Belinda Roberts - Serial Bigamist? Part 2 (General)

by shepway , Monday, February 18, 2013, 19:28 (4301 days ago)

In 1896 Belinda's daughter Mary (listed in the 1891 Census as Mary Bridges) married William Lear:
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
LEAR William WADLEY Mary Forest of Dean Monmouth Register Office 1896 18 146

and in the 1901 Census we find the following:
1901 Wales Census about William Lear
Name: William Lear
Age in 1901: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Lear
Mother's Name: Blendith Yemm
Gender: Male
Where born: Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England
Civil parish: West Dean
Ecclesiastical parish: Lydbrook Holy Jesus
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Monmouth
Sub-registration district: Coleford
ED, institution, or vessel: 20
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 54
Piece: 4922
Folio: 100
Page Number: 11
Household Members:
Name Age
William Lear 26
Mary Lear 21 Wife born Kington, Radnorshire!
Caroline Lear 3 daur born Lydbrook
Willie Lear 2 son born Lydbrook
Blendith Yemm 44 Mother, Widow, Charwoman born Lydbrook
J Yemm 6 son born Lydbrook

This is the birth of James Yemm Jnr:
Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
YEMM James Henry Hila YEMM YEMM ROBERTS 1895 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 52 177
YEMM James Henry Hila YEMM YEMM WADLEY 1895 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 52 177

I have not found a death for James Yemm Snr but there is a marriage in 1899:
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
YEMM James GRIFFITHS Jane Forest of Dean Westbury-on-Severn (FoD) Register Office 1899 12 2

the various Census returns for James suggests that he is the same person who married Belinda.

I now refer back to the 1891 Census for Belinda when she is with James Bridges and has a daughter Mary (who we now know married William Lear) and a son George. In 1904 we find a marriage for George as follows:
Year: 1904
Month: Dec
Day: 3
Grooms_Surname: WADDLEY
Grooms_Forenames: George
Grooms_Age: 22
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Forge Hill Lydbrook
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: WADDLEY
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Tin Plate Worker
Brides_Surname: HERBERT
Brides_Forenames: Eliza
Brides_Age: 22
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Forge Row Lydbrook
Brides_Fathers_Surname: HERBERT
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Edward
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: he mark she sign
Witness_1: George Hussey
Witness_2: Blanche Ball
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: [not stated]
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes: Not signed by vicar
Register_Reference: P208 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 133
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook

Searches on Ancestry tell us that George enlisted and it would appear that he was killed in action in France:

WADDLEY, G
Rank:
Gunner
Service No:
192794
Date of Death:
09/06/1918
Regiment/Service:
Royal Garrison Artillery

"R" Anti-Aircraft Bty.
Grave Reference
XI. E. 9.
Cemetery
NINE ELMS BRITISH CEMETERY

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about George Waddley
Name: George Waddley
Birth Place: Huntley, Glos.
Death Date: 9 Jun 1918
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Abertillery, Mon.
Rank: Gunner
Regiment: Royal Garrison Artillery
Number: 192794
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

Following George's death his widow Eliza remarried:

Marriages Jun 1920
Harrison George H Waddley Bedwellty 11a 176
Waddley Eliza Harrison Bedwellty 11a 176

The following entry from the 1911 Census is for George and family:
1911 Wales Census about Mr George Waddley
Name: Mr George Waddley
Age in 1911: 25
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Gloucestershire, England
Civil parish: Abertillery
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales
Street Address: 3 Penbont Rd Cwmtillery
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 6
Estimated Marriage Year: 1905
Occupation: Collminer Hewer
Registration district: Bedwellty
Registration District Number: 585
Sub-registration district: Aberystruth
ED, institution, or vessel: 25
Household schedule number: 35
Piece: 31838
Household Members:
Name Age
George Waddley 25 Coalminer Hewer born Gloucestershire
Eliza Waddley 29
George Henry Waddley

and we also find George listed again as follows:
1911 England Census about George Waddley
Name: George Waddley
Age in 1911: 25
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Relation to Head: Step Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Lydbrook
Civil parish: Ruardean
County/Island: Herefordshire (Ruardean is in Gloucestershire but parts of Ruardean were in Ross-on-Wye Registration District)
Country: England
Street Address: Forge Row, Lydbrook
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Collier Hewer Employee
Registration district: Ross
Registration District Number: 336
Sub-registration district: Ross
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Household schedule number: 139
Piece: 15653
Household Members:
Name Age
John B Bale 54
Blanda Bale 51
Hyla Yemm 16 Stepson
Mary Lear 29 Stepdaughter
George Waddley 25 Stepson

This is the marriage for John Bale:
Marriages Dec 1903
Bale John Pontypridd 11a 838
Yemm Bleandea Pontypridd 11a 838

John Bale's first wife Fanny was buried at Lydbrook Church on 6 January 1895

It would appear that Belinda married 4 times before 1911 and as far as I am able to establish the last three were not legal. As yet I have not found a death registration for Belinda so did she emigrate?

This research prompts many questions and if anyone is able to fill in gaps please do so. I would also refer you to this earlier thread:
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=18983

Mike