The marriage (17 Dec 1904) certificate of his daughter Ann Murray to Edward Sharp, at Leicester Register Office, described the father as Thomas Murray deceased, Bricklayer.

The later marriage (27 May 1905) certificate of his other daughter Mary Murray to Thomas Britten, at St Bridget's (Catholic) church, Liverpool, described the father as Thomas Murray, Bricklayer. The groom's father was described as Edward Britten deceased, Carter.

Was Thomas still alive in 1905? If so, Ann was presumably lying, perhaps to explain why her father wasn't there to give her away.

If not, why was Edward Britten described as deceased in 1905, but not Thomas Murray? Or did the vicar make a mistake?

---

Message sent to Kevin Mogan via genesreunited on 8 Mar 2009:

Dear Kevin,

I have some new information about the family of Mary Murray, who married Thomas Britten in 1905.

It seems that Mary had an elder sister, Ann (born 14 Dec 1882, Liverpool). Her birth certificate names the father as Thomas Murray and mother Catherine Abbott, which matches what I already know from the 1891 census. This Ann married Edward Sharp in Leicester Register Office in Dec 1904. Edward and Annie Sharp can be found in the 1911 census for Leicester with some children.

The marriage certificate of Ann Murray and Edward Sharp names her father as Thomas Murray, a bricklayer, and - strangely - deceased. This is at odds with Mary Murrays marriage certificate 6 months later, which does not have Thomas Murray as deceased (but Edward Britten, the groom's father, is deceased). It is possible that Ann was in 1904 estranged from her father - she married in a register office instead of a Catholic Church for one thing - but she did not NEED to lie - being of full age, she did not need her father's consent to marry.

I wonder if you have any living relatives who may be able to shed some light on when Thomas Murray actually died? There is a story current amongst my wife's family that Catherine Britten, your Margaret's elder sister, was raised by her maternal grandparents, because her father, Thomas Britten, initially disowned her due to doubts about her paternity, which he later recanted. He must have recanted by 1911, because in the census of that year, Thomas and Mary Britten have Catherine, Margaret, and young Thomas in their household.

What I'm trying to establish is whether these grandparents were Thomas Murray and Catherine Murray formerly Abbot, or Catherine and a second husband.

Can you help?

Best wishes,

Stephen