Thread: Hanstey or Marshall

Hi folks,

The problem is as follows.
Two times great granny 1817-98 took off to America during the 90s.
She had in her possession a marriage certificate of her parents….. so she said!!
However, there is a discrepancy in the name of the husband…. Read on and please help if you can think of a solution.
This is being posted on Northumberland, Hampshire and Sussex boards.

Mark ;-)

Hanstey or Marshall

Name William Hanstey
Married Ann Gibb, Lesbury, Northumberland 25th June 1811, banns PR
Between 1811 – 21 was variously a Mariner, Boatman & Preventive boat PR
Died Possibly, between 1821 and 1834. If so, where and when??

Name Ann Hanstey - at birth
Born Alemouth, Northumberland 29th January 1817 Fam Rec
Baptised Lesbury, Northumberland 23rd February 1817 PR
As Ann Marshall
1834.17.09 Rye mar Ann Marshall (of Freshwater, IoW.) & Adam Bearman PR
As Ann Bearman
Census 1881: 3 Caledonian Place, Broadwater, Worthing, Sussex
1891: 8, Holdenby Road, Greenwich, Kent [mother, widow, 74, Alnwick, Northumberland]
Died 15th September 1898, Main,USA FR
Buried Main, USA FR
Refs. Census 1851, HO 107 1647, folio 13
Census 1881 RG11 1116 f74 p20
Census 1891, RG 12 523, f.127, sch.116


Hanstey:Marshall

1. John, Phebe, Ann & Sarah were all baptised at Lesbury, Northumberland with the surname HANSTEY
2. Ann Hanstey was baptised 23rd February 1817: family records say her birthday was 29th January 1817.
3. Ann Marshall was married in 1834 to Adam Bearman: she uses the form 'formerly MARSHALL' on the birth certificates of certain of her children.
4. Ann Bearman states her place of birth as 'Northumberland, Alnmouth' in the 1851 & 1891 Census.
Also, similarly in family records.
5. Ann Bearman, widow of Adam Bearman, took to America a copy of the '1811' marriage certificate correct in all detail EXCEPT that 'MARSHALL' was substituted for 'HANSTEY'. It purports to be an authorised copy made by the Rev. Isaac Housby , the curate who married them, and is dated 1813. The authorising signature on the copy is NOT UNLIKE the signature on the original certificate. It is said that Ann Bearman, nee Hanstey/Marshall claimed the document to be her parents Marriage certificate.
6. Julia Marshall, aged 7, & Harriet Marshall, aged 4, .... HO 107 406 (I of W) but no parents shown .... but note marriage, Freshwater, 1832 of John M. & Harriot Denham
7. Family lore has it that:-
Ann, wife of Adam Bearman, had, inter alia, a brother John and a sister Phebe.
.... as had Ann Hanstey !
8. A 'Benjamine Marshall' was witness at marriage 1862: Rosetta Bearmanto Thomas Nye Lillywhite.
9. William Hanstey used the name HANSTEY openly in Lesbury, Northumberland from 1811 to 1821.
10. No Hansteys/Ansteys:-
a. Lesbury burials 1813 to 1834
b. Berwick burials 1821 to 1834
c. Boyd, Northumberland, male
d. Quarter Sessions, Lesbury, 1819 to 1834
11. The name ‘Hanstey’ was not known in the family until c.1980 when the parish of Lesbury, Northumberland was identified. ‘Marshall’ was the name known and accepted in the family.
12. The 'family lore' comes from Norah Godfrey, nee Eldridge, who recorded it c.1924 having obtained it from her mother, Eleanor, nee Lillywhite, daughter of Rosetta, nee Bearman, who was the daughter of Ann Hanstey/Marshall
Did the family change its name from Hanstey to Marshall? If so, why?
Or ! Did William Hanstey die prior to 1834, his place being taken by William Marshall ?

The marriage documents are at the Sussex Board under Hanstey or Marshall

Mark;-)