Wilkins/Palmer

[Astoness]

I can't see what happened to Frank Wilkins. Taking the known information at face value then he died some time between his marriage in 1897 and the 1901 census when Mary is listed as a widow.

I can't see a matching death locally for a Frank Wilkins of the right age which leads to a number of possibilities - his death was registered under a different name, he died and his death was registered non locally or his death wasn't registered. None are easy to check.

There is a death for a Charles Wilkins, Mar 1900 Bham. He does give Charles as a second name on his marriage but the age is wrong also.

There is a death registered for a Frank Wilkins of about the right age, Dec 1898 Conway but unless you can find a connection to there that seems doubtful also.

hi mark also worth remembering in general that not all what is written on the census is true..maybe not in this case but my gt gt grandmother put herself down as married on one census year (but no sign of hubby) but on the next she put widow but the truth was her hubby deserted her and left her with 2 very young sons in ladywood and went to yorkshire where he remarried bigamasly and had more children...and i have both marr certs as proof.. information on both is the same and even his signature on both certs are identical ..obviously when she realised hubby was not coming back to her she thought putting widow looked better and saved face..

lyn

 

[MWS]

Too true Lyn. Never believe everything you see on a census etc is something you should quickly learn.

The death in Conway occurs in the same quarter as the burial at Witton but I don't know how feasible it would have been to bring a body back all that way. So still doubtful.