Was Bury already married?

[Aethelwulf]

There is a story in the Dundee Courier that states at the moment the black flag was hoisted a women with an 8 or 9 year daughter claimed she was Bury's wife and the girl was his daughter. She referred to him (Bury) as 'Harry' (reference to his middle name).

I haven't come across this tale until now - does anyone know if it is true/has been followed up? As Bury was 29, a potential marriage and birth would be around 1880 and possibly around Wolverhampton.

[John Wheat]

There is a story in the Dundee Courier that states at the moment the black flag was hoisted a women with an 8 or 9 year daughter claimed she was Bury's wife and the girl was his daughter. She referred to him (Bury) as 'Harry' (reference to his middle name).

I haven't come across this tale until now - does anyone know if it is true/has been followed up? As Bury was 29, a potential marriage and birth would be around 1880 and possibly around Wolverhampton.

I've never heard this before Aethelwulf. It's interesting though. I wonder if anyone has any more information on this?

[Aethelwulf]

I've never heard this before Aethelwulf. It's interesting though. I wonder if anyone has any more information on this?

I did try to post the article but it kept coming out tiny. I found it on The Other Site (bottom right of the first post 'A strange story - was Bury a bigamist'):https://www.jtrforums.com/forum/pers...f-william-bury

[John Wheat]

I did try to post the article but it kept coming out tiny. I found it on The Other Site (bottom right of the first post 'A strange story - was Bury a bigamist'):https://www.jtrforums.com/forum/pers...f-william-bury

Thanks for the link Aethelwulf.

[Aethelwulf]

Thanks for the link Aethelwulf.

I should think this will be fairly easily cleared up for anyone with access to ancestry or similar. Of course the woman could have the wrong William Henry Bury, it's not an unusual name after all. Seems an odd thing to be confused about though. Out of interest John, do you know how Bury came to be in Dewsbury when he was convicted of vagrancy? I just wondered, he seems to have done several long distance moves - to Dewsbury (from Wolverhampton presumably) and at some point to London and then to Dundee. I wonder what triggered these moves, apart from the last one of course...

[John Wheat]

I should think this will be fairly easily cleared up for anyone with access to ancestry or similar. Of course the woman could have the wrong William Henry Bury, it's not an unusual name after all. Seems an odd thing to be confused about though. Out of interest John, do you know how Bury came to be in Dewsbury when he was convicted of vagrancy? I just wondered, he seems to have done several long distance moves - to Dewsbury (from Wolverhampton presumably) and at some point to London and then to Dundee. I wonder what triggered these moves, apart from the last one of course...

I'm not sure Aethelwulf. My best guess is he had burned his bridges with employers so to speak.

Cheers John

[Aethelwulf]

There is a story in the Dundee Courier that states at the moment the black flag was hoisted a women with an 8 or 9 year daughter claimed she was Bury's wife and the girl was his daughter. She referred to him (Bury) as 'Harry' (reference to his middle name).

I haven't come across this tale until now - does anyone know if it is true/has been followed up? As Bury was 29, a potential marriage and birth would be around 1880 and possibly around Wolverhampton.

Update on this. Found time today to call at my local library and trawl ancestry - no joy. Searched for marriages and births (for the girl) either side of 1880 and tried the alternative spelling for Bury (Berry). Also searched in Dundee for the woman on Bury/Berry surname, nothing either. I wouldn't say my search was exhaustive (45 mins) but it could be that girl was his child and they didn't marry, or the woman was mistaken in her ID of this particular William Bury.

[Aethelwulf]

Update on this. Found time today to call at my local library and trawl ancestry - no joy. Searched for marriages and births (for the girl) either side of 1880 and tried the alternative spelling for Bury (Berry). Also searched in Dundee for the woman on Bury/Berry surname, nothing either. I wouldn't say my search was exhaustive (45 mins) but it could be that girl was his child and they didn't marry, or the woman was mistaken in her ID of this particular William Bury.

Another point. Bury went back to Wolverhampton with Ellen in August 1888 (the so called 'hastily arranged' holiday between Tabram and Chapman), presumably to meet friends and family. It seems highly unlikely he would do that if he had been previously married there, or had a child there, as his bigamy/fatherhood would be known. If the girl was his (presumably illegitimate as there doesn't seem to be a record of marriage) the date of birth could be between the 1881 census which has Bury working in Wolverhampton, and him residing in HMP Wakefield in 1884. Could be why upped sticks and left.

Personally, I think the woman must have been mistaken.

[Aethelwulf]

Another point. Bury went back to Wolverhampton with Ellen in August 1888 (the so called 'hastily arranged' holiday between Tabram and Chapman),

Tabram and Nicholls of course, not Chapman