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In his youth, he was a music hall comedian - his mother, Antonia Pilarski, was a burlesque dancer. Before his marriage he had settled down to a more sober existence, I think that was his last little joke.

Agnes and Montague were in Hastings in July 1939 for the marriage of their daughter, as per Hastings Observer. If they went to Scotland after that to visit Douglas, that would explain why the house was empty in September 1939 when the register was taken. I don't know when he went there, just that he married Annie Kelly Muir in 1944. He was in the navy, so I assumed he'd been posted there.

I've just checked their marriage certificate, by his name it says

Drapery Salesman
(Stoker Royal Navy)
Usual residence Station Road, Okehampton, Devon (now engaged in war work)

I don't know if that adds anything useful though.

Douglas won't appear on the 1939 register, then, (assuming his address was in England) as he was in the forces.

Perhaps Agnes is still a closed record.

I don't know when he joined up, he still gives his first occupation as Drapery Salesman, so presumably the navy wasn't intended as his career. He might not have been in the navy in 1939. But he must have been somewhere :(

I've had a look at several pages of the 1939 for Station Road Okehampton, no Harringtons but so far I've found 3 separate entries with draper as their occupation.

Montague and Agnes Harrington were living at 11 Adolf Street, Lewisham, between 1925 and 1931, according to the electoral registers. Not there in 1939.

I may - and I stress the word MAY - have found our elusive Agnes Mary Kelly.

I noticed that on her son's marriage certificate, her name is given as Mary Agnes, so I started looking for that name instead. There is one born 1889 (correct) in Leeds, mmn Robbins. Mary Ann Robbins married Michael Kelly (correct) in 1888 in Leeds. In the 1901, Agnes Mary is shown as Tailoress, which doesn't tie in with her marriage certificate (Governess), but does tally with Anne's memory of her being an excellent seamstress.

In the 1901 Mary A Kelly (indexed as Mary H) is shown living with her mother (married) at her grandparents' home, though she is shown as niece. I haven't yet been able to find Michael Kelly to check his occupation, but don't set too much store by the veracity of that anyway.

Could I have your views on whether this is worth following up any more? You are all so much better at this than I am :-(

Jan

Posting the marriage you mention, just for our reference:

Marriages Mar 1888 (>99%)
Kelly Michael Leeds 9b 608
ROBBINS Mary Ann Leeds 9b 608

There's a postem added to this record on FreeBMD, saying "Michael Kelly married Catherine Hartney see Vol 8c Page 173"

That refers to this marriage:

Marriages Mar 1888 (>99%
HARTNEY Catherine Wigan 8c 173
Kelly Michael Wigan 8c 173

But I don't understand the significance of the postem.
Presumably the bridegrooms are two different Michael Kellys - a very common name.

For our reference:


Mary A Kelly
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Mary A Kelly
Age: 12
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation to Head: Niece
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Leeds
Ecclesiastical parish: Leeds St Peter
Town: Leeds
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Registration district: Leeds
Sub-registration district: North Leeds
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Neighbors:
Piece: 4221
Folio: 119
Page Number: 22
Household schedule number: 125
Household Members:
Name Age
Michael Robbins 65
Bridget Robbins 62
Mary H Kelly 39 - tailor's seam presser
Alice Robbins 29
Alexander Robbins 26
Agnes Robbins 21
Mary A Kelly 12


Mary Agnes Kelly
in the 1911 England Census
Name: Mary Agnes Kelly
Age in 1911: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation to Head: Boarder
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Civil Parish: Leeds
County/Island: Yorkshire-West Riding
Country: England
Street address: 3 Flax Place Mill St Leeds
Marital status: Single
Occupation: Tailoress
Registration district: Leeds
Registration District Number: 500
Sub-registration district: South East Leeds
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Piece: 26920
Household Members:
Name Age
Maggie Wills 48
Kate Wills 50
Mary Agnes Kelly 22

So far, I have absolutely no idea if the above family could be relevant or not.

Wild shot in the dark :

I wonder if the above Mary Agnes married (or her mother remarried ) in 1911 -
There's a groom missing from this record.

William Heaton married Annie Midgley, per 1939 Register.


Marriages Sep 1911 (>99%)
Heaton William Leeds 9b 996
KELLY Mary A Leeds 9b 996
Midgley Annie Leeds 9b 996

Michael Kelly, father of the Agnes Mary/Mary Agnes Kelly, was shown as deceased at the time of her marriage to Montague Harrington in 1916.

Where do Heaton/Midgley fit in? You've lost me there.

Heaton and Midgley have nothing to do with Mary Kelly.

They're just the other people on that marriage record on both Ancestry and FreeBMD - but they married each other, which leaves Mary A Kelly - but her husband's name is missing, so I can't try to find her in later records.

And of course, I don't know if she is either of the Mary A Kelly's in the family you found, or not.
It's a very common name.

That marriage record from FMP -
England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005

MarriageFinder ™
MARY A KELLY married one of these people
William Heaton, Thomas Hart
District Leeds
District number -
County Yorkshire
Country England
Volume 9B
Volume as transcribed 9B
Page number 996

I haven't re-read the thread yet so have lost track a little but is this relevant or has it already been posted?

Mary Agnes Kelley

in the British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
View British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920

View Packet Cover

Report issue

Name: Mary Agnes Kelley
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 22 Jul 1911
Marriage Place: Leeds
Document Year: 1915
Residence Place: 3 Flax Place, Mill St Leeds
Relationship to Soldier: Spouse
Form Title: Information Supplied By Recruit
Other Records:
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
Thomas Hart Self (Head)
Mary Agnes Kelley Spouse
Edward Hart Child
William Hart Child
Ellen Hart Child


The address matches the one on the post above.

Dea x

Unfortunately,the Hart marriage isn't the right one for Jan's Mary Agnes.
Mrs Hart's maiden surname was Kelly, not Robbins:

Births Jun 1914 (>99%)
HART William Kelly Leeds 9b 564

Births Dec 1911 (>99%)
Hart Edward Kelly Leeds 9b 474

Well, it was a vain hope in any case

But the Mary Agnes Kelly who married Thomas Hart above, who was the niece on the 1911 census you posted above was a spinster on her marriage in 1911 so her maiden name 'was' Kelly.??

I think I had better re-read from the beginning to see what we are looking for.

Back when I have 'digested' the info.........

Dea x

Yes, you're right, Dea.
I was getting confused between Mary Ann and Mary Agnes.

Good luck with your digestion - it's a very confused story!

Just posting because Montague died in Hastings district and year of birth is about right


Deaths Sep 1971

HARRINGTON Mary 28No1889 Hastings 5h 897



England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995


Name: Mary Harrington

Death Date: 21 Jul 1971

Death Place: St Leonards-on-Sea

Probate Date: 29 Sep 1971

Probate Registry: Brighton


Mary Harrington of St Peters Home, Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards on Sea died 21st July 1971 Probate - Brighton 29th September

£18,991

Choccy, if you look back to your post of 14th March, you'll see that you discounted this Mary Harrington because she was single. The timing for her death and the area, certainly fit very well with our Agnes though.

St. Peters Home is a short walk from where Anne now lives.

That Mary Agnes Kelly who married Thomas Hart in 1911 is the Tailoress I'd hoped might be the one I'm looking for, as the address is certainly the same as in the census. So unless she shed husband and children before 1916, when she married Montague Douglas Harrington, she can't be right :-(