Kerswell Garland Marriage

Profile manager: Trevor Ellis [send private message]

Kerswell/Garland Marriage Age

At their wedding in 1898 both John Kerswell and Lily Garland falsely declared incorrect ages. John was 27 but declared himself to be 24, and Lily was 18 but declared herself to be 21. They both maintained these age adjustments throughout their lives.

Lily Garland

Lily's true age was discovered by her family as she approached what they believed to be her 100th birthday. Anticipating a telegram from the Queen the family applied for a copy of Lily's birth certificate and were surprised to discover that Lily was not as old as she claimed. ^[1]

Lily was born on 15 May 1880:

• The 1881 and 1891 census returns show her correct age as 0 and 10 years.
• Her 1898 marriage certificate show her as 21 not 18.
• The 1901 and 1911 census returns show her age as 23 and 33, not 20 and 30.
• In the 1939 Register, Lily and Edward Hurford were living together but not married. Edward reported Lily's birth year as 1879 not 1880 - a minor mistake but an indication that he (at least) was aware of her correct age.
• For her 1940 marriage to Edward Hurford, Lily declared her correct age as 60.
• For Lily's 1979 death certificate her family were then able to declare her correct age of 99.

John Kerswell

John's true age was discovered whilst researching the family tree. Working backwards the only John Kerswell living in the area prior to the wedding was four years older than expected - and thus possibly not the same person.

However when a copy of the marriage certificate was obtained it described John's occupation and address as Farm Labourer at Daws Green, Trull. Daws Green was a farm and small collection of cottages lying outside the village of Trull. The 1891 census also listed (the older) John Kerswell as a farm Servant lodging at Daws Green, Trull - thus they were clearly the same person.

John was born on 20 Nov 1870:

• The 1871, 1881, and 1891 census returns show his correct age as 0, 10, and 20.
• His 1898 marriage certificate show her as 24 not 27.
• The 1901and 1911 census returns show his age as 26 and 37, not 30 and 40.
• His 1929 death certificate shows his age as 56 not 58.
• The 1929 coroner's inquest into his death also reports his age as 56 not 58.
• His gravestone shows his age as 56 not 58.

Why?

The reason for Lily's change of age at her marriage could well be that by declaring herself 21 she was thus old enough to marry without parental consent (not until 1929 did the Age of Marriage Act reduce this age to 18). They married at the Registry Office where, unlike the church, they would not be known and their claimed ages might be accepted. The fact that Lily was eight month's pregnant might indicate that parental consent was not forthcoming.

A possible reason for John's change is less clear; perhaps he was uncomfortable with the ten-year age difference between them.

It is not known why they maintained their false ages, especially to their family. It might be because they were embarrassed about Lily being pregnant at the time of the marriage - she always claimed that a large formal photograph, in which she was clearly not pregnant, was her "wedding photo". The family did not (dared not) challenge her when, in her last years, they found her correct age.

Strangely, her second husband, Edward Hurford, must have known her correct age (which was declared on the marriage certificate) and that Lily was reporting her wrong age to the family. Because they married in secret - only telling their children afterwards - the details of the marriage certificate remained hidden until much later when family history research uncovered it.

Some mysteries may never be solved!

Sources

1. ↑ Known by Trevor Ellis