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<title>Forest of Dean FHT  Forum - Belinda Roberts - Serial Bigamist ? Part 1</title>
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<title>Belinda Roberts - Serial Bigamist ? Part 1</title>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>During the course of some recent research I came across a situation that warranted further work and I set out in chronological order my findings.</p>
<p>Belinda Roberts was born in 1856. This is her birth registration followed by baptism:<br />
Births Mar 1856 <br />
ROBERTS  Belinda  Westbury S  6a 183</p>
<p>Year: 1856<br />
Month: May<br />
Day: 25<br />
Parents_Surname: ROBERTS<br />
Child_Forenames: Belinda<br />
Fathers_Forenames: Henry<br />
Mothers_Forenames: Ann<br />
Mothers_Surname: <br />
Residence: Osla<br />
Occupation: Collier<br />
Officiating_Minister: Temple Hamilton Chase<br />
Event: Baptism<br />
Memoranda: <br />
Notes: <br />
Register_Reference: 20811<br />
Page_Number: 15<br />
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook</p>
<p>Osla is how the local population pronounces Hawsley which is near Joys Green.</p>
<p>Her parents were Henry Roberts and Ann Hall who married at Christchurch on 19 November 1853</p>
<p>At the time of the 1861 Census Belinda is with her family in East Dean:<br />
1861 England Census about Belinda Roberts<br />
Name: Belinda Roberts<br />
Age: 5<br />
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1856<br />
Relation: Daughter<br />
Father's Name: Henry Roberts<br />
Mother's Name: Ann Roberts<br />
Gender: Female<br />
Where born: West Dean<br />
Civil parish: East Dean<br />
Ecclesiastical parish: Holy Trinity<br />
County/Island: Gloucestershire<br />
Country: England<br />
Registration district: Westbury On Severn<br />
Sub-registration district: Newnham<br />
Household Members: <br />
Name Age<br />
Henry Roberts 30<br />
Ann Roberts 26<br />
Belinda Roberts 5<br />
Wm John Roberts 3<br />
Elizabeth Hall 18</p>
<p>In 1871 Belinda is to be found in Yorkley:<br />
1871 England Census about Blenda Roberts<br />
Name: Blenda Roberts<br />
Age: 16<br />
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855<br />
Relation: Visitor<br />
Gender: Female<br />
Where born: West Dean, Gloucestershire, England<br />
Civil parish: Newland<br />
Ecclesiastical parish: Bream<br />
Town: Yorkley<br />
County/Island: Gloucestershire<br />
Country: England<br />
Registration district: Monmouth<br />
Sub-registration district: Coleford<br />
ED, institution, or vessel: 9<br />
Household schedule number: 26<br />
Piece: 5298<br />
Folio: 121<br />
Page Number: 7<br />
Household Members: <br />
Name Age<br />
Samuel Thomas 29<br />
Elizabeth Thomas 27<br />
Emily S Thomas 8<br />
William H Thomas 5<br />
Elizabeth Thomas 2<br />
Blenda Roberts 16</p>
<p>In 1873 she married:</p>
<p>Year: 1873<br />
Month: Jun<br />
Day: 8<br />
Grooms_Surname: WADDLEY<br />
Grooms_Forenames: William<br />
Grooms_Age: 21<br />
Groom_Condition: Bachelor<br />
Grooms_Occupation: Collier<br />
Grooms_Residence: The Vention<br />
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: WADDLEY<br />
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: John<br />
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Groom<br />
Brides_Surname: ROBERTS<br />
Brides_Forenames: Belinda<br />
Brides_Age: 17<br />
Brides_Condition: Spinster<br />
Brides_Occupation: <br />
Brides_Residence: The Vention<br />
Brides_Fathers_Surname: ROBERTS<br />
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Henry<br />
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Collier<br />
Licence_or_Banns: Banns<br />
Date_of_Banns: <br />
Signature_or_Mark: both mark<br />
Witness_1: Edward Roberts<br />
Witness_2: Elizabeth Eddy<br />
Other_Witnesses: <br />
Officiating_Minister: Henry Tho[ma]s Hoitt<br />
Event: Marriage<br />
Memoranda: <br />
Notes: <br />
Register_Reference: P208 IN 1/5<br />
Page_Number: 41<br />
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook</p>
<p>At the time of the 1861 Census William Waddley was with his parents John and Emma in Dixton Parish, Monmouth. William is aged 8 and birthplace is given as Bredon, Worcestershire. This would appear to be his birth registration:<br />
Births Jun 1852<br />
Waddley  William  Tewkesbury  6a 372</p>
<p>William and Belinda appear to be missing from the 1881 Census.</p>
<p>Next we find Belinda marries James Bridges in 1886:<br />
Marriages Jun 1886  <br />
Bridges  James    Hereford  6a 926   <br />
WADDELEY Belinda  Hereford  6a 926</p>
<p>and a baptism for George Bridges later that year:<br />
Year 1886<br />
Month Dec<br />
Day 25<br />
Parents Surname BRIDGES<br />
Child Forenames George<br />
Fathers Forenames James<br />
Mothers Forenames Belinda<br />
Mothers Surname <br />
Residence Bye Street<br />
Occupation Hawker<br />
Officiating Minister A.Bannister Curate<br />
Event Baptism<br />
Memoranda <br />
Notes <br />
Register Reference B092/11<br />
Page Number 272<br />
Parish Chapel Ledbury</p>
<p>It is assumed that William Waddley is deceased but the nearest death registration I can find is:<br />
Deaths Dec 1876   <br />
Wadley  William  24  Marylebone  1a 308</p>
<p>Belinda and James appear in the 1891 Census as follows:<br />
England Census about George Bridges<br />
Name: George Bridges<br />
Age: 7<br />
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884<br />
Relation: Son<br />
Father's Name: James Bridges<br />
Mother's Name: Belinda Bridges<br />
Gender: Male<br />
Where born: Huntley, Gloucestershire, England<br />
Civil parish: Pembridge<br />
Ecclesiastical parish: Pembridge<br />
Town: Stansbatch<br />
County/Island: Herefordshire<br />
Country: England<br />
Registration district: Kington<br />
Sub-registration district: Kington<br />
ED, institution, or vessel: 8<br />
Piece: 2077<br />
Folio: 88<br />
Page Number: 1<br />
Household Members: <br />
Name Age<br />
James Bridges 50 Licensed Hawker born Bromyard, Herefordshire<br />
Belinda Bridges 39 Wife born Lydbrook, Gloucestershire<br />
Mary Bridges 11 daur born Kington, Herefordshire<br />
George Bridges 7  son born Huntley, Gloucestershire</p>
<p>From the image we can see that there are 2 children but I have not found birth registrations. The daughter is said to be born c 1880 and yet there is a James Bridges, Hawker with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Ann aged 11 in Bromyard at the time of the 1881 Census. Elizabeth died in 1886:<br />
Deaths Mar 1886<br />
Bridges  Elizabeth  37  Bromyard  6a 410</p>
<p>and in the 1891 Census there is a James Bridges, Hawker and Widower living with his brother-in-law, Henry Handley in Bromyard.</p>
<p>In 1894 we find marriage number 3 for Belinda:<br />
Year: 1894<br />
Month: Jul<br />
Day: 22<br />
Grooms_Surname: YEMM<br />
Grooms_Forenames: James<br />
Grooms_Age: 22<br />
Groom_Condition: Bachelor<br />
Grooms_Occupation: Collier<br />
Grooms_Residence: Lydbrook<br />
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: YEMM<br />
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas<br />
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Collier<br />
Brides_Surname: WADDLEY<br />
Brides_Forenames: Belinda<br />
Brides_Age: 38<br />
Brides_Condition: Widow<br />
Brides_Occupation: <br />
Brides_Residence: Lydbrook<br />
Brides_Fathers_Surname: ROBERTS<br />
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Henry<br />
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Collier<br />
Licence_or_Banns: Banns<br />
Date_of_Banns: <br />
Signature_or_Mark: he sign she mark<br />
Witness_1: Timothy Roberts<br />
Witness_2: Eliza Ann Roberts<br />
Other_Witnesses: <br />
Officiating_Minister: H T Hoitt<br />
Event: Marriage<br />
Memoranda: <br />
Notes: <br />
Register_Reference: P208 IN 1/5<br />
Page_Number: 89<br />
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook</p>
<p>It would appear that James Bridges may be still alive as there is an entry in the 1901 Census for a James Bridges, Basket and Brush Hawker and Widower, living in Hereford. Or was there another James Bridges?</p>
<p>cont..</p>
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<pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:27:14 +0000</pubDate>
<category>General</category><dc:creator>shepway</dc:creator>
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