The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 50 No.1 | June 2023

Member’s article

Comforter or Goldigger A lines in the Wednesday 1 October 1873 edition of the Hampshire Telegraph said that 77 years old M. ANGOVILLE, Frenchman, married his 25 years old housekeeper in Winchester. To see a marriage with a gap of so many years was unusual so after a bit of research the marriage was confirmed by the entry in the GRO Index when an Omer Casimer ANGOVILLE married Ann YEATMAN in Winchester in the 3rd quarter of 1873. The index actually had two marriages in Winchester in that quarter so the challenge was to confirm which of the two brides was married to Omer Casimer ANGOVILLE . The 1871 census was only a couple of years earlier so it was possible that they were living in Winchester at that time, and a search proved that to be. The family were living in St James’s Terrace where the head of the house was Omer and his domestic servant was 21 years old Anne YEATMAN . More interesting though was that he also had his wife Mary, aged 70, living

with him. The census details revealed that Omer was a retired Professor of French and was born in Ireland while his wife was born in some unreadable place that looks like Inrenexmunster. In 1841 they were living in Bedford Terrace in Southampton with Omer said he was born in France and Mary was born in Ireland. Omer’s first marriage was to Mary MACFADDEN on 16 May 1833 in Walcot SOM. The GRO confirms that her death was registered in the 4th quarter of 1871 with Omer’s being registered in 2nd quarter 1874, both in Winchester. Omer’s second marriage was somewhat short lived. In 1871 Anne claimed she was born in East Stratton although it appears that there was no baptism entry for her there. Roy Montgomery (Member #3759) Sources :- Hampshire Telegraph 1871 Census GRO

Are you looking for that elusive family history book? Or one on local history? Perhaps we can help – contact Tony at bookstall@hgs-online.org.uk

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