General Chat

g.father - to date this makes 4. He did not bother with divorce/death.
First in London, left her and enlisted in army changing his names around, changing religion and stating he was single (penalty of five years hard labour if falsehoods were given on enlistment). Married a widow in India, abandoned her and their two babies when regt returned to England.

Regt sent to Sheffield - married again and in late 1920's married again this time the other side of London.

Anyone beat this?

No can't beat that chris. Which 'marriage' does OH descend from?

Ha,ha,ha Ann, great minds think alike. That was just what I was going to ask. Also, did your OH, Chris, know anything about it all.
Julia in Derbyshire

He knew nothing. Story he was given that his mother was born on a troopship going to India!!! That his gfather went off to serve in Boer War from India and his mother placed in orphanage, That his g.mother had eloped and was the daughter of an Irish soldier.All lies, every bit.

Over 25 years ago I began to try and find out. Had his mother's baptism lines and it was some years before I noticed underneath was another bapt with same father!!!! Her elder sister had been baptised after her. In India House found her sisters death aged 2 1/2 from dystentry some 3 mnths after Hissing Sid dumped them!

I had her bible presented to her and found the Anglo-Indian High School in Mumbai - phoned twice, wrote 3 times, faxed all notes, offered donation if they had a record of when MIL entered orphanage and who put her there. Zilch. I argued with OH that regt was one large family especially when abroad and child would have been sent home asap and definitely not put in orphanage.

The only children he had was from what we began to surmise was a common law relationship. No mention of second marriage or children on service papers.

Then a cousin took up the cudgel yet again a few months ago and discovered MIL's mother had been married! No sign of death of husband! OMG they have both been naughty. Earlier this week cousin found marriage cert between Hissing Sid and gmother. OMG they have both committed bigamy. Following day - cousin discovered death cert of former husband. Gma is a good girl so she is!

The true story is the g.mother was born of english parents in India, father engineer on Indian Railways. She married at 18 a man some 12 years older in Madras Province and was widowed at about 21/22 years of age.
Then poor toad she met Sid in Belgaum, married him and had two girls named for two of his sisters. When MIL was 3 months old and her sister some 27 months Sid returned to UK with his regt.

I have photos of him and details of his build from service papers. One skinney wee runt, Details taken at age 25 - height 5.4", chest 35" - expanded 36" and a face like a skinney rat! I know what OH says the attraction was am hesitant to post it!!! Sid was disinherited by his parents when he abandoned his first wife and they had money and property/businesses everywhere. (Must add OH takes after his paternal line in every way, looks, build and morals!)

He was only slowly being accepted by siblings circa 1929 when he had to admit that he had an adult daughter who had traced him through his old regiment as she needed him to claim her in order for her to leave India and he got dumped again by all except one sister (who had her own secrets) so there you have it. No point in giving you half the story!!!!

One of his names was Sidney which I do not like so am responsible for the fact that he is known to all and sundry as Hissing Sid! It was only very recently that cousin discovered g.ma's surname as on bapt cert full details of father but only christian names of mother. At long last OH knows the name of his gma. There were many times when I thought we never would.

Thanks Chris an interesting story crawled out of the woodwork in your case then. Glad you managed to solve it though.

Wow Chris, no wonder it took a long time to solve.
Didn't have anything like that but. - When dad first leaned to drive and had a car, on Sunday afternoons we would very often drive over to the family house, where maiden gt. aunt still lived. As soon as we arrived, gran would disappear upstairs with maiden gt. aunt. Grandad always said, it was to see who had the most. I thought he meant money, but since doing the geneology, I think it was secrets. LOLOL
Thanks for the PM.
Julia in Derbyshire

Chris,
That would make a great programme for ""WDYTYA""

Glad you were so persist in tracing the family.

Forgot to say he also changed regts whilst in India in order to avoid going to Ceylon and then at the same time reverted to his correct baptismal names! Not famous enough Sue!!!!! Not photogenic either (lol)

nudging as curious to know if there are any other serial bigamists out there!

In the words of Victor Meldrew - I DO NOT BELIEVE IT! Last night OH's cousin contacted me, (he, too, is in shock). Five marriages! To date the list reads, 1891 Brixton, 1901 India, 1914 Sheffield, 1917 West Ham and 1931 Woolwich. A postscript by cousin read - age and war halted any further activities! The 1917 'wife' was 22 years younger than him. OH is laughing himself sick. I reminded him his mother did not think it funny - four other women married him in good faith. Thank heavens he only had one child from all 5 marriages.

Please anyone else out there with serial bigamist?