Ancestry tree rubbish

[aghadowey]

Yes, people certainly did move around years ago. I have two relatives born in a village in Nova Scotia where both families lived for generations before. They had children in that village, are enumerated in each census there, attended the local church and were buried there. Where did they marry? the same church? the church in the nearby town? in the same county? in Nova Scotia? in Canada? NO, NO, NO, NO! They married in Barry, Wales near Cardiff!
Luckily I was told the details of the marriage years ago and it made perfect sense but someone looking at this might assume that the marriage must be incorrect.

[Greensleeves]

Nice story there Aghadowey - I wonder what they made of Cardiff after the wide open spaces of Nova Scotia.

Of course, if people are moving about a lot, it helps if they know their own names, a skill which seems to have eluded some of my ancestors.  On the eve of her marriage to someone in my direct line, I find the bride in the census (taken on the day of the marriage) with the surname of Mattley with place of birth just 'London'.  She marries the next day in County Durham using the name of Mattley.  Within a year they have their first child, to whom they give the name Mattley as a second fore-name.  And thus a brick wall as I could find no-one to fit - until I asked on RC and I am forever indebted to Groom and the others who helped the search, as we discovered that her name was not Mattley, but Mattingley.  One of the many problems of illiteracy, presumably.

[Edward Scott]

There is a difference between a well researched, documented and sourced tree and the obvious rubbish that some people include on their Ancestry trees.

One of my 2 x ggfathers was elusive for quite a while, surname Roberts and one census had him born in Penteg. After a lot of head scratching he was born a Rabbits in Pentridge in 1838, 1841 census at home so still a Rabbits. 1851 census he appears as a Roberts and stayed as one for the rest of his life.

So anyone looking at my tree (if they could) would probably think 'what a load of rubbish'.

This gentleman married 4 times and the daughter of his first marriage married the father of his fourth wife. Again who would believe this.

So his daughter became his mother-in-law and her own grandmother.

Edward

[pharmaT]

There is a difference between a well researched, documented and sourced tree and the obvious rubbish that some people include on their Ancestry trees.

One of my 2 x ggfathers was elusive for quite a while, surname Roberts and one census had him born in Penteg. After a lot of head scratching he was born a Rabbits in Pentridge in 1838, 1841 census at home so still a Rabbits. 1851 census he appears as a Roberts and stayed as one for the rest of his life.

So anyone looking at my tree (if they could) would probably think 'what a load of rubbish'.

This gentleman married 4 times and the daughter of his first marriage married the father of his fourth wife. Again who would believe this.

So his daughter became his mother-in-law and her own grandmother.

Edward

Someone looking at my ancestry tree would think I what a load of rubbish as the sources are not listed on there. I do have the sources though.

[coombs]

In the 1700s I have seen some of my Durham ancestors mention children and nephews living in London, and one who even had a nephew living in Suffolk. Never underestimate how people travelled in our ancestors days, and this can explain why at times you may not find a baptism locally. Gentry often hired servants from a long way from where they were from.

[Maiden Stone]

In the 1700s I have seen some of my Durham ancestors mention children and nephews living in London, and one who even had a nephew living in Suffolk. Never underestimate how people travelled in our ancestors days, and this can explain why at times you may not find a baptism locally. Gentry often hired servants from a long way from where they were from.

I've been researching one like that. A yeoman farmer on Durham/Yorks. border. His many brothers, uncles and cousins had businesses in Counties Durham, Yorkshire and London. Fortunately they made a lot of wills, some of which are under Canterbury rather than York because of their widespread properties. Widow of the yeoman farmer bound her son as apprentice to his uncle in London.
Another member of that family, Yorkshire-born, met his wife, also Yorks-born, in London when they were working for a firm associated with the family. They married in London but made it back to Yorkshire in time for birth of 1st child.
2 nieces of yeoman farmer's widow acquired husbands from far side of Lancashire. Leather-trade may have been a factor in them getting together. Family of the girls had a saddlery business. Other relatives lived in a centre of the leather industry. Elder girl's husband was a shoemaker.

[familydar]

The Suffolk-Durham journey would have been made by sea.  I have ancestors who made their living from the sea making just such a move.

Jane :-)

[Andrew Tarr]

NO, NO, NO, NO! They married in Barry, Wales near Cardiff! 

By 1900 Barry was a major coal-exporting place, so if those ancestors were maritime that would easily explain a marriage there.

My wife's grandparents were both from Tyneside, but grandma took the train to Cardiff to marry grandpa when his ship docked there (registry office of course).  Quite simple, as there were through trains allowing for just that kind of traffic.  Relics of them still run.

[aghadowey]

The bride was on board her father's ship (he was a sea captain) and groom was mate (I was told on different ship but possible same one). In any case, they'd grown up together in Nova Scotia and decided to get married while both were in Barry, Wales.