Maria Louisa Roulson (aka Old Ma Lechmere)

[Edward Stow]

I don't think there was a qualification.
Bigamy of course was an exclusion.

[Edward Stow]

One wonders why:
“Should anyone present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace”
was ever incorporated into the liturgy.

[Rob Clack]

Although the new church wasn’t consecrated until 1892, the foundation stone carries the date ‘July 18th 1888’.

The London Hospital Museum is in the basement of the church (entrance in Newark Street). Well worth a visit.

And this is the Parish boundaries in 1877:

[Edward Stow]

An interesting map. I reckon they lived in St Augustines.

But St Augustines only became a parish in 1879...

[Gary Barnett]

I think I may be wrong. The person who conducted the service was George Eastman who was the vicar of St Dunstan’s. Duh!

[Gary Barnett]

Thanks for the map, Rob. What’s the significance of the group of parishes outlined in red?

[Gary Barnett]

I don't think there was a qualification.
Bigamy of course was an exclusion.

I think you had to live in a parish and to have attended the church before you could marry there. There obviously were exceptions, but that was the basic rule.

[Rob Clack]

Thanks for the map, Rob. What’s the significance of the group of parishes outlined in red?

Sorry, no idea. Seems to go across different parishes. There are others marked that way on the map in different parts of London.
There is nothing about it on the legend.

[Gary Barnett]

Sorry I got distracted

...orders.
I also worked out to within a week or two when he joined based on his number.
Nothing seemed untoward but I haven't got my information to hand.

I guess some farmer's boys were attracted to the bright lights, big city and tawdry glamour of the Met... and some weren't.

There is a chance that Thomas Cross and Old Ma moved to the East End independently, didn't really know each other before, but hooked up by chance with their budding relationship cemented by shared memories and experiences in Hereford.

Gratefully received from Mr Stow:

[Edward Stow]

In areas withca fast growing population and new parishes bei growing subdivided I doubt the churches were so strict on residency - also there was a feeling that the population was descending into paganism and so connections tobyhe church were encouraged.

[Gary Barnett]

In areas withca fast growing population and new parishes bei growing subdivided I doubt the churches were so strict on residency - also there was a feeling that the population was descending into paganism and so connections tobyhe church were encouraged.

Plus you would have thought that they would have wanted to encourage a young PC, fresh from the provinces, to settle down with a respectable wife.

[Caroline Brown]

Thanks, Rob. I thought that was where it was. TC was based at Leman Street, I think. Off the top of my head I can’t recall where Maria was living when they married. I’ll look it up, perhaps that was Stepney way, which might explain a baptism at St Dunstan’s.

I’ve managed to find an old (blank) SGE baptism cert, but it would be nice to see one with the names filled in. I’m pretty sure CAL’s would have contained his surname and his father’s name.

Hi Gary,

Very briefly off topic, but of possible interest to some, your post reminded me of Robert Smith's speculation that James Maybrick's motto may have been adapted from a line of the 'little ditty' inscribed in 1663 in the Carthage stone at St Dunstan's, Stepney, which he could have committed to memory while courting Sarah Robertson:

Time Consumes All...

http://www.speel.me.uk/chlondon/stdunstansstepney.htm

Love,

Caz
X

[Gary Barnett]

Hi Gary,

Very briefly off topic, but of possible interest to some, your post reminded me of Robert Smith's speculation that James Maybrick's motto may have been adapted from a line of the 'little ditty' inscribed in 1663 in the Carthage stone at St Dunstan's, Stepney, which he could have committed to memory while courting Sarah Robertson:

Time Consumes All...

http://www.speel.me.uk/chlondon/stdunstansstepney.htm

Love,

Caz
X

Makes me think of Orsymandias. (See what I did there)

[Gary Barnett]

RJ found an interesting press report concerning CAL’s half brother, John Lechmere, up before the beak for some high jinks.

I looked a bit further and found this little gem.

Henry appearing at the inquest into his stepfather’s suspicious (?) death, using his real name (as you would) and thereby revealing to the world that the deceased, John Barber, was his stepfather.

From the Northampton Mercury 25th October, 1895.

[Gary Barnett]

I’ve ordered George Scudamore’s death certificate to see what it what was that carried him off at such a young age.

It was the cough that carried him off - consumption.

His occupation is quite revealing:

“Formerly a gentleman, late a Police Officer.”

According to the strict social distinctions of mid-Victorian Hereford, you couldn’t be both a gent and a PC.

This ex-gent was John Allen Lechmere’s first cousin and he was resident in Hereford between approx 1856 and 1863.