Need help please Mary Ellen Martin

[dimpsy]

Mary Ellen Martin b. 1874 Portsea, Hampshire - father Frank/Francis Martin cannot find mother anywhere.

Married to Thomas Richardson

Looking for mother. May need to buy birth cert but would rather ask for help first :-)

Thank you.

[Milliepede]

Father seems to be unmarried in 1871/1881/1891 and with his parents Stephen & Charlotte - is that the one?  Unusual to be looking for the mother rather than father isn't it 

And he's still single and with his mother 1901/1911.  Makes you wonder doesn't it.  I take it he was down as the father on her marriage certificate?

[CaroleW]

Married to Thomas Richardson

When and where did they marry as I can't see a Thomas Richardson/Mary Ellen Martin marriage

[Milliepede]

Marriage Sep 1899 Southampton
Thomas Richardson Mary Ellen Martin

[CaroleW]

As John McEnroe would say - I cannot believe it

Ancestry show no match for a Thomas Richardson to a spouse surname Martin in their pre-1915 marriages - even though it is there and also on freebmd - Duh

[dimpsy]

That's the one (marriage)

On the marriage cert it doesn't say fathers name there is a blank. I'm assuming that Frank/Francis is the father as in 1881 and 1891 census she is granddaughter to Franks parents.

Hmmmm just so strange she didn't have parents on marriage cert. she's also Ellen Martin in 1891 census. Stuck on this one. Maybe have to buy birth cert. just takes ages to get through.

Thank you so far :-)

[CaroleW]

On the marriage cert it doesn't say fathers name there is a blank. I'm assuming that Frank/Francis is the father as in 1881 and 1891 census she is granddaughter to Franks parents

The absence of a fathers name suggests she was illegitimate so have you traced backwards to see if Frank had any sisters?  1871 shows a sister Charlotte aged 15 and 1861 has Mary aged 12

You will need to buy a copy of her 1874 birth cert to be certain

[Milliepede]

It's more likely that one of Frank's sisters was her mother especially as no father named on the marriage
I'm afraid birth certificate is the way to go. 

[dimpsy]

Thank you both.

Didn't even think that Charlotte could have been the mother. She was a witness at thomas and Mary Ellen's wedding.

:-)