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Before I start may I say I added this as a post a few years back.
I believe I may now have a bit more information and wonder if anyone can make any suggestions as what to try next please.
I have Walter Bennett marrying Mary Ellen Corcoran 26th May 1874 at St Phillips Church, Sheffield. Says she is a widow and has her father as John Cockeray a gardener. I think I have found a previous marriage to a Benjamin Clarke in 1869 her name recorded as Mary Ellen Corcoram that shows as Sheffield but as yet I havent managed to get the certificate or find which church it was. Benjamin died in 1873 but I couldn't find them on the 1871 census.
On her and Walter's daughters birth certificate it says mother Mary Ellen Bennett, late Clarke, formerly Thomas.
Census records after her marriage show her as born 1844 and states Ireland.
I'm trying to find out where she was before her marriage to Walter Bennett and hopefully find her birth name.

Can anyone help throw some light on this please or give me some ideas where to start looking? Many thanks in advance.

Walter Bennett
England, Marriages, 1538–1973
birth: 1852
marriage: 26 May 1874 St. Philip'S,? Sheffield,? York,? England
parents: Charles Bennett
spouse: Mary Ellen Clarke


groom's name: Walter Bennett
groom's birth date: 1852
groom's age: 22
bride's name: Mary Ellen Clarke
bride's birth date: 1845
bride's age: 29
marriage date: 26 May 1874
marriage place: St. Philip'S, Sheffield, York, England
groom's father's name: Charles Bennett
bride's father's name: John Cockeray
groom's marital status: Single
bride's marital status: Widowed
indexing project (batch) number: M01023-8
system origin: England-EASy
source film number: 993296

Walter Bennett
England, Marriages, 1538–1973
birth: 1852
marriage: 26 May 1874 Saint Phillip,?Sheffield,?York,?England
spouse: Mary Ellen Clarke


groom's name: Walter Bennett
groom's birth date: 1852
groom's age: 22
bride's name: Mary Ellen Clarke
bride's birth date: 1845
bride's age: 29
marriage date: 26 May 1874
marriage place: Saint Phillip,Sheffield,York,England
indexing project (batch) number: M05814-1
system origin: England-ODM
source film number: 0993295, 0993296

Hi Ann,

Yes that is the correct marriage to Walter and I have read this all from the marriage register at Sheffield archives some time back.

Its going backwards from there atht I am struggling with.

Thanks

Stephen

Hi Ann,

Yes that is the correct marriage to Walter and I have read this all from the marriage register at Sheffield archives some time back.

Its going backwards from there atht I am struggling with.

Thanks

Stephen

So she is Clarke when she marries Walter.

Marriages Jun 1874
Bennett Walter Sheffield 9c 677
Clarke Mary Ellen Sheffield 9c 677


Unless I am looking at the wrong census this one gives her birth place as Sheffield.

1881

Name: Mary E. Bennett
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Walter Bennett
Gender: Female
Where born: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

Civil parish: Hoyland Nether
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England

Street Address: No 26 Tinker Lane
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Coal Miner's Wife

Registration district: Barnsley
Sub-registration district: Darfield
ED, institution, or vessel: 15
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4608
Folio: 166
Page Number: 62
Household Members: Name Age
Walter Bennett 29
Mary E. Bennett 36
William H. Bennett 5
Joseph E. Bennett 3
Mary E. Bennett 1
Samuel Bennett 22

Birthplace Sheffield again in 1891 and 1911

Hi rootgatherer and Ann,

My apologies that is correct she was Clarke when she married Walter Bennett, Corcoram was her recorded name when she married Benjamin Clarke.

I am checking my notes to see where I have got born Ireland from.

Stephen.

Now, this census is interesting or a complete red herring!

1871

Name: Mary Cockayne
[Mary Clarke]
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Ben Cockayne
Mother's Name: Ann Clarke
Gender: Female
Where born: Manchester
Civil parish: Cheetham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas
Town: Cheetham
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Registration district: Manchester
Sub-registration district: Cheetham
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 203
Piece: 4062
Folio: 153
Page Number: 63
Household Members: Name Age
Ben Cockayne 35 Tailor, b. Derbyshire
Mary Cockayne 26 b. Manchester
Thos Cockayne 4 b. Manchester
Ben Cockayne 3 b. Manchester
Mary Cockayne 1 b. Manchester
Wm Cockayne 1 Month b. Manchester
Ann Clarke 50 Mother-in-law, Grocer, b. Ripley, Yorks
Eliza Clarke 23 Sister-in-law, Grocer, b. Manchester

he above probably is a red herring. this seems to be the above Mary in 1861. When I click on the actual image it is taking me to the wrong page so I can't cross check the transcript with the actual image.

Name: Ann E Clarke
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1821
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Thomas H Clarke
Gender: Female
Where born: Ripley, Yorkshire, England

Civil parish: Salford
Ecclesiastical parish: St Simon
Town: Salford
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Salford
Sub-registration district: Greengate
ED, institution, or vessel: 40
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 33
Piece: 2918
Folio: 54
Page Number: 6
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas H Clarke 40
Ann E Clarke 40
Mary J Clarke 16
Eliza Clarke 15
Thomas H Clarke 11

Yes, a red herring as that Mary was Mary Jane.

I'll leave it up though for elimination purposes.

Marriages Sep 1865
Batty Elizabeth Manchester 8d 433
Butty Elizabeth Manchester 8d 433
Clarke Mary Jane Manchester 8d 433 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Cockayne Benjamin Manchester 8d 433 <<<<<<<<<<<<<
Lund Edwin Henry Manchester 8d 433

I agree with you probably a red herring have just been looking at it myself.
The sister in law caught my eye.
When Mary married Walter the witnesses were William Henry Ball and Eliza Ann Ball.
I am sure that must be a coincidence!!!

Hi rootgatherer

I take it you have ancestry access?
If you look on the 1861 census for Mary Corcoran born 1845 the 3rd one that comes up is Sheffield and has a father who is agardener but first name wrong!!!

What do you think?

It gets worse.

Now what is this ??

1871

Name: Benjamin? Clarke
Age: 41
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1830
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland
[Scotland]
Civil parish: Nether Hallam
Ecclesiastical parish: St Philip
Town: Sheffield
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Registration district: Ecclesall Bierlow
Sub-registration district: Nether Hallam
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Household schedule number: 107
Piece: 4663
Folio: 74
Page Number: 22
Household Members: Name Age
Benjamin? Clarke 41
Clarke 16
Mary? Clarke 12

The image is very feint

Ah, this one Stephen

1861

Name: Mary Corcoran
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Patrick Corcoran
Gender: Female
Where born: Ireland

Civil parish: Sheffield
Ecclesiastical parish: St George
Town: Sheffield
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Sheffield
Sub-registration district: North Sheffield
ED, institution, or vessel: 29
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 295
Piece: 3485
Folio: 93
Page Number: 53
Household Members: Name Age
Patrick Corcoran 45 Gardener
William Corcoran 15
Mary Corcoran 17
Agnes Corcoran 14
John Corcoran 10
Mary Corcoran 50 Sister

All born Ireland even 10 year old John so they won't be on an earlier census.

Sorry, Stephen I have to go out now will look in tomorrow if I can.

Good Luck.

I have just looked and yes barely readable.
Looks like a visit to Sheffield may be on the cards.

That could be feasible if he then dies in 1873 the 2 daughters would be old enough to be off on their own somewhere.

May have to check St Phillip's records to see if that is where they married.
See if that throws up anything for who her father is and where the surname Thomas fits in.

Many thanks for your help rootgatherer.

This may be the marriage of the witnesses but a bit far away from Sheffield! Of course William Henry and Eliza Ann may have been brother and sister rather than husband and wife.

Marriages Dec 1870
BALL William Henry Plymouth 5b 517
ELLIOTT Eliza Ann Plymouth 5b 517
Gilbert Thomas Nicholls Plymouth 5b 517
PILE Elizabeth Plymouth 5b 517
Sparks William Henry Plymouth 5b 517

1871 (another census where the ink has been rationed! Image very feint)

Name: William H Ball
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1835
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Eliza A Ball
Gender: Male
Where born: Barnsley, Yorkshire, England
Civil parish: Nether Hallam
Ecclesiastical parish: Walkley St Mary
Town: Sheffield
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Registration district: Ecclesall Bierlow
Sub-registration district: Nether Hallam
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Household schedule number: 195
Piece: 4664
Folio: 22
Page Number: 38
Household Members: Name Age
William H Ball 36 Warehouseman
Eliza A Ball 24 Wife
John Ball 23 Brother
Mary Bennett 10 Cousin

I have seen that census return before and with them having Mary Bennett cousin living with them at that time makes the family connection more likely.

I cant see that she can be Walter and Mary Ellen's child.