Who is Mary Barrett?

[StoryWoman]

Hi, I've posted before, but I'm still working on finding information on my great grandmother, Mary Barrett. She first appears at her marriage to my great grandfather, Ralph Archbold, on 10th October 1891, in South Shields. She gives her age as 29, born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and is a spinster, the daughter of John Barrett, labourer.

However, the only Mary Barrett born in Newcastle in 1862 is the daughter of Thomas and Catherine.

We know that Ralph was married previously, we know about their children, but we know nothing relating to Mary or John prior to the marriage. I'd be extremely grateful for any information. Thank you.

[ShaunJ]

She may have understated her age. What about this one in the 1861 census:

Stepney Hill,Byker

John Barrett 29, labourer, Ireland
Eliza Barrett 26   wife   Ireland      
John Barrett 4 son Newcastle On Tyne
Mary Barrett 2 Newcastle On Tyne
Mary Grealy 40 widow, boarder. Ireland

[StoryWoman]

Thank you. We've seen this one, and saved the information as a possibility,  but we've no reason to believe she'd lie about her age. The difficulty is that Mary and John are such common names, and we've no mother's name for Mary. Our grandfather was her only surviving child, so there's no other family line to pursue.

[Tickettyboo]

Possible things to consider (which you probably have already done, but I thought I'd mention them anyway)

Do you have the marriage certificate/ record from parish register?
Are there any clues in the witnesses names? If a female witness could she have been Mary's sister? checking marriages for witness surname to a Barrett is worth a shot to see if you can establish a sibling and from there maybe have a checking point for earlier census returns/baptisms.

Do you know what religion they were? (marriage record/baptism records for known children) which may help to narrow down possible birth/ baptism records.

Is her age on census returns after her marriage/ age at death consistent with her being born in 1862 or is it different? Marriage certificates aren't immune to having errors on them.


Boo

[StoryWoman]

Hi, thanks for taking the time to help. I have a copy of the marriage certificate and have identified one of the witnesses as Ralph's sister,  but hasn't considered looking at the other one as he has a different surname. However, he could be a lodger or neighbour, of course,  I'll follow that up, thank you. Her age on subsequent censuses and her death certificate are consistent with the age given at her marriage. We know she was RC, which is borne out by the baptism records of their children, but as she was of Irish descent, doesn't weed out many of the candidates, unfortunately.  The search continues!  ;-)

[chempat]

There is this family in 1871, parents born Ireland, children born England (same family as already mentioned for 1861)
John Barrett   39
Ann Barrett   37
John Barrett   13
xxxMary Barrett   11
Thomas Barrett   6
Nicholas Barrett   4
Andrew Barrett   2
Mary Grealy   60
Anne Scullian   19
Margaret Keney   16
Class: RG10   Piece: 5105  Folio: 100  Page: 56

It looks like this family in 1881, with a new Mother to the family, but Mary's age wrong
John Barrett   46  Labourer  County Galway
Bridget Barrett   35   County Mayo
xxxMary A.K. Barrett   16
Thomas Barrett   15  Newcastle
Nicholas Barrett   14 Newcastle
Andrew Barrett   12 Newcastle
Class: RG11  Piece: 5059   Folio: 54   Page: 2   

BUT Mary's place of birth is now New York, America

So if her age is completely wrong in 1881, but about correct in 1871 and 1861, and if she was actually born in New York....

[chempat]

This looks like the family in 1891, Mary A K Barrett from 1881 is still unmarried, ancestry has her transcribed as 13, but it looks more like 23, so unfortunately definitely wrong age.
She is Mary A Kelly, and stepdaughter born America.
1891
John Barrett   58  Ireland  labourer
Bridget Barrett     48   Ireland
Nicholas Barrett   24   Newcastle
Mary A Kelly   23  America  stepdaughter
Class: RG12   Piece: 4198   Folio: 101   Page: 35 

[Millmoor]

Hi
Further to the above post John Barrett would appear to have married Bridget Kelly in 1872 in Newcastle.

William

[StoryWoman]

The first family, with Mary Grealy, is the one we're currently looking at,  but we've found 3 different wives for John, in a short period. The NY Mary Barrett is probably a long shot.