Thread: Looking for the Marriage of Isabella Beattie & Henry Fenwick

I am looking for the marriage of an Isabella Beattie and a Henry Fenwick. presumably Northumberland. First child born 1854. On the 1851 census she is living as a Beattie with parents, and on the 1861 census she is a Fenwick. So I assume it was somewhere between 1851 - 1854. I have looked everywhere to no avail - absolutely nothing. There is a marriage on free BMD for1853 June qr at Belford but this is NOT her. It was suggested that as she was born north Northumberland Bamburgh area that maybe they nipped across the border into Scotland and married - apparently she had a brother who did this. She died 1873. On the death cert it does say wife of Henry Fenwick. Henry did marry again in 1875. I have no reason to suspect they just lived together as common law man and wife - but who knows.

Hello Pejay!

As Isabell and Henry lived so close to the border or Scotland, they may well have nipped over to marry! In England itwould have cost them 5 shillings to marry but in Scotland only 1 shilling! Why would they not have married in Scotland if they lived so near! The saving was a massive amount in those days! Link below re Irregular marriages in Scotland. They may not have had an Irregular Marriage so you may want to check if their marriage is recorded on Scotland's People as you can't find it in England.

University of Glasgow :: Scottish Way of Birth and Death :: Marriage

If it was an Irregular Marriage, you may have some trouble in finding a record of it as not all were recorded and few have survived. However, if you Google Irregular Marriages, Berwick upon Tweed, you will find many sites pointing you toward where you can obtain records for those that have survived.

BEATTIE is a common Border surname and FENWICK a well known Ayreshire surname - in case you want to know for future research!

Hello Rubina, thanks for your reply. Yes I just cannot find it anywhere. It was suggested to me that it may be an irregular marriage. His second marriage was in Northumberland though, so I am just not sure. He was born in Morpeth and she in Bamburgh area. [Easington Grange] I even considered that she may have had a brief marriage before meeting Henry but I certainly haven't found anything to suggest this.

Has Isabella another christian name peejay ? Been looking on freebmd but nothing that matches them both together , She mightve married Henry in her maiden name/ married name , I put in marraiges between 1851-1861 .

Hello - no She only had one name in 1851 she was a Beattie and in1861 she is on the census as a Fenwick. Thir first child was born 1854. There is a marriage 1853 at Belford For an Isabella Beattie but it is not her. I ordered the cert.

Thanks for your reply. Henry had a middle name - Neville. I do not think he used it though it was onhis death cert. 1841 census she was at Easington Grange mill, Easington Grange NBL. He was at Newgate Street.Morpeth NBL. 1851 Census she was still at Easington Grange. Henry was at Meldon Park Corner East Thornton NBL working as a Joiner's App [not with his family.1861 they are at Shilvington with her Family 1871 census they are at North Seaton with Henry as a Joiner. I noticed too that he had sometimes been listed as Harry, but alas it didn't seem to help

Is this Henry Neville part off your family? what was the name(s) of the the children born to Henry and Isabella married c1854 ?

Name: Henry Nevills Fenwick
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date: 31 Dec 1841
Baptism/Christening Place: Morpeth, Northumberland, England
Father's Name: William Fenwick
Mother's Name: Isabella
Mother's Birthplace:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I04683-2
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1469097
Reference Number: item 6 p 182
Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Is this the family in 1861.

1861 England Census
Name: Henry Ferwich[Fenrich, Fenwick not easy to read] Age: 30
Estimated birth year: abt 1831
Relation: Son-in-Law Spouse's name: Isabella Ferwich
Where born: Morpeth, Northumberland, England
Civil Parish: Shilvington County/Island: Northumberland
Street address: Cock Hill, Shilvington Occupation: Joiner
Registration district: Castle Ward Sub-registration district: Ponteland
ED, institution, or vessel: 7 Household schedule number: 27
George Beattie 64 Farmer Of 489 Acres Employing 3 Men And 3 Boys
Barbora Beattie 68 wife
William Beattie 28 Jane Beattie 28
George Beattie 11 MO
Henry Ferwich 30 Isabella Ferwich 31
Isabella A Ferwich 6 William Ferwich 4 Barbara J Ferwich 2 Mary Ferwich 7 MO

Hello and many thanks for your replies. Yes that is him. Although he was baptised in 1841 { I only found it a few months ago] he was born about 1831. Isabella died in 1871 & Henry remarried in 1873 I found that marriage easily enough. Yes they would be gg Grandparents. Names of children born to Henry & isabella are -
Isabella Ann 1854 .William 1856. Barbara 1859, Mary 1860, George 1865 & John 1869.