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Wonder if anyone could help me out here?

It's complicated so take a deep breath!

During my research I have come across an Eliza Smith b 1839 Mendham, Suffolk. She appears on the 1871, 1881 and 1891 census' along with William Barber mentioned above.

1871 he is a young (37 year old) widow with 3 young children and Eliza Smith age 29 living with them (presumably to look after the children.)

1881 she is still living with him and there are now are 4 young children called Smith!

1891 she is still living with him and only one child called Rosa Smith born 1881. Eliza is described as Housekeeper and sister in law.

Further checking led me to a Rezia Smith who married a William Barber in 1855 10A 630 Honxe, Suffolk. I suspect she was a sister of Eliza Smith who stepped in when she died to look after the 'Barber' children. I had also found a Keziah May Smith born 1878, Wangford, Suffolk who i think was Eliza's illegitimate daughter.

To bring this full circle my 1xgr uncle Arthur James Nobbs b 1862 Suffolk, who early 1890's moved to Sunderland, married a Keziah May Smith (born Suffolk) in 1899 Sunderland! They had a daughter Violet Nobbs b 1912 whose mother's maiden name is recorded as .. wait for it... Barber!!

I wonder did William Barber live a bit of a double life? He died in 1895 age 59, Bungay, Suffolk.

NOBBS, ARTHUR WILLIAM SMITH
GRO Reference: 1900 J Quarter in SUNDERLAND Volume 10A Page 599

SMITH, LILY BEATRICE -
GRO Reference: 1896 S Quarter in DEPWADE Volume 04B Page 219

Just for helpers ref'

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Gas House Lane, Holy Trinity Bungay, Wangford, Suffolk, England

William Barber Head Widower Male 46 1835 Carpenter (Journeyman) Suffolk, England
Eliza Smith Boarder Single Female 42 1839 Housekeeper Mendham, Suffolk, England
Eliza Smith Boarder Single Female 14 1867 - Homersfield, Suffolk, England
Herbert Smith Boarder Single Male 9 1872 Scholar Suffolk, England
May Smith Boarder Single Female 3 1878 - Bungay, Suffolk, England
Rose Smith Boarder Single Female 0 1881 Infant Bungay, Suffolk, England

Illegitimate - as was her first child (Lily)

SMITH, KEZIAH MAY -
GRO Reference: 1878 J Quarter in WANGFORD Volume 04A Page 799

On the 1911 census Keziah is going by her second name May. She was born 1878 Bungay, Suffolk, married 12 years, 4 children born, 3 still living but only 2 listed on census.

1911 for INFO

Arthur James Nobbs Head Married Male 48 1863 General Labourer Redenhall Norfolk
May Nobbs Wife Married Female 33 1878 - Bungay Suffolk
Arthur William Nobbs Son - Male 11 1900 - Pallion Durham
Rosa Maud Nobbs Daughter - Female 6 1905 - Deptfort Durham


NOBBS, ROSA MAUD BARBER
GRO Reference: 1905 M Quarter in SUNDERLAND Volume 10A Page 641

I would think Eliza's children were fathered by Barber, but not acknowledged as such, due to the absence of a marriage cert

First child BARBER, MARIA SMITH
GRO Reference: 1855 J Quarter in WANGFORD Volume 04A Page 635


Source Suffolk Baptism Index (Part 4)
Record set Suffolk Baptism Index 1538-1911
First name(s) Maria
Last name Barber
Baptism year 1855
Relationship Dau
County Suffolk
Country England
Place Homersfield
Mother's first name(s) Kezia
Father's first name(s) William
Baptism date 18 Nov 1855
Parish St Mary
Father's occupation Labourer
Residence Homersfield
Entry No 285
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Parish Baptisms
Collections from England, Great Britain

BARBER, KEZIAH 31
GRO Reference: 1865 M Quarter in WANGFORD Volume 04A Page 505


First name(s) KEZIAH
Last name BARBER
Gender Female
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year -
Age -
Death quarter 1
Death year 1865
District Wangford
County Suffolk
Volume 4A
Page 505

Possible for Kezia and Eliza? EDIT but more likely to be the one posted by Maddie :-)

1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Cock Street, Stoke by Nayland, Sudbury, Suffolk, England

Henry Smith Male 35 1806 Suffolk, England
Elizabeth Smith Female 35 1806 Suffolk, England
Henry Smith Male 18 1823 Suffolk, England
Benjamin Smith Male 14 1827 Suffolk, England
Kezia Smith Female 12 1829 Suffolk, England
William Smith Male 9 1832 Suffolk, England
John Smith Male 7 1834 Suffolk, England
Thomas Smith Male 4 1837 Suffolk, England
Eliza Smith Female 2 1839 Suffolk, England

1841 for eliza

Jonathan Smith Male 50 1791 Suffolk, England
Mary Smith Female 40 1801 -
Mary Smith Female 20 1821 Suffolk, England
John Smith Male 15 1826 Suffolk, England
Phoebe Smith Female 11 1830 Suffolk, England
Patience Smith Female 9 1832 Suffolk, England
Keziah Smith Female 8 1833 Suffolk, England
Sarah Smith Female 6 1835 Suffolk, England
George Smith Male 4 1837 Suffolk, England
Eliza Smith Female 2 1839 Suffolk, EnglandPark Yard, Mendham, Hoxne, Suffolk, England

Eliza
Last name Smith
Birth year 1839
Baptism year 1839
Baptism date 10 Jul 1839
Parish Mendham, All Saints
Place Mendham
Father's first name(s) Jonathan
Mothers first name(s) Mary
Father's occupation Labourer
County Suffolk
Country England
Source Suffolk Baptism Index (Part 3)

I wonder was it illegal during this period for a man to marry his dead wife's sister?

Until 1907, it was illegal in England for a man to marry the sister of his dead wife. That kind of marriage had been made explicitly illegal in 1835 when Parliament passed a bill designed to protect the inheritance of the son of a Duke who had married his dead wife's sister. In-laws had been marrying each other for a long time, but those marriages were considered "voidable," if anyone wanted to challenge them. The 1835 bill said that that the marriages that had already happened could no longer be voided (the Duke's son would get his due!), but from then on, no more marrying your dead wife's sister.

Yes, it was

The Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907 (7 Edw.7 c.47) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, allowing a man to marry his dead wife's sister, which had previously been forbidden. This prohibition had derived from a doctrine of canon law whereby those who were connected by marriage were regarded as being related to each other in a way which made marriage between them improper.

????

Marriage entry While we have made all efforts to correctly record the information in the original document there may be different interpretations of the written words. If you have access to the original document and believe we have made a mistake you are encouraged to report this to us. Report an Error in this Data Field
(only fields with a value are shown) Value
County Suffolk
Place Mendham
Church name All Saints
Register type Parish Register
Marriage date 03 Feb 1855
Groom forename William
Groom surname BARBER
Groom age 20
Groom parish Mendham
Groom condition single
Groom occupation labourer
Bride forename Eliza
Bride surname SMITH
Bride age 21
Bride parish Mendham
Bride condition single
Groom father forename James
Groom father surname BARBER
Groom father occupation labourer
Bride father forename Jonathan
Bride father surname SMITH
Bride father occupation labourer
Witness1 Robert COOPER
Witness2 Sarah SMITH
Notes banns; he signed;she signed
Transcribed by Julie Harold
Credit Melanie Andersen
File line number 892

That could explain a lot! Many thanks for everyone's help.

Fascinated to see Robert Cooper as witness 1, on the marriage info.

On the 1891 census William Barber was living two addresses away from my 2x gr grandparents Mary Ann Nobbs nee Brock and William Nobbs. Their daughter Georgiana Elizabeth Nobbs b1865 married William George Cooper b1868 Bungay. He had an uncle called Robert Cooper born 1871. I wonder was this the same Robert Cooper who was the witness? It really is a small world isn't it?!

daughter eliza from 1881 census

Marianne Eliza
Last name Smith
Gender Female
Birth year -
Birth place -
Baptism year 1868
Baptism date 11 Oct 1868
Place South Elmham Saint Michael
County Suffolk
Country England
Father's first name(s) William
Father's last name Barber
Mother's first name(s) Eliza
Mother's last name Smith

Kezzia May
Last name Smith
Baptism year 1880
County Suffolk
Country England
Place Bungay
Mother's first name(s) Eliza
Father's first name(s) -
Baptism date 24 Feb 1880
Parish Holy Trinity
Residence Bungay
Notes
sw
Entry No 753

Jane Anne Barber
England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975





Name:
Jane Anne Barber
Gender:
Female
Christening Date:
29 Aug 1858
Christening Date (Original):
29 AUG 1858
Christening Place:
SUFFOLK, ENGLAND
Birthplace:
HOMERSFIELD
Father's Name:
William Barber
Mother's Name:
Keziah

Name:
Georgianna Barber
Gender:
Female
Christening Date:
22 Apr 1860
Christening Date (Original):
22 APR 1860
Christening Place:
SUFFOLK COUNTY BTS, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND
Birthplace:
HOMERSFIELD, SUFFOLK, ENG
Father's Name:
William Barber
Mother's Name:
Keziah

John Barber
England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Name:
John Barber
Gender:
Male
Christening Date:
19 May 1857
Christening Date (Original):
19 MAY 1857
Christening Place:
SUFFOLK COUNTY BTS, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND
Father's Name:
William Barber
Mother's Name:
Kezia