Help with finding a marriage please

[jmf2106]

Yes, maybe. I never thought of that!

[Mabel Bagshawe]

here's something it may be worth digging for in the local papers, in case it gives any clues. It appears Herbert Norris Croft was found guilty on 3 Dec 1914 of "attempting to discharge a loaded revolver at James William Cockshott with intent to maim, at Shipley, 24 October 1914"  He was bound over for a year and had to refrain from partaking of alcohol

Pretty sure it's the same man. he's 34 and described as a tailor. The paperwork mentions a previous conviction in 1898 for stealing, which in turn refers to his years in an industrial school in Liverpool

[jmf2106]

Hi Mabel, thanks very much. I've never heard anything like that about him! I will  do some research and see what I can find. Thanks again.

[LizzieL]

here's something it may be worth digging for in the local papers, in case it gives any clues. It appears Herbert Norris Croft was found guilty on 3 Dec 1914 of "attempting to discharge a loaded revolver at James William Cockshott with intent to maim, at Shipley, 24 October 1914"  He was bound over for a year and had to refrain from partaking of alcohol

Pretty sure it's the same man. he's 34 and described as a tailor. The paperwork mentions a previous conviction in 1898 for stealing, which in turn refers to his years in an industrial school in Liverpool

Several reports come up, on others he is described as a woolcomber which is same occupation as on his marriage to Elizabeth Norris

[jmf2106]

Thanks Lizzie. Where can I find the information? I've found the court records on Ancestry but that's all. I've looked into the man he shot and it looks like he was a police constable!

[LizzieL]

They were from the Newspaper archive available on FindMyPast. I can only see snippet on the free search as I don't have a sub at the moment.

Another thing which might fit in. Herbert's sister Ada married John Thomas Smith at Christ Church Windhill on 2 Jun 1903. Browsing through the images for that church, a Herbert Croft was a witness to a marriage between Jesse Wilson (widower) age 30 occ Labourer,  father William Watson Wilson occ Mason and Harriet Kelk sp 27 occ weaver, father Edward Kelk (deceased) on 20 Nov 1909. Other witness Mary Ann Blackburn. He has signed H Croft first, then squeezed in "erbert" next to the H. The H is quite distinctive. If it is your man it places him near Shipley in late 1909.
Does his service record give any clue where he might have been in 1906/07? Even if it says "Home" it could be Scotland or Ireland.

[jmf2106]

Hi Lizzie, thanks for the information. I will try and compare the signature with his military records but it sounds quite promising as I've found an entry in the electoral register from 1910 so it looks he was in Shipley then.  He was in South Africa to 1.3.07 and after that it says 'Home' for only two days from 2.3.07 to 4.3.07.  I'm not sure how much travelling time there would be from SA and what that would come under.  Following that it says Reserve from 5.3.07 to 16.7.11. Presumably as a Reserve he would back home then?

[ellenbrora]

This may be a complete red herring, but bearing in mind that on Herbert's military record he was in India 15 Dec 1902 to 15 Feb 1906, there is this birth

"India Births and Baptisms, 1786-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FGWW-CZH : 8 December 2014), H. R. Croft in entry for Margaret Mary Croft, 17 Sep 1905; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 527,529.

Margaret Mary Croft, B. 02 Jul 1905, Bpt 17 Sep 1905. Thonze, Bengal, India.

Father: H R Croft (Possible mistrancription of H N Croft??)
Mother: Helene

Ellen

[jmf2106]

Hi Ellen, thanks for the information. As far as I know Herbert didn't have a middle name. I do think it's a strong possibility that he got married in India or South Africa though. I haven't done any research in those areas so that will have to be my next job! Jackie