Martha Cordery

Elma

Elma

Well-Known Member
I am trying to find out more about Martha Cordery.
All I know about her is on the 1881 census, she is living in Bull Brook, Warfield
Class: RG11; Piece: 1318; Folio: 102; Page: 2
she was married to my relative George Dolby. By 1891 he is widowed.
The 1881 census records her birth as in Woolwich c 1868.
There is a baptism in Woolwich with Martha daughter of William and Jane Cordery in 1868.
Again on the 1881 census William and Jane Cordery are possibly living next to George and Martha but short of that I am struggling to find her on earlier census or indeed a birth marriage or death! Can anyone help?
With thanks
 
Hello Annie

I think you mean that she was born c1858 rather than 1868:). Anyway there is a marriage of George Henry Dolby to Martha Cordery in September Quarter 1880 in Easthampstead RD, Berkshire.
 
There is a baptism on Ancestry London Births & Baptisms> St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich. Martha daughter of William and Jane Cordery. Address: 3 Sandy Hill (presumably Woolwich). Father's occupation: Gunner, Royal Artillery.
 
Martha's birth registration may be found here:

Martha CORDERY, Greenwich registration district, March quarter 1858, volume 1d, page 663 :)
 
Amle said:
I am trying to find out more about Martha Cordery.
All I know about her is on the 1881 census, she is living in Bull Brook, Warfield
Class: RG11; Piece: 1318; Folio: 102; Page: 2
she was married to my relative George Dolby. By 1891 he is widowed.
Click to expand...

Well I think that George is still married. There is an entry in the 1891 Census at the same address as that of the 1881 Census(Bullbrook in Warfield, Berks)

George H. Dolby, Head, married, 31, Brickmaker, born Easthampstead, Berks
Jane Dolby, daughter, 10, born Bracknell, Berks
Frank Dolby, son, 5, born Aldershot(?), Berks

RG12/1006/93/33.

Now where was Martha and were there other children?
 
Now the 1901 Census is interesting>

Address: 3 Rosslyn Cottages, Chavey Down, Winkfield, Berks
RG13/1163/87/31

George H. Dolby, Head, married, 41, Brickmaker, born Easthampstead, Berks
William H Dolby, son, 18, Boots, born Bracknell, Berks
Francis E Dolby, son, 14, General Labourer, Aldershot, Hants
Alice M Dolby, daughter, 8, born Warfield, Berks
Arthur Dolby, son, 6, born Warfield, Berks
Edith Dolby, daughter, 4, born Bracknell, Berks
Steven Dolby, son, 1, born Winkfield, Berks
Edith M Cooper, Housekeeper, 29, married, born Wargrave Berks
George A Cooper [?or Dolby?], step-son, 12 , born Bracknell, Berks


Jane 21, unmarried and a servant in Ascot, Berks. RG13/1167/75/42
 
Well I'll leave you to look at the 1911 Census>RG14 PN6677 RG78 PN331 RD124 SD1 ED11 SN104

It's the same address as 1901 and George is still married but Edith the now widowed Housekeeper seems to have taken over most of the cottage with a brood of previously unknown children.(If you're using FMP, George's surname is DOBBY in their index).

I'm going to see if I can find what happened to Martha because that's still a mystery.
 
Well I'm stumped with Martha - can't even trace her as M.D. as a patient. She must be somewhere but I think it needs a new pair of eyes!



Just a thought - it might be worth trying to work out exactly which of all the children in the 1891/1901/1911 censuses had Martha, rather than Edith, as their mother.
 
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I cannot find her either. :(

However, I was wondering if she had remarried. All the children in the 1891 census are just recorded as being the offspring of George, as are those in the 1901 census - not Martha. George may well consider himself still married, especially if things were dealt with by the "poor man's divorce" and Martha remarried bigamously - or had even just taken on the surname of another man.

Just thoughts that I am throwing in the pot....o_O
 
Sorry I had to pop out the kitty had an ingrowing claw and needed the vet to help sort things out!

Yes I made a mistake Martha was born c 1858. I had seen the birth but not the marriage thank you. I know on the 1901 census Edith the housekeeper is my relative and the children Alice, Arthur, Edith and Stephen are George Dolbys. I have their certificates. Edith never marries George Dolby ? why.
I have tried to follow William and Jane Cordery (Martha's possible parents) and who appeared to live next door in 1881 and I think I have them in the later censuses but not in 1861 or 1871 and no Martha.
When I saw the baptism for Martha Cordery there is also another baptism for Mary Jane Elizabeth Cordery in 1859 same parents. So what happened to her too?
I wonder what happened to them all?
Thanks again Flook
 
Thanks also Jan.
I have just seen a newspaper article in the Reading Mercury (1890 FMP) it says George Dolby's has been charged with neglecting to support his wife, she had left him with three children, presumably Jane b 1881 William b 1883 and Francis b 1886. Maybe Jan, Martha did go off and 'marry' again.
 
Flook said:
Just a thought - it might be worth trying to work out exactly which of all the children in the 1891/1901/1911 censuses had Martha, rather than Edith, as their mother.
Click to expand...

I see that Alice Mary COOPER's birth was registered in Easthampstead in April Quarter 1892 (not to be confused with Alice Mabel DOLBY who was registered in Easthampstead RD in Dec Q 1889 and appears to belong to a different family see RG14 PN6672 RG78PN331 RD124 SD1 ED6 SN33).

Jane Dolby was registered as Sarah Jane Dolby in Jan Q 1882 in Easthampstead RD.


I've done a lot more checking (including for children who may have died before they appeared on a census) and it appears that Frank Dolby in the 1891 Census was almost certainly the last child of George and Martha. His birth is registered as Frank Henry Dolby, Farnham RD, April Quarter 1886. This is the correct name of the Francis E Dolby in the 1901 Census. A copy of this birth certificate could prove that Martha was still alive in 1886.
 
The Cordery's are still in Bullbrook Street Warfield in 1891
RG12/1006/89/26
William, Jane and son William

So, close by to George Dolby and family
 
I think this is the Cordery family in 1871 (FMP has the surname Cordry which is what it looks like on the original)

RG10/1233/77/3 in Heckfield Hants.
William and Jane + 6 children.
They have a daughter Martha b1858 and Mary J b1860

If you look further down the page there is a Charles Cordrey age 77 - wid - a yeoman
 
FMP has a 1861 world wide Army Index entry for William Cordery

It is only an index and does not give any really useful info other than his regiment and places that he has served, including Woolwich, Dublin amongst others. It could be he was not in England in 1861 so that is why we cannot find the family.
 
Flook said:
There is a baptism on Ancestry London Births & Baptisms> St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich. Martha daughter of William and Jane Cordery. Address: 3 Sandy Hill (presumably Woolwich). Father's occupation: Gunner, Royal Artillery.
Click to expand...

I'm being peculiarly dense today. The date of the baptism is 18 April 1858. DOB 10 March 1858. I should get to bed earlier!
 
Thank you so much.
Flook I am not sure about Frank Henry Dolby as his baptism says Francis Edward and he used that name mostly, could Frank Edward be a different person?
MollyMay thank you for that 1871 census I had not seen that. I will look at the army records now. I feel a bit further with this family so thank you all so much.
 
It looks like I may not find out what happened to Martha. Unless I can check the census 1891 onwards for a Martha, her age and place of birth, assuming she was still in Berkshire. I should know how to do this but I don't remember if it is possible.
Since I started the thread I have confirmed who her parents/family were and accepted she left George with three young children. I will send for her marriage certificate to George Dolby and the birth certificate of one of the children. That is a lot of progress. With many thanks
 
Amle said:
Thank you so much.
Flook I am not sure about Frank Henry Dolby as his baptism says Francis Edward and he used that name mostly, could Frank Edward be a different person?
Click to expand...

Hello Amie

I’ve worked through this again to see if I come to the same conclusion or whether I was leading you astray!

Two Dolby children had births registered in April Q 1886.

1. Frank Henry Dolby was registered in Farnham RD, Surrey. Aldershot was then in Farnham RD.
2. Frederick Edgar Dolby was registered in Windsor RD, Berkshire.

I can’t find a baptism for Frank Henry but Frederick Edgar was baptised at Clewer (on the outskirts of Windsor) on 5 September 1886 [Family Search]. His parents were Charles Edgar and Sarah Emma Dolby.

Frederick Edgar then appears living in Clewer in both the 1891 and 1901 Censuses. 1891 (as “Fred”)> RG12 / 1012 / 124 / 19; 1901> 1901 Census (as “Frederick E”): RG 13 / 1169 / 49 / 17.

It would appear then that Frank Henry is our man and is definitely the "Francis E" in Winkfield in 1901.
 
Hi Flook
Thanks for your interest. There is a baptism of a Francis Edward Dolby
on 6 Jun 1886 Aldershot, St Michael the Archangel
Father George Henry Dolby. Mother Martha Dolby. Its under Surrey baptisms on Ancestry. I guess Aldershot is on the border. That's where I am confused.
 
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