Research Forum

I'm puzzled about this marriage.  An Isaac LANEY s/o Isaac LANEY, of the same age, christened in Locking, 21 April 1816 married a Sophia HAMBLING 27th Feb 1837 at St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.  This marriage has been wrongly transcribed as Isaac Laney LOCKING on Familysearch. They appear on censuses together upto and including 1871.  They were both buried in Banwell - Isaac in 1877 and Sophia in 1893.

Isaac had several brothers - I wonder whether there has been a mistake in this transcription as well or perhaps the original is wrong.  This does really seem to be a case for looking at the original entry which can be seen in Bristol Record Office to see whether he signed his name or made a mark.

Have you found an Isaac & Mary LANEY on the 1871 census?   I follow your reasoning about Mary PORTER née PITTS.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/22845/pages/2191
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/22845/pages/2192

Pages: 2191 & 2192  THE LONDON GAZETTE, APRIL 19, 1864.
Vice Chancellor Wood.-Tuesday, the 12th day of April 1864.
Between Job Gould, Plaintiff; Isaac Laney, Defendant.
  UPON motion this day made unto this Court by Counsel for the plaintiff, who alleged that the plaintiff hath filed his Bill in this Court against the defendant, and that it appears by the affidavits of Job Gould, Henry Palmer, and Emanuel Laney, filed the 17th day of March, 1864, that the defendant, Isaac Laney, ..... the said defendant cannot be found so as to be served with process, and from inquiries made at the last known place of abode of the said defendant, and at other places where it was probable that the said defendant might be found, there is just ground to believe that the said defendant hath gone out of the realm, or otherwise absconded, to avoid being served with process, .... MERCER and MERCER, No. 9, Mincing-lane, in the city of London, Agents for, Messrs. DAVIES and SON, of Weston-super-Mare, in the county of Somerset, Plaintiff's Solicitors

Emanuel Laney (c. 1814 - 1867) was a brother of Isaac Laney (c. 1816 - 1877); both born Locking, to parents Isaac Laney (c1791; Locking - 1855) and Susan Wilson.

The Daily Southern Cross  Auckland New Zealand
Friday, August 12, 1864  pg 1
Advertisement
  If this should meet the eye of Mr. Isaac Laney, late of Locking, near Weston Super Mare, Somersetshire, he is requested to communicate immediately with Dr. Pierce Newton, Auckland, when he will hear of something to his advantage.
 

An Isaac Laney (1838 - 1903) son of Solomon Laney [c. 1812 - 1887; another brother of Isaac (c. 1816 - 1877)] marries a Mary Davies in 1860 but emigrates to Pennsylvania, USA in 1867.

I live in Australia, so an enquiry to the Bristol Record Office or obtaining a marriage certificate from the GRO I guess is warranted.

Fascinating stuff 

Not sure this will help you much but I have been looking further into the marriage of John and Mary PORTER as I have a connection with the PORTER family of Banwell & Worle.  To add to the census entries above, I have John PORTER, a Carpenter living in West Wick, Banwell in 1871. It also says he is widowed.  There is a burial in Banwell of a John PORTER aged 60 in 1879.  I have a probable baptism for him in Banwell in 1819.  A note on the burial transcription says that he died at Wells Lunatic Asylum.  

That's fascinating but I'm still curious  about whether it was  the same Isaac  LANEY who appears in Locking in 1861 as a farmer and had moved to  Banwell by 1871 and had changed occupation.  As you say he died and is buried in Banwell in 1877.   Where was he in 1864?

The marriage to Sophia HAMBLIN in 1837 still seems the most likely.  Or was he attempting bigamy with that marriage to Mary?

Browsing the newspapers on Find My Past gives quite a few clues that it is the same Isaac LANEY who moved from Locking to Banwell.  In 1863 there is an announcement in Bristol of the marriage of Annie daughter of Isaac LANEY of Locking to Henry Allan VINER of Bristol.  This marriage took place in Locking according to WsMFHS transcriptions.  

In the 1871 Banwell entry Isaac and Sophia have a 6 year old granddaughter Beatrice VINER living with them who was born in Bristol.

In the Somerset Summer Assizes in 1871 Isaac LANEY of Banwell is found guilty of slander in a case involving an accusation of money being taken from the till in his bar.  It mentions that he has lived in Banwell for three years.  

The evidence does seem to point to a double bigamous marriage taking place.  I wonder where Isaac was between 1863 and c1868 and what happened to Mary?

 

Bristol Record Office marriage record for Isaac Laney >>

Isaac Laney, 46 yrs, widower, Dealer = Mary porter, 40 yrs, Widow.

Lived at Charles Street.

Father Isaac Laney, Farmer.

Father William Pitt, Mason.

Witnesses: John & Catherine Radford (Church witnesses as their names are on lots of certs).

Thankyou for that information.