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Help needed please. I have found Mary Ellen Clarke a widow marrying a Walter Bennett on 26/05/1874 age 29 in St Phillips church, Sheffield. The record shows her father as being John Cockerey or Cockaday, difficult to decipher. I have found her on the 1881 and 1891 census with her husband in outlying areas of Barnsley, both show her as born in Sheffield. Her daughters birth certificate shows her as Mary Ellen Bennett late Carke formerly Thomas. I believe she was born in 1844/1845 in Sheffield but I cannot find her on 1851,1861 or 1871 census. I have ancestry.co.uk but cannot find her. Can anybody help, a fresh pair of eyes will probably find her. Many thanks, Steve

Can you tell us the witnesses names on the marriage cert as well, sometimes they can be siblings of mary ellen and would help find her in the other census records. Rebecca.

Hi Rebecca, The witnesses were William Henry Ball and Eliza Ann Ball.

Perhaps eliza was her sister? A long shot but worth a look at?

Stephen, i think this is worth looking at .. the 1871. Mary a clarke spouse james(although says john on image) born sheffield 1845. If you take a look at the image you will that they are lodgers of the schofield family, and are childless , that would make sense as on the 1881 with her new husband she has no children from her previous marriage. The reason i picked this one out is because on the 1901 census mary ellen and walter bennett have 2 lodgers by the surname of schofield too.

Stephen, looked at it again , the schofields may be next door not with them, not sure.

HI Rebecca, I believe they did have lodgers in 1901, I will look at the 1871 census. Have just tried the Eliza lead to no avail so far.

Stephen , it might be worth making a list of her childrens names with walter. They may have been her parents/siblings names and passed on through especially if they were a bit unusual.

Stephen, i have something else that looks promising. On the 1871 i took out birthplace sheffield and found benjamin and mary e clarke. i then checked the marriages and found a Benjamin clarke who married a mary ellen corcoram in 1869. could this be them?

Just checked on the 1901 census the Lucy Schofield is their daughter and her husband. There are no unusual childrens names. I have found a family on the 1851 and again on the 1861 cenus which look possible. Trouble is the father on both is Benjamin which doesnt tie in with Mary stating John Cockerday / Cockerey as her father at her marriage. I got that information from looking at the parish records so I presume I have to believe that.

Stephen, when you say on the parish records, was it on the igi or have you checked through the parish records themselves. Sorry i couldnt get any definate ones for you .Rebecca.

There's a 15 year old John Cockry in Sheffield in 1841 although I can't find him any later. He's a file makers apprentice and not living with his family. The address is Broad Lane. It's transcribed as Cockey by Ancestry.

Hi Rebecca, I have been to Sheffield archives and looked at the marriage records, they have copies there. Thank you very much for your help. The 1869 marriage looks promising, looks like I shall be going back to the archives.

Thanks Helen, Checked and cannot find a death for him so presume something has been transcribed wrongly.

There is also a death ofr a Benjamin clarke aged 30 in sheffield in 1873, age is a bit out, but a possible. Rebecca.

Hi Rebecca, I had spotted the death. I have checked on GRO index the marriage of Mary Ellen Corcoram is not listed, I have found the entry for Benjamin Clarke and the reference is correct. Have tried looking under variant spellings for Mary and also tried under Thomas for her maiden name, no luck.

Very odd Stephen, did you see it on free bmd as i did firstly? I shall have a look too on gro perhaps its written in at the bottom of the page.

I have now found it but you have to put 'corr' in to get the correct page, I had failed to spot that first time, I have not find that site to throw me off track before. Looks like I will have to look for a marriage and a death when I go to Sheffield.

Good luck with it Stephen,please let me know how you get on with it. Rebecca.