Hi… I’ve been searching for details on my great grandfather, Frederick May. I came across a newspaper clipping stating he was charged with bigamy. He also had an Alias surname, Masters. I’m trying to find details of the court case. Apparently he died in prison, which I am also trying to find. 1942 - charged with bigamy at Wokingham Police Court 1943 - committed for trial at the Berkshire Assizes Story goes he had 3 wives, one being Elsie Ellen Smith (my great grandmother). Any help is greatly appreciated
The records may be held at the National Archives: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk...iminal-cases-in-the-english-assizes-1559-1971 Do you have a date of birth for him? It will make searching for his death much easier if we have that info too.
Failing the above, the Reading Standard of 8 Jan 1943 says that Frederick Masters aged 45 was sentenced to 20 months hard labour for bigamously marrying Alice Yarham at Field Dalling (Norfolk) in Aug 1941. He had married your Great Grandmother on 2 Sep 1917, and they had three children. He left home in 1929, and in September of the same year he married a Miss Tubb at Twyford and lived with her until 1936, when she died. In 1938 your Great Grandmother took him back, but three years later he 'married' Alice Yarham, having shown her Miss Tubb's death certificate to prove he was a widower. A possible death for him could be this one: MASTERS, FREDERICK aged 45 GRO Reference: 1944 M Quarter in WALLINGFORD Volume 02C Page 484
A bit more detail from when Frederick was originally charged in 1942. This is taken from an article in the Wokingham Times 20th November 1942 - Defendant’s wife, whom he married in 1917, was present in Court, but declined to give evidence. Her sister, Mrs S. Broughall, of St Albans, Herts., stated that she was present on September 2nd 1917 when the marriage took place at St Clement’s Church, Fulham Palace Road, Fulham, of defendant Frederick Man (sic) and Elsie Ellen Smith. Witness, who was then unmarried, said she signed the register in her maiden name of Martha May Smith. Mrs Elsie Doris Abbott of 62a, Strafford Road, Barnet, said the prisoner was her father. She remembered him leaving home in 1929 and she did not see him again until April or May 1938, when he knocked on the door of her house. She asked him in, and he saw her mother and asked if she would take him back again, but she refused. Alice Yarham of 3, Lea Cottages, Twyford said she went through a form of marriage with defendant at Field Dalling Parish Church, Norfolk. During quarrels since they had been living together, he told her that she was not his wife. Last August, he handed her a piece of paper, saying that if she wrote to the address on it, she would find out all she wished to know. P.c. Ronald Hedges stated that at 5.25 pm on November 2nd, he arrested Masters on a warrant at Twyford and conveyed him to Wokingham, where he charged and cautioned. He then said, “My correct name is Frederick May - I have nothing else to say.”
Wow! Thank you! I have been searching this information for years and within less than 24 hours I have found everything on this site. I cannot thank you all enough xx. If only I could pass this all on to my Nanna would sadly died 10 years ago not knowing the full truth.
