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Busby William (son of Augustine): possible case of bigamy?

F

Findwilliam

proper brummie kid
In researching my mother's ancestors, I have struggled to trace my great-grandfather William Busby. I know he was in Birmingham from 1888, and that he reported his father as being deceased Augustine. He reported he was born on board ship in the Irish Sea around 1840.

I am struggling to resolve this geneaology. One possibility is that William Busby made up his place of birth, as he was still married when he met Harriett. This is described at:
https://www.scholarshome.org.uk/ancestry/gen/possible_case_of_bigamy.html

A relevant fact is that my grandfather James Busby (and wife Agnes Smart) lived with at 73 Moilliett Street from 1916 to 1921, in a house owned by an Elizabeth Busby (from electoral records). This Elizabeth Busby is not someone I can trace, and she may be a clue.

Anyone any ideas on her (or William Busby)? How can I trace owners of properties?

Many thanks

Mike Brough

Agnes and James's site is at:
https://www.scholarshome.org.uk/ancestry/gen/agnes_and_james.html
 
Re: William Busby (son of Augustine): possible case of bigamy?

1861 census there's a:
Census Place: Pontefract -West Riding of Yorkshire
SurnameFirst name(s)RelStatusSexAgeOccupationWhere Born
BUSBY William W Jnyman U M 20 Blacksmith Overseas - British

Could that be him?
 
Re: William Busby (son of Augustine): possible case of bigamy?

Hi there,was Harriet's second name Elizabeth? If so,then maybe for some reason the house was purchased using that name?
 
Re: William Busby (son of Augustine): possible case of bigamy?

ladylinda said:
Hi there,was Harriet's second name Elizabeth? If so,then maybe for some reason the house was purchased using that name?
Click to expand...

Yes, Harriett was Harriett Elizabeth. Although it is an interesting idea, I think it unlikely that Harriet owned the house as the Busbys were rather poor (and I doubt if any of this Busby family owned any property until well into the 20th century). James and Agnes moved out of Moilliett Street and into a council house in Smethwick in 1923. When James died shortly afterwards, Agnes was very hard-put to keep the family together.

However, there was an Elizabeth Busby running a grocer's shop in Exeter Road Smethwick in 1908. Although I cannot discover any family connection between her and William, it is probably more than a coincidence that Harriett and William also lived in Exeter Road at that time. I also suspect that 73 or 71 Moilliett Road was a grocer's shop (the houses seem to have been renumbered circa 1920). So the 'grocers shop' might be the link.

Here is the Elizabeth I suspect owned the shop, alongside Harriett:

https://www.scholarshome.org.uk/ancestry/gen/ind_156.html
https://www.scholarshome.org.uk/ancestry/gen/ind_9.html

I have tried finding William's death (Harriett was reported as being a widow in 1911), but the death certificate I obtained today was of no use -- from the Selly Oak workhouse infirmary hospital. It gave no family info, so I am not even sure if I have identified his death yet. Let alone his birth. Or his first marriage.

Harriett and William's wedding certificate is at:
https://www.scholarshome.org.uk/ancestry/gen/william_and_harrietts_wedding.jpg

Regards

Mike
 
Re: William Busby (son of Augustine): possible case of bigamy?

I noticed that in the 1911 census,living with Elizabeth the shop assistant was a John William Busby born in Oxfordshire who was a coal dealer,aged 56.He is a boarder,married. I noticed that your William was saying born in Oxfordshire (and there are a lot of Busbys there in the mid 19th century!),so perhaps there is a relationship between the 2/3 families?
 
Re: William Busby (son of Augustine): possible case of bigamy?

ladylinda said:
I noticed that in the 1911 census,living with Elizabeth the shop assistant was a John William Busby born in Oxfordshire who was a coal dealer,aged 56.He is a boarder,married. I noticed that your William was saying born in Oxfordshire (and there are a lot of Busbys there in the mid 19th century!),so perhaps there is a relationship between the 2/3 families?
Click to expand...

Yes, suspicious isn't it? Lots of Busbys in Oxfordshire. And lots of people moved from Oxfordshire to Bham, Smethwick and the Black country in the 1950s.

But 'my' William (William Busby, my great grandfather who married Harriet) claimed he was born on board ship in the Irish Sea. It was just my suspicion that he was the son of Augustine from Leafield in Oxfordshire (and told a lie about where he had come from when he married Harriet -- bigamously). The issue is really: were there two William Busbys (sons of an Augustine) or was there one who tried to hide where he came from (and was possibly found out -- hence the family being so strongly disapproved of)?

Short of DNA testing of the two male lines, not sure what I can do to resolve this ambiguity.

Cheers,

Mike

[Prize to anyone who can solve this!]
 
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