Hence my indulgence this weekend. I may have uncovered a bit of a family mystery and it’s getting weirder and stranger the more I research.
So, here’s the plot: My great great grandad on my fathers, mother’s side of the family was called Charles Rimmington. He married my great great grandmother in Sheffield in 21st Oct 1886. So far so good, until you realise that her first child is then born one month later on 10th November in Sheffield and Charles is listed as the father. Before this date in the census his new wife is living. in York as a domestic servant. I can find NO reference to Charles in any census after 1881 when he is in the army in London (same guy?). Ten years later his wife Ellen now pops back up at home with young kids ( including a number of very young babies who later die) and there is no record of any Charles Rimmington (with any name variants)
Now for the weird part. There is a reference to a Charles Rimmington who was buried in Sheffield on October 21st. 1886 aged 76 – exactly the same marriage date of a young lady who is pregnant out of wedlock who happens to marry and take the name of Rimmington before moving right back home to York.
There are no other records of Charles or death certificates so far and he cannot have just vanished.
Ellen was eventually interred with her family in York with a slightly amended surname of Remington. Sonething fishy here.
Have I just uncovered a marriage scam done to hide the shame of a pregnancy while in domestic service??
I cannot figure this out but I’m hooked.
[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]