Research Brick Wall with pre-marriage children

+2 votes
261 views
My Great Grandmother, Mary Christina EARL, has caused me a real brick wall from which I think is literally impossible to surmount.  She appears to have had 3 or 4 children before she got married including my grandfather, then married Robert EARLE in 1903 and died the following year after giving birth to another child, who also died very young.

So in my mind, the only way to identify my Grandfather's father would be with DNA or using a TARDIS. However, the only surviving direct descendants including myself are adopted, which makes DNA irrelevant. I've been trying to think of possible lines of enquiry/research but absolutely drawn a blank.  Despite the co-incidence of her maiden name and married name being so similar, I also have my grandfather's being called Robert, ie the same as the man she later married, so I can only speculate that he might have been the father of the illegimate children, but it is only musings - I have no evidence.

Anything I have missed?
WikiTree profile: Mary Earle
in Genealogy Help by Martin Brabander G2G6 Mach 1 (15.3k points)
retagged by Maggie N.

4 Answers

+3 votes
With a brick wall like this, have you been able to look at the actual images of these records?

I have to say it's interesting problem with the similar surnames Earl and Earle.

If you haven't already, collect the records of all the children, prior and during marriage. Who are the witnesses recorded for all the children? Dig deeper with their marriage records and see who they say they father is?

Did you check the censuses?
by Maggie N. G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
+3 votes

Could Robert have been a widower when he married in 1933?

A possible first marriage gives his father as Robert Earl.

"England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F32T-2KF : 10 February 2018), Robert Alfred Earl and Lucy Alice Evans, 03 Jan 1920, Marriage; citing item 3 p 219, St Peter, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, Record Office, Chester; FHL microfilm 2,104,340.

In 1911 he was living with his uncle, also called Robert Earl."England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW3V-GTC : 3 July 2019), Robert Alfred Earl in household of Robert John Earl, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast(http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

A possible marriage for his sister, Selina who was in the same Household in 1911 gives her father as Robert Earl.

"England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3NS-GHK : 10 February 2018), William James Hughes and Selina Earl, 05 Apr 1920, Marriage; citing item 4 p 190, St John, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, Record Office, Chester; FHL microfilm 2,104,342.

The Ancestry image of the marriage of Robert Earle and Mary Christina Earl gives Robert Earleā€™s age as 22, so he would have been born in 1881 or late 1880. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/sharing/18228029?h=6a6207&utm_campaign=bandido-webparts&utm_source=post-share-modal&utm_medium=copy-url If his age is accurate, he would only have about 13/14 when Selina was born in 1894.

"England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2FSV-2JM : 1 October 2014), Selina Earl, 1894; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast(http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England

by T Lear G2G6 Mach 1 (14.8k points)
edited by T Lear

Thank you for all the amazing help from wonderful friends that I have yet to meet.heart

However, I should have made it clear, I already have much of the information you have provided, just not entered into wikitree yet, so Sorry!

However, my question was meant to be more theoretical. I don't know the father of the early children, and I can't do direct DNA tests. This suggests to me that anything I add on my grandfather's paternal line, can at best be conjecture and non-verifiable. Is my line of thinking correct or have I missed something?


 

This link may help

https://www.genguide.co.uk/source/bastardy-bonds-amp-documents-parish-amp-poor-law/140/

Not many Petty Session records still exist, but they may have been reported in local newspapers.
+3 votes

Find My Past has an image of the marriage record. These are the details:

First name(s)     Mary Christina

Last name           Earl

Age        29

Birth year            1874

Marital status    Spinster

Year       1903

Marriage year    1903

Marriage date   27 Sep 1903

Place     Liverpool, Our Lady and St Nicholas

Denomination   Church Of England

Diocese                Liverpool

Residence           13 Highfield ST

Father's first name(s)     Thomas

Father's last name           Earl

Father's occupation        Mariner

Spouse's first name(s)   Robert

Spouse's last name         Earle

Spouse's age      22

Spouse's birth year         1881

Spouse's occupation       Boatman

Spouse's marital status  Bachelor

Spouse's residence         42 Highfield St

Spouse's father's first name(s)  Robert

Spouse's father's last name         Earle

Spouse's father's occupation      Labourer

Witness 1            Robert John Earl

Witness 2            Mary E Earl

County Lancashire

Country                England

Licence or banns              Banns

Archive

Liverpool Record Office

Archive reference           283-NIC-3-108

by Sally Douglas G2G6 Mach 3 (37.8k points)

There is also a Mary Christina Earl of the right age who is a patient in the Liverpool Eye and Ear Infirmary in the 1891 Census.  

First name(s)     Mary Christina

Last name           Earl

Relationship       Patient

Marital status    Single

Sex         Female

Age        17

Birth year            1874

Birth town           -

Birth county       Lancashire

Birth county as transcribed          LANCASHIRE

Birth place           England

Occupation         General Domestic Servant

House name      The Liverpool Eye & Ear Infirmary

Street   Myrtle Street

+4 votes

Source: Find My Past

Apologies if I have doubled up on information, my pillow is calling my name.

Mary Christina Earle baptised 30 August 1874, Church of England, Liverpool, St Paul, St Paul's Square.
Daughter of Thomas a Mariner and Elizabeth - Resident at Crown Court.

Mary Christina Earl, age 29, daughter of Thomas Earl, Mariner, married on 27 September 1903, at Church of England, Liverpool, Our Lady and St Nicholas to Robert Earle, age 22, a Boatman, son of Robert Earl, a Labourer.
Mary resided at 13 Highfield St and Robert at 42 Highfield St.
The witnesses were Robert John Earl and Mary E. Earl. (Brother and sister in law)

Robert John Earl, age 30, a Carter, son of Thomas Earl, a Mariner married on 7 July 1902 at Church of England, Liverpool, Our Lady and St Nicholas to Mary Ellen Green, age 24, daughter of William George Green a Railway Porter.
The witnesses were Thomas Alfred Earl and Mary C. Earl. (Brother and sister)

John Adam Earl
Born 1892, 3rd Qtr, Birkenhead, Vol 8a, page 512.
Baptised 28 Jun 1892, St. Peter, Birkenhead
17 Bury Street, Birkenhead.
Mother is Mary Christiana Earl - Single Woman.
Died 1892, age 0, Birkenhead, Cheshire, 3rd Qtr. Vol 8a, Page 287.

Selina Earl
Baptised 26 Sep 1894, Holy Trinity, Birkenehad.
15 Oakfield View.
Mother is Mary Christiana Earl.

Robert Alfred Earl
Born 12 October 1896,
Baptised on 8 November 1896 at Birkenhead, Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
Cheshire Non-conformist & Roman Catholic Registers (Baptism) 17th Century-1910
6 Chapel Street.
John and Mary Christina Earl.

Robert John Erl
Baptised 14 Dec 1904
Robert and Mary Christina Erl
3 Vine St
Died 22 Jul 1905, age 9 months.
2 Oakfield View

Mary Christina's parents:

Thomas Earl, full age, married Elizabeth Smith, full age on 7 Dec 1868 at Church of England, Liverpool, Our Lady and St Nicholas.  Both parties were resident in Highfield St.
Thomas was the son of Thomas Earl a Cab Proprieter and Elizabeth the daughter of Robert Smith a Rigger.
Witnesses were William Smith and Hannah Jones.

John Doughty, age 40, Labourer married Elizabeth Earl, age 37, a Widow, on 25 Feb 1885, at Church of England, Liverpool, St Bartholomew.
Elizabeth's father was Robert Smith, a Rigger and John's father was John Doughty, a Labourer.
John's residence 38 Arkwright St
Elizabeth's residence 16 Crown Court Highfield St
Witnesses were Pike Willers and Susan Willers.

1891 Census: Berry Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire.
John Doughty, Head, Married, Male, 40, 1851, General Labourer, Cheshire.
Elizabeth Doughty, Wife, Married, Female, 40, 1851, Lancashire.
John A Doughty, Son, Male, 5, 1886, Cheshire.
Georgina M Doughty, Daughter , Female, 1, 1890, Cheshire.
Rob J Earl, Stepson, Single, Male, 19, 1872, Carter Lancashire.
* Mary C Earl, Stepdaughter, Single, Female, 18, 1873, Lancashire.
Thomas A Earl, Stepson, Single, Male, 15, 1876, Lancashire.

1901 - The Doughty's are at 7, Tory Place, Birkenhead, Cheshire.

Mary Christina Earle died 1904, Birkenhead Cheshire, age 30. 4th Qtr. Vol 8a, Page 359.  Her children Selina and Robert Alfred went to live with her brother Robert John Earl.

1911 Census: 6 Berry Street Birkenhead, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England
Robert John Earl, Head, Married, Male, 35, 1876, Carter, Lancs Liverpool
Mary Ellen Earl, Wife, Married, Female, 33, 1878, Lancs Liverpool
Thomas Alfred Earl, Son, Male, 6, 1905, Cheshire Birkenhead. (Baptised 2 Apr 1905, St. Peter, Birkenhead)
William George Earl, Son, Male, 4, 1907, Lancs Liverpool.  (Baptised 14 Apr 1907, St. Mary, Birkenhead)
John Earl, Son, Male, 2, 1909, Cheshire Birkenhead.  (Baptised 11 Jan 1909, St. Peter, Birkenhead)
Selina Earl, Daughter, Female, 0, 1911, Cheshire Birkenhead. b.1910, 4th Qtr, Cheshire, Vol 8a, Page 425
John Adam Doughty, Stepfather, Married, Male, 70, 1841, Coal Labourer, Cheshire Birkenhead
Elizabeth Doughty, Mother, Married, Female, 60, 1851, Lancs Liverpool
*Selina Earl, Niece, Single, Female, 16, 1895, Servant, Cheshire Birkenhead
*Robert Alfred Earl, Nephew, Male, 14, 1897, Cuthers Errand Boy, Cheshire Birkenhead

by Living Ryan G2G6 Mach 2 (21.7k points)
edited by Living Ryan
Thank You, Erin and all of you. Sadly I can't pick more than one best answer with the Wikitree system.
Just to add to the confusion, Mary Christina Earl's baptism record scan on Ancestry, although not perfect, is almost certainly spelled 'Earle'.
I wish I could do this research full-time. It's fascinating. Thanks again to every person who replied. I'm getting the extended family entered this weekend.
Hi Martin,

Hope the extended family gathering went well.

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