Dora Louise Townley nee Murray was born 31 - 12 - 1906 in Croydon Surray she married Francis Archibald Townley Apr - Jun - 1936 in Surrey and died 06 - 04 - 2009 age 85 name given Mrs Dora Louise Witham. the 1939 census shows that Dora's surname has been changed from Townley to Witham.
Has anyone found a Marriage for Dora and ? Withham, I have searched both Ancestry and Find my past
from 1960 - 1980 with no luck.
Did they get married or was they just partners?
My very best wishes.
Fred Wheatcroft.

www.freebmd.org.uk/ has this death which might be Francis Archibald Townley.
Deaths Jun 1962 (>99%)
TOWNLEY Francis A 69 Wandsworth 5d 731

Unless there was a divorce involved, a marriage might have been 1962+.

Can't find Dora's 2009 death at www.gro.gov.uk/ so far.

How about 1991 (age 85 the clue):
WITHAM, DORA LOUISE 1906
GRO Reference: DOR Q2/1991 in POOLE (4311B) Volume 23 Page 654 Entry Number 281

Dora Witham's death was 1991 at Poole in Dorset.
The 1939 register says that her name change to Witham was recorded on 12th July 1951.
Dave

The change of name recorded in July 1951 says she was then living in Hove, East Sussex under the name Witham.
Dave

Hi Fred et al,

So what we know is Dora Louise was calling herself WHITHAM in 1939 just three years after her marriage to F.A. Townley.

There is a birth reg. on BMD for:
PETER J.TOWNLEY born 1941 Dec.qtr. Surrey N.E.
(mmn MURRAY)...????
(maybe the J is for James after Dora L's possible father James Edward Murray).

The only marriage record I have found on Family Search is for
DORA LAOUITA TOWNLEY in Oct.1959 at POLK, FLORIDA, USA. it does not record the spouse's name.

HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

"Dora Louise was calling herself WHITHAM in 1939"

The alteration to the name was made sometime after the initial 1939 record. These alterations, typically when a woman (re)married, went on for many years after 1939.

DaveT says a change was recorded 12th July 1951 (although I can't see that on the Ancestry image).

FMP has 2 records for Dora louise Townley born 1906.
Both have the same address and one (on p3) is crossed through in red and, in red refers to the other one on P11.
Both have townley crossed out and Witham written above it. The one on P 11 has, in the same ink and hand as the name Witham, the following marginal note (left margin)

12.7.51
NR 230 EJF

This tells us that Dora recorded her name as Witham on 12.7.51 in the Enumeration District with letter code EHV (NR 230 refers to the sub district)

Referring to the alphabetical list of Enumeration District letter codes on FMP reveals that EVF is for Hove in Sussex.
So on 12 July 1951 Dora officially recorded her name change to Witham in Hove in Sussex, where she must have been living with Mr Witham as his wife.

Dave

Thanks DaveT. See it now against the name.
For Fred's info, "Mrs. Dora Townley, formerly Dora Murray" featured in the news in 1937 (Joseph Steedon Sheldon divorce case). (Gale newspapers & British Newspapers at Find My Past)