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Hiya, I would definately order the birth certificate of the child born in 1901, it may give you some idea as to where William was, it may be that he died while Hannah was pregnant with the said child, so he may show up as deceased on the birth certificate. It may also give you an address where you can then get a electoral register lookup done for that period. regards, Siobhan

Siobhan and Gwynneth - many many thanks for your efforts. Oh My God - yes, William could be in jail I suppose. I wonder what for ? Struth.... he couldn't have hanged could he being as he wasn't around in 1903 !!! Oh heck, what a thought. And Hannah Margaret. Yes I know she put herself as Anne Margaret at her marriage. I think she had delusions of grandeur!! She was definitely Hannah though and in later life was always known as Annie. It looks very much like her on 1901 that you found, but why would she be in a Waifs institution. Would she be working there if William was in fact in the nick ? Could that be why her children were with their grandparents? Assuming that William actually fathered the last child in 1901 (Matthew Thomas Storey Cunningham b. 13 October 1901) I suppose the best thing would be to obtain the birth cert, but then again whether he fathered the child or not Hannah could have put his name on the registration so that wouldn't really prove conclusively that he was alive in 1901. Oh what a mess. Why can't he turn up 'dead' in a straightforward manner like most other people? I have had more queries and brick walls - no solid concrete ones - than yoiu woud believe. I am beginning to lose heart. Years and years I have searched for this man's death. Ooooohhhh !!! I could pull my hair out.

There is a William Cunningham born 1865 (stating Lambeth in London) in prison in dorset in 1891 census. This could be a possibility as to why he is not with Hannah and children in 1891 and why she reverted back to maiden name in 1901.

I have found Hannah in 1901. She has reverted back to her maiden name, but is not showing as widowed, she is still showing as married. So perhaps they parted on not good terms. Hannah M Storey age 31 (Married) occupation Cook born Seaton Delavel living at National Waifs Association/Dr Barnardos Branch Home - 24 Shieldfield Green, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Siobhan. ... My apologies, I am trying to do too many things at once and didn't read the information properly. I'm sorry. Gwyn

As margaret stated that her William married Hannah Margaret Storey in 1889

Siobhan ... re. freebmd... How do you know that she is Anne Margaret.... and not Hannah Thursfield ? Gwyn

there is a william cunningham in the same civil parish as Hannah in 1891 born 1867 in Cumberland though and states that he is single. But it may well be that he lied to enumerator. Name: Willm Cunningham Age: 24 Estimated birth year: abt 1867 Relation: Lodger Gender: Male Where born: Cumberland, England Civil parish: Hedworth Monkton and Jarrow Ecclesiastical parish: Jarrow Grange Town: Jarrow County/Island: Durham Country: England

do you have William and Hannahs marriage certificate. What was his occupation and age stated on marriage certificate and what was the name of William's father.

Firstly, was your William Cunningham definately born in 1865, do you have a birth certificate to confirm this, sometimes they exagerated there age in census' and when marrying. Also could he have gone to scotland, have you tried the scottish census'. As Northumberland is not that far away. Might be worth looking into.

On FREEBMD, Hannah is Anne Margaret Storey for their marriage. Marriages Jun 1889 BROWN Robert S Shields 10a 995 Cunningham William South Shields 10a 995 Storey Anne Margaret S. Shields 10a 995 THURSFIELD Hannah Watson S. Shields 10a 995

Nudge for any help. Have to go off to work now until 5 oclock but will look in later to see if anyione at all has been able to help. Fingers crossed - I'm desperate !!!

Gwynne - no. The only information I have is that provided by a contact who is a descendent of my grandfather Thomas Matthew's sister. I am at present getting back in touch to ask her what verification, if any, she has on this. Reggie - the marriage of Hannah Margaret Storey and William Cunningham took place on 22 April 1889 at St. Paul's Church, Jarrow.

Do you have the cert for the Storey/Cunningham marriage? Reg

Do you know that William was the father of the child born in 1901...... or did the child just have his surname? Have you a birth certificate or baptism record? Gwyn

I have for years been trying to trace the death of my Gt. Gtrandfather William Cunningham. He was born 1865 Deptford, London although the family were actually from the north east of england. They did however, return to their roots and William married local girl Hannah Margaret Storey. I believed they only had two children, one of whom was my Grandfather Thomas Matthew Cunningham born November 1890 in Jarrow where they lived. However, in recent days through a contact on Genes, I have found out that they did in fact have other children after my Grandfather who all died within 12 months of age. The last of these was born 1901. Hannah Margaret then went on to remarry in 1903. BUT - nowhere can I find a death of William Cunningham who in 1901 would have been 36/37 years old and therefore 38/39 years old when Hannah Margaret remarried. (Her second marriage took place in 1903 in Newcastle on Tyne and was to a Francis Langley who was previously a lodger in her parents house. One puzzling feature is that I have never been able to locate William Cunningham in a census after his marriage. Hannah Margaret is found in 1891 census living with her parents and two children at Caledonian Road Jarrow and in the 1901 census only the two children are resident with the grandparents but cannot locate William or Hannah. The previous lodger, Francis Langley, is a boarder in Cramlington but no sign of Hannah. I thought maybe she had run off with him or something so I tried both combinations - Hannah Cunningham and Hannah Langley but to no avail. Can anyone help - most importantly with William's death. I don't know now where to look.