Hi all,
Looking for someone just to try make sense of something because its frustrating me no end, i'm going to write a bit of a wall of text, if you can make anything from it, please speak up.
Thanks in advance :)

So I'm looking in to my 5x Great Grandfather whom I 'think' is Benjamin Day b.1782
He married Jane Hudson in 1812, has 4 children (that I've found so far) Benjamin, John, William & Ann.
They are residents of Bradfield.

1841 Census Benjamin is with his Wife and is listed as what I think says Beer House Keeper, Jane has indicated shes not local.

Their son Benjamin b.1821 Marries Eliza Sanderson in 1847, hes listed as a Mason & father listed as Publican, which matches the above assumption of Beer House Keeper.

1851 Census Benjamin Snr with Wife Jane, hes now a Rag-gatherer? Fallen on hard times?
Jane marked shes from Macclesfield, which confirms her out of town status in 1841 census.

1861 Census Benjamin Snr still with Jane but now an Agricultural Labourer at the age of 79?
Jane is now seemingly born in Bradfield....?? Census taker assumed/miss-heard maybe?
Benjamin Jnr has joined them, hes a Mason as per his marriage record, but not with his wife.


Benjamin Snr d.1869 and Jane d.1870 both pass away before 1871 census

Benjamin Jnr in the 1871 census seemingly has a new wife, a son, hes now a grocer & a mason, but interestingly hes quite a few years younger (8).
Looking through marriage records, a Benjamin Day married a Rachel Horsfield in 1867 in Rotherham, hes listed as mason, father as labourer, but Benjamin is NOT down as a Widower & again is a little younger than before - mistake possibly?
Matching up the child's birth on the GRO confirms that it is that of Day-Horsfield born.

1881 Census Benjamin Jnr is with his son, hes now a Grocer & Farmer, back to roughly the correct age but is down as unmarried, hes also in the same house as above.

1882 Benjamin passes away, correct age marked on his burial record.

So my question is, did Benjamin Jnr run away to Rotherham to marry on the sly and lie about his age and existing marriage situation

There is an Eliza Day burial record in Bradfield in Nov 1871 that matches the age
There's only 1 possible match to her in the 61 and 71 census, lodging on her own in the city as a chairwoman, shes down as married.
But this cant be her as Benjamin had already moved on 4 years prior.

I cannot locate any other Benjamin Day's in the area that match up the ages (even the one he potentially lied about)
Am I over thinking this and its glaring obvious?

Thanks you for reading my essay, any input greatly welcomed ! :grimacing:

Hi Chris,

Have a look at our Parish registers over to the left and you will note we have covered St Nicholas Bradfield.

As one of the transcribers I know for sure that Sandersons and Days are listed. Sandersons are thick on the ground in Bradfield.

i.e.

Day, Benjamin (of Bradfield, born ~).
Baptised July 8, 1821, by J Fletcher at St Nicholas, Bradfield.
Parents name(s) are Jane & Benjamin (Lab).
Note: ~

Many folks travelled to Rotherham for marriages in particular. The numbers of marriages per day at Sheffield Parish Church was huge. I dont know how they fitted them all in as I think they were only allowed to marry folks in the am. This question comes up often but it could also be that Rotherham was low church and Sheffield was high church but we dont really know.

Just a few suggestions so you can have the fun of doing the research yourself.

Elaine in Ottawa.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Glynis
For a different angle on this take a look at BRADFIELD ARCHIVES online
Among many other documents there is a Militia List for 1819 and Benj Day is listed as 38 years old with 4 children. He is classed as Exempt from militia duty because he is Poor.
THERE ARE ABOUT 29 DOCUMENTS IN ALL REFERENCING Benjamin Day. It does not answer your specific question but he must be yours so some different info about him.
Dave

sorry, should have said chris not Glenisla. Eyesight going
Dave

Sorry Dave,

I had posted Glynis's first messagre for her and it was still in the memory. It was Chris
who posted the Day/Sanderson request.

Elaine.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Elaine, thanks. I really thought it was my eyesight, or perhaps a side effect of the vaccine.
FOR chris, I did make one small error. The militia record on Benj Day in 1819 says he had 33 children then, not 4.
Dave

Oops, typo. Of course I meant 3.
Elaine, the edit facility seems to be unavailable!
Dave

Hi

I have fond 3 children for Benjamin and Rachel.

DAY William son of Benjamin & Rachel 11/6/1865 Stone Mason Bradfield
DAY Mary dau of Benjamin & Rachel 11/6/1865 Stone Mason Bradfield
DAY Benjamin son of Benjamin & Rachel 5/8/1868 Mason Fall House

Perhaps this is why they got married in Rotherham as two of the children were baptised in 1865

Some of my BEAL family from Bradfield were married at Rotherham All Saints now the Minster.

Angela

Hi

The marriage to Rachel Horsefield is in 1861 NOT 1867

Sheffield and Rotherham Independent Saturday 16 November 1861
Marriages
Benjamin DAY, Mason to Miss Rachael Horsfield

Angela

Chris
This series of events raises the question of bigamy on behalf of Benjamin.
It looks like he and Elizabeth separated and he had children with Rachel. Nothing illegal about that.
I wonder if the subsequent marriage to Rachel was in Rotherham to conceal the bigamous, and therefore criminal, nature of the marriage.
Dave

Forget my last answer, which Angela has effectively corrected. It is much more likely that somewhere there is a death for Elizabeth nee Sanderson before 1861
Dave

Apologies, yes 1861.
Late night, lots of waffle to write up, bound to make a mistake!
His father also died 1865 not 1869 as I originally stated, not that matters.

I've since found Benjamin and Eliza in the 1851 census lodging together in Nether Hallan with the Wilson family (who may be related though marriage)

Hi DaveT and anyone else that has this happen.

The edit is controlled by Bravenet so afraid I can't do anything about it when it goes down.
Elaine in minus 22 weather.. brrrrrr.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Hi Chris
Benjamin Day is buried at St Nicholas Bradfield.

This is the inscription on his memorial stone: In affectionate rememberance of Mary the beloved daughter of Benjamin and Rachael Day of Fair House who departed this life July 3rd 1873 aged 18 years and 10 months. Also the above named Benjamin Day who departed this life April 16th 1882 aged 60 years.

Fantastic thanks, planning another trip to Bradfield for May, hopefully, covid depending