Friday Fun: 2 Marriages

A case of keeping the marriages within the family. This is not the only instance I have of this occurring, but let's start with this one and look at how I tied it together.

Martha Ellen Goodwin, my 3rd great aunt married John James Brownridge in 1873 in Macclesfield. 

By 1881, they had 4 children and they were living at 25 Glebe Street, Gorton, Lancashire.

In 1891 the family had moved to Church Road, Rusholme, Lancashire and they had 4 more children, giving a total of 8

In 1901, they were now living at 288 Hungerford Road, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire and they had 3 more children, meaning that there were 9 children at home, Arthur and Annie had now left home. 

Martha Ellen had no more children after Henry, but on the 1911 census, John James indicated that there had been 13 children, 2 of whom had died.

Here is the list of their children:

1875 Arthur George Brownridge

1877 Annie Brownridge

1879 Amy Brownridge

1881 James Brownridge

1883 Edith Brownridge

1884 David Brownridge, died 1885

1886 Thomas Lee Brownridge

1888 John Brownridge

1890 William Brownridge

1892 Albert Edward Brownridge, died 1898

1894 Harold Brownridge

1896 Florence May Brownridge

1898 Henry Brownridge

David Brownridge was born in 1884 and died in 1885 and Albert Edward Brownridge was born in 1892 and died in 1898 which is why they do not appear on any of the census records.

Martha Ellen died age 48, in November 1904 in Nantwich, Cheshire and John James had 7 children still living at home, so an obvious (!) solution, he marries his sister in law.

In May 1905 John James Brownridge married Martha Ellen's older sister Mary Goodwin, my 3rd great aunt in Nantwich, Cheshire. 

The 1911 census confirms this and they were still living at 288 Hungerford Road, Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire

• John James Brownridge, age 58, Loco Mechanic, born in Macclesfield, Cheshire
• Mary Brownridge, age 56, born in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
• Thomas Lee Brownridge, age 25, Loco Mechanic, born in Longsight, Lancashire
• John Brownridge, age 23, Loco Mechanic, born in Longsight, Lancashire
• William Brownridge, age 21, Loco Mechanic, born in Longsight, Lancashire
• Harrold Brownridge, age 17, Apprentice Mechanic, born in Longsight, Lancashire
• Florence May Brownridge, age 15, Apprentice Milliner, born in Longsight, Lancashire
• Henry Brownridge, age 13, School, born in Longsight, Lancashire
• Jane Goodwin, age 87, born in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire (widow)

The census shows that John James and Mary had been married 5 years and had no children and Mary's mother Jane Goodwin was also living with them. The male members of the family, apart from Henry, who was still at school all worked for L & NW Railway (London and North Western Railway).