Comments

Thanks for your reply.  I have the 1841 and 1851 censuses, but as in the 1851 Louisa is shown as John's wife, I wondered if there was a marriage anywhere.  Have checked FreeReg, Family Search and Ancestry and Winscombe parish records but no joy.

Hi Pat

In 1841 Louisa Wride was living next door to or with John Dyer in Sandford (no actual address shown).  In 1851 Louisa is shown as John's wife and they are still in Sandford.  I am attaching all of the info I have.  Thanks for your help.  Kind regards  Julie 

At the time of the 1841 Census John DYER was living in Sandford with his children. Louisa WRIDE appears to be part of the same household. John's youngest was Louisa born 1840. According to the GRO her mother's maiden name was RIDE (sic). So, it looks like John and Louisa WRIDE were in a relationship at that time. If you can't find a marriage (I can't either) my guess would be that Louisa became John's common law wife and took his name.

Will try to help - Where were John DYER and Louisa WRIDE in 1841 and 1851?

Thank you so much for your time and thoughts on my problem.  I really do appreciated someone else's opinion - thanks! There is a burial of a John PUDDY in Mark in 1826, aged 63 which, if correct, suggests a birth date of 1763 - this ties in with a christening in Huntspill of a John PUDDY, s/o Charles & Rachel.  (see our transcriptions)

I had considered the John christened in Mark in Dec 1767 until I discovered that he was one of triplets who all died in Jan 1768.  This is where I am the moment but nothing is set in stone. Still some John & Marys to be sorted.

Pat:

FreeReg has the following baptisms for children of John & Mary PUDDY in Mark:

•        Abel 12 September 1785

•       Nancy 16 September 1785 (Note: Father referred to as John jnr)

•        Harry 12 October 1787

•        Richard 30 December 1787

•        Jenny 13 June 1790

•        Hannah 27 January 1797

•        Joseph 24 August 1798

As you probably know, Mary wife of John was buried in Mark in May 1808. This tends to support your view that she was the first wife of the John PUDDY who married Joan MASON later that year.

If John’s first marriage was in 1784 then his likely year of birth was possibly around 18-20 years earlier. A John PUDDY was baptised in Mark on 19 December 1767 to parents John & Jane (abode: Southwick). Bit young maybe? But there is a marriage of a John PUDDY in Burnham on 26 July 1762. Could this be John senior? The bride was Jane WHITING – coincidence?