Another little diversion of sorts…
From census and obituary records we know that Matthew Grose (1788 – 1849) was married twice.
Firstly to Mary Wearn (1790-1839) who he married 6th June 1809 in Phillack, Cornwall.
This Mary died at Foxdale Mines, Isle of Man on 8th January 1839.
Secondly to another Mary – who (from marriage index records and discussing with others over the years) we’ve worked out was most likely Mary Tregonning (1796-1864).
According to the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, Mary Tregonning and Matthew Grose both married in Quarter 3 (July-Aug-Sept), 1839 in Holywell, Flintshire.
If this is the right person, Matthew Grose married Mary Tregonning seven months after his first wife, (Mary Wearn) died.
The big questions have always been:
Why did Matthew Grose get married in Flintshire if he lived in the Isle of Man? Was his new wife living there?
If he remarried in 1839, where is his new spouse (now, Mary Grose) on the 1841 census, which was taken on the evening of 6th June 1841? She is on the Isle of Man as his widow in the 1851 and 1861 censuses.
…
It was worthwhile obtaining their marriage record to look for more clues:
From the marriage record we find the following additional information:
Date of Marriage: 12th August, 1839
Place of Marriage: Parish Church of Halkin (Halkyn), Flintshire
To see they married in Halkyn is very interesting because Matthew Grose’s younger sister, Eliza lived there with her husband, Absalom Francis who was the Mine Agent at Halkyn lead mines.
The groom, Matthew Grose, is a widower and mine agent. His father is Matthew Grose, a mine agent.
This information helps confirm that we’ve got the ‘right’ Matthew Grose here!
The bride, Mary Tregonning, is a spinster. Her father is James Tregonning, a mine agent.
This is interesting as we didn’t know if Mary was a spinster or a widow. Also we haven’t had her father’s name or occupation before seeing this record.
Residence at time of marriage: Llan Township
Were they both really ‘living’ there, or just visiting?
The witnesses are Mary and William Davy (or Davey?)
I think their surname looks like ‘Davy‘ – what do others think?
These witnesses need further research to see if there is any family connection. Matthew Grose’s grandmother’s maiden name was ‘Davy/Davey’. Also, his sister’s (Eliza’s) mother-in-law’s maiden name was ‘Davy/Davey’.
Just to go off on another tangent – one day we’ll figure out where Sir Humphry Davy – the famous Cornish chemist and inventor – fits into this family tree.
…
Undoubtedly information from this marriage record will form the basis of further research and likely another genealogical rabbit warren to lose ourselves in!
That name Tregoning is Cornish not Welsh – I suspect he was associated with the mining industry in Cornwall before moving up there.
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Thanks. Yes, I agree. At this time, it seems that many of the Mine Agents (in North Wales and the Isle of Man) were Cornish. I will need to do some further research about this James Tregonning & will look for him in Flintshire & Cornwall. It is possible that he was already deceased at the time of his daughter’s marriage in 1839. Matthew Grose’s father had died in 1824. I can understand why Matthew Grose might have been in Halkyn (lead mines there & his sister lived there), but wonder why Mary Tregonning was there…
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do you have 1841 census access – i take it yes and mary is not with the family?
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That’s right. Mary is not with them. Matthew Grose appears on the 1841 census living at Foxdale Mines, Isle of Man as a Mine Agent along with his younger children Matthew (miner), Thomas (engineer), John (engineer), Mary, Eliza, Edward, Lavinia and Samuel.
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Do you have access hard copy or electronically?
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Both.
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and there are no other likely mary groses around?
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I will have another good look at the 1841 census records for Mary Grose – starting with the Isle of Man, Flintshire and Cornwall. Perhaps most likely she was living with them then – but visiting other family on census night.
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unhelpful that you effectively have 3 different countries there
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Yes & likely every possible spelling/transcription variant of ‘Grose’ to contend with too! (Groves, Gross, Grase, Groce, etc…)
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& Maria Grose?
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Good idea… & probably May Grose too.
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Take it you know this document….http://www.iomfhs.im/resources/lawsons/v2/spouses.pdf
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sorry – you probably seen that many times
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Thanks, yes, it’s been one of many useful resources over the years!
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Are there any specific Foxdale mines records?
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In the 1851 census living at Woodbourne Rd Douglas…Mary Grose 55, head, daughter Elizabeth 21, daughter Lavinia 17, son, Samuel 15.
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Yes, brilliant. Also on her obituary she’s referred to as the mother as Captain Grose – obviously we’ve now figured out she’s actually his stepmother because his mother died in 1839. The main confusion was always because both mother & stepmother called Mary!
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The big question is – where is Mary Grose (nee Tregonning) on the 1841 census?
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Was’nt Mary also living with at least one daughter in the 41 & 51 census, maybe 2 children? I’m sure I read that a while back.
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There was some confusion as to just who was buried in the Grose grave at St Runius on a Manx blog site a few years back, Brian Lawson even got a couple of names wrong,( very rare) which confused me, so I went up the next day armed with cleaning fluids & a wire brush, jumped up over the iron railings, & cleaned off, & fitted together the broken headstones ( there are two of them), wrote down all the names, & took photos of them, & posted the info on the blog site.
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Yes, it’s often the transcription errors that can wreak havoc! I must look up your corrected version again as I am preparing a post about that grave. I was trying to find the correct transcription yesterday. I think I only saw the incorrect version – think one part wrongly calls her Ann instead of Mary? This of course causes double confusion – because his son’s wife was an Ann!
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Ah here we are – the corrected transcription – but before the mystery of two Marys was solved…
http://www.isle-of-man.com/genealogy/messageboard/index.pl/md/read/id/541421
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Yes, and another wrong one was Elizabeth I think?..The 5ft high obelisk in the the grave has this written on the 4 sides in small writing….Side 1=”Time, how short”, ..2=”Eternity, how long?”..3= “Life, how uncertain”…..4=”Death, how sure”.Believed to have been written by Matthew jnr’s after his son, Fredderick’s death, aged 8 years.
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Elizabeth (Luff/Qualtrough) was Matthew Grose junior’s second wife. Will have to check on dates etc on that grave again.
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Yes, she is buried at Rushen with Matthew jnr in 1918, I think Brian Lawson wrongly assumed Matthew had buried her at St Runius.
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