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If May ‘left’ his wife, he probably didn’t marry Ellen. Or Emily……….which is correct, please?
What happened to the first wife?

She appears in the 1891 Census:
Dorothy May
Gender Female
Age 27
Relationship Servant
Birth Year 1864
Birth Place Gateshead, Durham, England
Civil parish Gateshead
Residence Place Gateshead, Durham, England
Registration District Gateshead
Sub registration district Gateshead
ED, Institution or Vessel 28
Neighbors View others on page
Piece 4180
Folio 43
Household members
Name Age
Joseph Percival 39
Edith Percival 9
Dorothy May 27
Robert Percival 3

This relationship didn't last sadly, and so in the 1911 Census we have her re-married

Dorothy May
Registration Year 1911
Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration District Gateshead
Inferred County Durham
Volume 10a
Page 1229
Household members
Name Age
Robert Daley
Dorothy May

Dorothy Daily
Age in 1911 46
Estimated Birth Year abt 1865
Relation to Head Boarder
Gender Female
Birth Place Gateshead
Civil parish Gateshead
County/Island Durham
Country England
Street Address 99 Providence Place Gateshead On Tyne
Marital Status Married
Occupation Housekeeper
Registration District Number 557
Sub-registration district Gateshead
ED, institution, or vessel 36
Piece 30446
Household members
Name Age
Patrick Burke 52
Alena Burke 41
Margaret Burke 12
Dorothy Daily 46

Then in 1906 John Joseph himself marries:

Mary Elizabeth Charlton
Registration Year 1906
Registration Quarter Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration District Newcastle upon Tyne
Inferred County Northumberland
Volume 10b
Page 278
Household members
Name Age
Mary Elizabeth Charlton
John Joseph May

I don't have a death for him sadly.

Apologies its Ellen Serle

The son John William E was registered in 1901………find the record on the GRO site to confirm MMN

The GRO site is FREE

Ernest wasn’t with them in 1911, he’d been left with the next-door neighbours from 1901

ErikaH

According to his birth certificate John William Eward May - mother Ellen May nee Serle.

In the 1911 Census John Joseph appears with his new wife following Ellen's death in 1907.

John Joseph May
Age in 1911 51
Estimated Birth Year abt 1860
Relation to Head Head
Gender Male
Birth Place N C On Tyne, Northumberland, England
Civil parish Gateshead
County/Island Durham
Country England
Street Address 14 Hillgate Gateshead On Tyne
Marital Status Married
Occupation General Labourer
Registration District Number 557
Sub-registration district Gateshead
ED, institution, or vessel 33
Piece 30443
Household members
Name Age
John Joseph May 51
Mary Elizebeth May 31
John William Eward May 10
Ethel Margret May 5
William Charlton 20


Ernest Clifford appears in the 1911 Census as follows:

Ernest Clifford May
Age in 1911 20
Estimated Birth Year abt 1891
Relation to Head Boarder
Gender Male
Birth Place Nk
Civil parish Cramlington
County/Island Northumberland
Country England
Street Address 6 Double Junction Row Cramlington
Marital Status Single
Occupation Coal Miner
Registration District Number 559
Sub-registration district Cramlington
ED, institution, or vessel 04
Piece 30841
Household members
Name Age
Henry Langman 56
Mary Camilla Langman 54
Franas Ellen Langman 23
John Henry Langman 20
Eveline Langman 17
Edith Langman 15
Sidney James Langman 9
Ernest Clifford May 20

Yes, that’s what I found :-S :-S

Hi Erika,

Yes Ive Ernest Clifford Neve's he has a completely different Mother and father unknown. John Joseph took him before his mother Esther Ruth Neve sailed for New Zealand to join her husband. Whilst her husband was abroad she had an affair with her boss said to be a relative or was indeed John Joseph May.

Grace b. 1897 in Bath Somerset - I haven't been able to find any registration to order a birth certificate.

JOhn William Eward May b. 1901 in Cramlington - Mother Ellen May nee Serle.

Ellen it appears to have passed herself off as being married to John Joseph taking his name as it appears on her Death Certificate. and John William's birth certificate.

As she was 28 when Grace was born I wonder if she had been married before and so Serle is/was her married surname before May. I also wonder if this is so, maybe he was also alive.

The MMN on the son’s birth is clear.

Have you looked for Ellen in censuses pre-1901?

Yes, I tried that too but came up with nothing.

I also followed a possible marriage : Thomas Serle m. Ellen Flower m. 14/5/1888 in Bristol. but as I looked further into that line, I discovered it was completely incorrect. which was very frustrating.

What's your thoughts ?

Ellen Flower m. Thomas Serle. 14/5/1888 in Bristol.

Thomas Serle b. 1832 in Bristol M. Elizabeth Headford 9/4/1855. Elizabeth d. Mar 1887 in Barton Regis.

Thomas Serle then marries Ellen Flowers 14/5/1888 she is 22 yrs he is 56 yrs.
Ellen Flowers b. 1866 in Bristol.

1891 Census : Thomas age 59 and Ellen 37 yrs.

1901 Census : Thomas and Ellen appear together.

Thomas D. 29/1/1904 in Bristol, Gloucester aged 72 yrs.
Probate: 29/2/1904 in Bristol to Ellen Serle widow £133.

So far so good, However, my Ellen (Serle) has a child in 1897 and in 1901 appears in the 1901 census in Cramlington, Northumberland with John Joseph May passing herself off as his wife

Could they be one and the same or am I just wishing too much ?

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census
29, Claremont Street, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England

Household members (2 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Thomas Serle Head
Married Male 69 1832 - Warminster, Wiltshire, England
Ellen Serle Wife
Married Female 47 1854 Licensed victualler Tiverton, Devon, England

and

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census
25, East Wood Row, Cramlington Low Colliery, Cramlington, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England

Household members (5 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John J May Head
Married Male 41 1860 Plasterer Newcastle on Tyne, Northumberland, England
Ellen May Wife
Married Female 35 1866 - Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Ernest C May Son
- Male 10 1891 - Norwich, Norfolk, England
Grace May Daughter
- Female 4 1897 - Bath, Somerset, England
William E May Son
- Male 0 1901 - Seghill, Northumberland, England


I don't think they can be the same person, I'm afraid.

You can’t say with any certainty that Grace was Ellen’s child as you state that there is no documentary evidence to support the idea.

Have you ruled out this death?
I know the stated age is several years out . . . . . . but depends on what the informant thought.

MAY, JOHN JOSEPH 61
GRO Reference: 1914 M Quarter in GATESHEAD Volume 10A Page 1159


ADDED:
Have you found him, his wife Mary, or daughter Ethel , after 1911?

It would be useful to know if Mary was a widow, or remarried, by 1921.

Births Dec 1897 (>99%)
May Grace Gateshead 10a 994

Cemetery Registers, Gateshead District - Record Number: 1907522.12
Location: Gateshead, County Durham
Cemetery: Saltwell Cemetery
Denomination: any
7 Feb 1914 John J. May, died at Union Workhouse, age: 61, labourer

Sadly, the Gateshead birth of Grace May (posted by Abby) isn't the right one. Would have been nice if it had been!

MAY, GRACE mmn CLARK
GRO Reference: 1897 D Quarter in GATESHEAD Volume 10A Page 994

Parents:

Marriages Mar 1888 (>99%)
Clark Grace Gateshead 10a 1011
MAY Philip Gateshead 10a 1011

She's with her parents in Gateshead in 1911 and 1921.