Research Forum

Hi Lynn,

I have a One Name Study of my surname URCH and on looking at my records, I cannot find a connection between Bath and Elizabeth Urch's birth place of Nailsea nor her workplace Weston super Mare. I do have a copy of Elizabeth Urch's birth certificate, she was the daughter of Edward & Elizabeth Urch nee Rue. She had 7 siblings, so 8 children in all were born to her parents. I have details on all her siblings.                                                                                                                                                                                                               Are you sure the Bath connection is through Elizabeth Urch and not through both of her husbands. Also have you purchased her marriage certificates, they might supply the answers you need.                                                                                                                                           If you require any more information as to her family and her ancestors or you would like a copy of her birth certificate, just let me know and I will arrange it accordingly.

Alun URCH

Thank you so much.

I have to gather my thoughts again, I have been looking into another of my family this morning in Gloucestershire and am having to switch my head around.

What I know, and then you can work out whether Elizabeth married in Bath due to her husbands.  Elizabeth was under age when she married Sidney John Fenton 4 Sep 1861, his occupation was Land Agent, I can find him in 1851 living in Oxfordshire with his widowed mother.  I did spend some time looking in 61 but clearly not enough.  His widowed mother and two sisters were living in London.  And, I did find a death for him in 1870 in London.  So when they married was Elizabeth not only under age but pregnant, still doesn't explain Bath or what happened to her between 61 and 71!

So when Elizabeth married Jacob Harding she was pregnant, their first child was born in Sept 1872 and there was a huge age gap between them, he was 73, did it seem like a good idea to marry where she had done before, secretatively?  Jacob I believe had been a pillar of the community, a farmer, who after his first wife died appeared to sell off his farm. And, then

After Jacob had died in 1877 Elizabeth had two more children, too long after for them to be Jacob's children.  James abt 1881 and a girl either Laura or Emily born abt 1887, on the 1891 census she is Laura aged 5 and on the 1901 census she is Emily aged 13.  Both children are born in Nailsea, but I can't find them in the Parish Registers nor on FreeBMD.  I can find an Emily Maud Harding marrying in 1906 to George Wright Chater in Nailsea, giving her father as Jacob John Harding, farmer. Which causes me even more confusion because in 1911 George Wright Chater is with his parents in Bristol and although he is recorded as being married, there is no sign of a wife and I can't find an Emily Chater anywhere.  Although I can find, in 1916 and 1926 two children born Chater with mother's name Harding, in Clutton.

Always more questions that answers :)

love this game

Lynn L.