Genealogy Chat

My g.g.uncle James Lovell Cox was married on April 20th 1865 in the parish church in Spetisbury, Dorset to Diana Barnes otherwise Fry.They were listed as "Full Age". He was actually born in Dec 1833, she was , according to all the census returns, 7 years older than James, so probably born around 1826. Her father is listed as Thomas Barnes, labourer. I can't find any record of her birth ( in Spetisbury according to the censuses) as either Diana Barnes or Diana Fry. I've not come across this alternative surname business before and wondered if any of you whizz kids could untangle it all for me. Thanks for looking,
Alison

Sorry, should have said that she is listed as "spinster", so presumably it's not relating to a former marriage.

Possible?

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Bryanston Street, Blandford, Blandford Union, Dorset, England

William Meadow Male 60 1781 Dorset, England
Bathsheba Meadow Female 60 1781 Dorset, England
Barnard Meadow Male 20 1821 Dorset, England
Diana Barnes Female 15 1826 Dorset, England

There is also this one- but father a farmer. The one above seems more likely given the area:

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Highwood, East Stoke, Wareham & Purbeck, Dorset, England

Thomas Barnes Male 50 1791 Dorset, England
Sarah Barnes Female 45 1796 Dorset, England
Dinah Barnes Female 15 1826 Dorset, England
Louisa Barnes Female 15 1826 Dorset, England
Elizabeth Barnes Female 14 1827 Dorset, England
William Barnes Male 8 1833 Dorset, England
-------------------------

Her mother may have remarried (to Fry) and her daughter took on step father's name?

I have to go out, so don't have time to look into it now. If no answers later, I'll have another look.

Thanks, AustinQ. It's definitely not the second one as that is Dinah not Diana and I have checked out all the records for Dinah-- not my relative.

For locations

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Middle Street, Spettisbury, Blandford, Dorset, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James Cox Head - Male 37 1834 - Dorset, England
Diana Cox Wife - Female 44 1827 - Dorset, England
Ellen Cox Daughter - Female 5 1866 - Dorset, England

Diana and Ellen born Spettisbury according to census return

If Diana moved to Spettisbury at an early age she may have thought that is where she was born

?? Related - All but Celina (b Corfe) born Spettisbury

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Private House, Blandford Road, Spettisbury, Blandford, Dorset, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Henry Barnes Head Married Male 32 1829 Agricultural Labourer Dorset, England
Celina Barnes Wife Married Female 29 1832 - Carfin, Dorset, England
Ema Barnes Daughter Unmarried Female 10 1851 Scholar Dorset, England
George Barnes Son Unmarried Male 8 1853 Scholar Dorset, England
Ann Barnes Daughter Unmarried Female 6 1855 Scholar Dorset, England
Samuel Barnes Son Unmarried Male 4 1857 Scholar Dorset, England
William Barnes Son Unmarried Male 2 1859 Scholar Dorset, England
Thomas Barnes Son Unmarried Male 0 1861 - Dorset, England

Daughter Ellen's birth registered with mmn Barnes

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
COX, ELLEN BARNES Order
GRO Reference: 1866 M Quarter in BLANDFORD Volume 05A Page 263

Possibly Diana in 1851 (Barnes on image):

1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Sellors Hall, Nether Street, Finchley, Barnet, Middlesex, England

Henry S Westmacott Head Married Male 42 1809 Solicitor Hampton, Middlesex, England
George Westmacott Father Married Male 69 1782 Annuitant Pimlico, Middlesex, England
Elizabeth Mary Newby Sister In Law Unmarried Female 33 1818 Fundholder St James Westminster, Middlesex
Hannah Harrison Servant Married Female 30 1821 House Servant Cromer, Norfolk,
Robert Harrison Servant Married Male 25 1826 Formerly Groom Easton, Northamptonshire
Diana Bames Servant Unmarried Female 24 1827 House Servant Saintbury, Dorset,

Saintbury- looks to be Spetbury on image

Related marriage (image on Ancestry)- likely marriage of Diana's brother:

Name: Henry Barnes Otherwise Fry
Gender: Male
Marriage Age: Full Age
Marriage Date: 15 Sep 1850
Marriage Place: Spetisbury, Dorset, England
Father: Thomas Barnes Othewise Fry (Labourer)

Spouse: Selina Allen (minor)
Spouse father: William Allen

Witnesses: H? Barnes & B? Knight
----------------------------

So from this marriage it looks as though it was the father, Thomas, that went by Fry or Barnes.

Also this marriage:

Name: Catherine Susanah Barnes -otherwise Fry
Gender: Female
Marriage Age: Full Age
Marriage Date: 25 Jan 1841
Marriage Place: Spetisbury, Dorset, England
Father: Thomas Barnes otherwise Fry (labourer)
Spouse: Percival Cuff

and this marriage:

Name: Elizabeth Barnes otherwise Fry
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Event Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 11 Apr 1840
Marriage Place: Spetisbury, Dorset, England
Father: Thomas Barnes otherwise Fry
Spouse: Edward Robins

Henry's baptism:

First name(s) Henry
Last name Barnes
Birth year -
Baptism year 1828
Baptism date 25 Dec 1828
Baptism place Spetisbury
Church St John the Baptist
Father's first name(s) Thomas
Mother's first name(s) Anne
Notes Labourer
County Dorset
Country England
Record set Dorset Baptisms

Seems to be a few children born to the above couple (as well as Henry and Diana)- this baptism gives Thomas with middle name Fry:

Baptism:
Name Catherine Susanna Barnes
Residence Place Spetisbury, Dorset, England
Gender Female
Christening Date 21 Aug 1814
Christening Place Spetisbury, Dorset, England
Father's Name Thomas Fry ... Barnes
Mother's Name Anne

Baptism:
Name: Elizabeth Fry
Baptism Date: 20 Nov 1816
Baptism Place: Spetisbury, Dorset, England
Father: Thomas Fry otherwise Barnes
Mother: Anne Fry

Baptism:
First name(s) John
Last name Barnes
Gender Male
Baptism year 1819
Baptism date 04 Jul 1819
Residence Spetisbury, Dorset, England
County Dorset
Father's first name(s) Thomas Fry
Father's last name Barnes
Mother's first name(s) Anne

Baptism:
First name(s) George
Last name Barnes
Gender Male
Baptism year 1820
Baptism date 22 Oct 1820
Residence Spetisbury, Dorset, England
County Dorset
Father's first name(s) Thomas Fry
Father's last name Barnes
Mother's first name(s) Anne

Baptism:
First name(s) Eleanor
Last name Barnes
Gender Female
Baptism year 1823
Baptism date 10 Feb 1823
Residence Spetisbury, Dorset, England
County Dorset
Father's first name(s) Thomas
Father's last name Barnes
Mother's first name(s) Anne

Baptism:
First name(s) John
Last name Barnes
Gender Male
Baptism year 1833
Baptism date 24 Nov 1833
Residence Spetisbury, Dorset, England
County Dorset
Father's first name(s) Thomas
Father's last name Barnes
Mother's first name(s) Anne

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Spettisbury, Blandford Union, Dorset, England

Thomas Fry Male 60 1781 Dorset, England
Ann Fry Female 50 1791 Dorset, England
Henry Fry Male 12 1829 Dorset, England
William Fry Male 10 1831 Dorset, England
John Fry Male 7 1834 Dorset, England
Susannah Best Female 75 1766 Dorset, England
--------------------------

1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Nunnery, Spettisbury, Blandford, Dorset, England

Thomas Fry Head Married Male 72 1779 Laborer Dorset, England
Ann Fry Wife Married Female 61 1790 - Dorset, England
William Fry Son Unmarried Male 19 1832 Laborer Dorset, England
John Fry Son Unmarried Male 17 1834 Laborer Dorset, England

The image of the marriage posted by AustinQ shows witnesses as William Barnes and Benjamin Knight (his name appears quite often so could be a Church official)

1861 (now under Barnes)

Name: Thomas Barnes
Age: 82
Estimated birth year: 1779
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ann Barnes
Gender: Male
Where born: Spettisbury, Dorset, England
Civil Parish: Spetisbury
Ecclesiastical parish: Blandford
County/Island: Dorset
Registration district: Blandford
Sub-registration district: Milton Abbas
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 57
Piece: 1332 Folio: 49 Page Number: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Barnes 82
Ann Barnes 71
---------------------------------

Burial for Thomas:

Name: Thomas Barnes
Death Age: 89
Event Type: Burial
Birth Date: 1779
Burial Date: 10 Aug 1868
Burial Place: Spetisbury, Dorset, England
----------------------------

There's normally a reason for name change- I don't have time to look today, but it could be as simple as criminal record for Thomas or a member of the family- and wanting to avoid association.

Now you have the names of siblings it might be worth following them up too.
-------------------------

Related thread on Rootschat:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=550269.0

????????
Do Thomas and Ann die as Barnes?? - ages/area fit.
Not seeing then in 1861 census under either surname but no Fry deaths to fit in Blandford RD

England & Wales deaths 1837-2007 Transcription

First name(s) THOMAS
Last name BARNES
Gender Male
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1779
Age 89
Death quarter 3
Death year 1868
District Blandford
County Dorset
Volume 5A
Page 153

and Ann

First name(s) ANN
Last name BARNES
Gender Female
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1791
Age 79
Death quarter 1
Death year 1870
District Blandford
County Dorset
Volume 5A
Page 205

EDIT - guided by AustinQ's 1861, FMP census showing Thomas and Ann as WARNS. Also he is shown as aged 82 on image but transcript shows 72 !!
Will try a correction

To AustinQ and greyghost, thank you both so much for all your work and input, and for the rootschat link. So much information! I've obviously got a lot of digging to do to try and link up all the family members.