons are also living there - George Henry Davis junior is mentioned as being in the Berry hospital in 1903 (the newspaper report about him being in hospital also mention's his brother James])   
The William Davis you have in the 1903 electrol roll is George junior's brother.
So the family moved from Berry to Sydney and then some come back to Berry.
The George Henry Davis in 1903 is Junior as Senior died earlier in 1903.  George was listed as a Fetler (does repairs on the railway - so likely works away from home alot)

with this information - do you still think I have the wrong guy?  should I still get the original marriages? or should i first see if I can find some annullment paperwork?
advice is kindly received
cheers
Meggles

[majm]

Does the first marriage cert for your lass make ANY comment about it being annulled or void or otherwise ended by a civil court?    I would expect this to be noted at the far left of the NSW BDM cert, or in the notes from an official transcription agent.    The NSW Supreme Court would have needed to determine the validity of that marriage, and its determination would always be added to the registration process at NSW BDM.  It was quite a formal process to add that type of note to the registration, several signatures, court reference numbers, dates and the like.   A great deal of protocol involved.   Were there any children of that first marriage?  (Maintenance orders are included in the NSW SRO's "Divorce" Index.
http://srwww.records.nsw.gov.au/indexes/searchform.aspx?id=16 )

It would be usual for the offended party to seek a formal dissolution of the marriage, and for the NSW Police to be requested to seek a warrant for the arrest of the offender.    In that era, these matters would be listed in the NSW Police Gazette.   This too is available at NSW SRO, on reels.   I am also aware it is currently available from a commercial website. 

From very early in this thread 

Cheers,  JM

[meggles]

George Henry Davis Senior died in april 1903. as mentioned he was living in sydney - but moved back to Berry at the end of his life and is buried there - but had spent the previous 19 years in sydney.
The George that died in 1903 in Berry was the son of James and Elizabeth (George's junior's brother was James and living in Berry - so maybe their son)

George Senior's brother was a alderman (mentioned in George's obit)

The George Davis that died in 1945 (retired fetler) was born in 1863 - too old to be my guy.

[meggles]

There is no comments on the transcriptions at all.
so nothing about annullment or one being void.

On George Henry Davis (husbane of Minnie Croft) military records from ww1 it asks if he has ever been convicted by a civil power - and he has answered yes. (could this be the annullment)

I have checked the NSW police gazette with no luck.

[majm]

The 1903 death, was that at Forest Lodge or at Berry or were there TWO chaps by that name who died 7 April 1903 ....

So are you saying that the Fettler named George Henry DAVIS enrolled to vote in Berry in 1903 and that HE was NOT your chap ?    If so, then there's obviously several chaps named George Henry DAVIS in and around the Berry district in that decade. 

Cheers,  JM  (edited to sort out grammar issues.  sorry)

George Henry Davis Senior died in april 1903. as mentioned he was living in sydney - but moved back to Berry at the end of his life and is buried there - but had spent the previous 19 years in sydney.
The George that died in 1903 in Berry was the son of James and Elizabeth (George's junior's brother was James and living in Berry - so maybe their son)

George Senior's brother was a alderman (mentioned in George's obit)

The George Davis that died in 1945 (retired fetler) was born in 1863 - too old to be my guy.

[meggles]

sorry - confused myself
The George in Berry was George senior - his parents were James and Elizabeth.
I don't know who the George Davis dying in Sydney to the parents of Sidney and Caroline - but it is not George Senior or George junior.

Sorry didn't finish before I posted - I don't know if the George Henry Davis who died in 1945 and was a fetler was the same as the one in the 1903 electrol rolls - they could of been 2 diffrent people  - I have not looked at the George Henry Davis that died in 1945 - wrong age etc.
Davis was a common name.

[majm]

There is no comments on the transcriptions at all.
so nothing about annullment or one being void.

On George Henry Davis (husbane of Minnie Croft) military records from ww1 it asks if he has ever been convicted by a civil power - and he has answered yes. (could this be the annullment)

I have checked the NSW police gazette with no luck.

Perhaps you may need to check the original registers at St Lukes to see if the clergyman has made any notes re the validity of that Oct 1907 marriage.   

I have not sighted the WWI records, but if there was civil action, and if such was the NSW Supreme Court ruling a marriage void, then even if a transcription agent has not noted any margin notes, the NSW Supreme Court Action would usually be listed in the legal notices in the SMH and/or other newspapers at Trove, as well as the likely arrest warrant for the offender.     

I am more inclined to continue to question that there's likely to be two chaps, despite the occupations for the deceased father and the maiden name for the mother on those two 1907 marriage transcriptions.   

Cheers  JM

[majm]

NSW ER 1913 CAMPERDOWN, Polling at Camperdown.
George DAVIS 25 Foss St, labourer
Minnie DAVIS 25 Foss St, domestic duties.   No others by that surname listed at that address.  However, there were quite a few with surname CROFT living nearby, some as close as Cross St  which intersects with Foss St.

Please do not confuse Foss St Forest Lodge with Ross St Forest Lodge.   Ross St  intersects with Parramatta Road opposite Sydney Uni.   Foss St is a typical narrow street running off Pyrmont Bridge Road

Cheers,  JM