Emily Beatrice - Seventeen Year Old???

A quick recap ...

I have been searching for my Great Great Grandmother, Emily Beatrice Merton.
When she married my Great Great Grandfather Ernest Ingpen, their marriage entry stated that she was 22 years of age.  She was married in 1876, so ... in theory that meant she was born in 1854.     I have searched for a very long time...  So, here are the options;

(1) That is not her real name
(2) That is not her real age, or
(3) Her Parents never got around to registering her, apparently birth registration was "patchy".

I've been using the GRO site, in England (the General Registry Office). 
Today I found an entry for  Emily Beatrice Martin, born in 1859.

MARTIN, EMILY  BEATRICE  WEEKS  Order
GRO Reference: 1859  J Quarter in ISLINGTON  Volume 01B  Page 193

Is this her ?  Is Martin a misprint ? Or did she alter her name slightly.   What's more, a 17 year old bride ? posing as a 22 year old ?
Nah surely not.  The GRO registration listed the Mother's maiden name as.... wait for it ... WEEKS.  not days, Weeks! 😜👫  Okay maybe not that funny.   There are some other options as well...

MURTON, EMILY    CATON  Order
GRO Reference: 1856  M Quarter in DUNMOW UNION  Volume 04A  Page 340

MARTON, EMILY    CLARKE  Order
GRO Reference: 1855  M Quarter in REIGATE UNION IN THE COUNTY OF SURREY  Volume 02A  Page 107

WEEKS, CATON and CLARKE are all Mother's maidens name, I searched those names among my DNA test and well wouldn't you know it I have matches with  with all 3 names.  I have Weeks matches, Caton matches etc. 

Emily Bea's Brickwall!

Great Great Grandmother, Emily Beatrice Merton (Mrs Ingpen), has been somewhat of an enigma in terms of her origins.  In a nutshell ...

• Emily's parents have not yet been identified
• Emily's date of arrival in New Zealand nor the ship she travelled on has not yet been identified.  
• Nor has Ernest been identified on a shiplists.

She and Ernest were married in 1876 ... parent's names were not included on the marriage entry until 1880 - four years later!   I have considered that it may be worth a shot, to try to obtain the notice of intention to marry.

A recap on the available info : 

1. DETAILS - MARRIAGE

Copy of Register of Marriage, Marriages in the District of Riverton.
27 May 1876 at the office of the Registrar, Riverton
Ernest Henry Ingpen aged 37 years School Master, Bachelor
Emily Beatrice Merton aged 22 years, Lady, Spinster
by Barry Bailey Registrar.
Witnesses : Catherine Mary Kellow, Riverton & William Hopcroft, Gummies Bush.
Usable Details

• 1854 - Approximate Birth date (from age provided)
• 1876 - Arrived in New Zealand before this date

Marriage - 1876

2. DETAILS - DAUGHTER'S BIRTH 

Daughter's Birth Details

Mother : Emily Beatrice Ingpen formerly Merton, 35, [born] Croyden, Surrey, England.
Usable Detail : 

• Birth Place : Croydon, SURREY

THERE ARE 3 EMILY MERTONS THAT SHOW UP IN DOCS FROM THE UK.

OPTION A - 1871 Census - resident of Surrey 👍

The first option seems to be the "nearest".  The Emily Merton in this source lived with her elder sister, Mrs Elizabeth Wybrow and family.  This is also the closest location to Croyden Surrey.  

The Residence of Henry Wybrow, Cottage Pond, St Thomas, St Olave Southwark, London & Surrey, England. Source : 1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription : http://www.findmypast.co.uk,

Name      Relationship  Sex   Age Birth year Birth place

Henry Wybrow Head Male 28 1843 Essex, England
Elizabeth Wybrow Wife Female 23 1848, Middlesex,
Henry T G Wybrow Son Male 3 1868, Warwickshire,
Emily E Wybrow Daughter Female 1 1870 Surrey, England
Emily Merton Wife's Sister Female 19 1852 Middlesex,  England
[on original, Emily Merton works as a Fruit Seller].

A sister of Mrs Elizabeth Wybrow. 
http://www.ancestry.com  had the same Census, except the actual document was there, whereas, at findmypast.co.uk it was a transcript.  Looking at the age next to Emily, it could easily have read 14 than 19.  Which would change the birth year from 1852 to 1857, or thereabouts?  Also on the original, it has Hoxton, Middlesex as the birth place for both sisters, Elizabeth and Emily.

Note : the address of the Wybrows was Cottage Pond, St Thomas Parish, Southwark, SURREY, London.

ELIZABETH WYBROWS DETAILS FROM SAME DOC.

Elizabeth Wybrow, wife of Henry Wybrow.  

Age 23 at year of the Census 1871.  Her birth year stated as 1848.  Her son Henry is 3, so perhaps married at 19, Possible Marriage Date : 1867

4. 1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

11, Bryett Road, Islington, London & Middlesex, England

In the next Census, Elizabeth Wybrow and her husband Henry are listed, as well as the children Henry Jr and Emily, and a few more children! 

Walter Wybrow Son         Single      Male         9 1872

Louisa Wybrow Daughter Single          Female 6 1875

Frederick Wybrow Son         Single     Male         3 1878

Charles Wybrow Son         Single     Male         0 1881

No Aunt Emily staying with them at this stage.  If this was our Emily in the 1871 Census by 1881, she has already arrived in New Zealand and been married to Ernest for 5 years!

OPTION B - 1871 Census, resident of Yorkshire 👎

While this Emily Merton is the correct age, the birth place is Cawood ... way the heck up in Yorkshire, a very long way from Surrey. After processing more than 20 other English Ancestors, ALL of them have spent their whole lives in the place of their birth. Mobility is NOT a factor. Also, on Emily's Burial record, there is no birth date for her. I would imagine if her daughter knew the date, it would have been recorded somewhere. If her own daughter doesn't know the date, then it is more than likely that Emily herself didn't know the date, which would suggest she was orphaned early (definitely what I'm feeling on this). The Emily Merton below, has living parents.
Name: Emily Merton
[Emily Morton]
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: John Merton
Mother's name: Ellen Merton
Gender: Female
Where born: Cawood, Yorkshire, England
Registration district: Selby
Sub-registration district: Selby
ED, institution, or vessel: 21
Household schedule number: 94
Piece: 4735
Folio: 146
Page Number: 15
Household Members:
Name Age
John Merton 60, Ellen Merton 58, Thomas Merton 24, Jane Ann Merton 25, Emily Merton 16, Ramshaw Merton 2, John T Merton 7 Months

Thomas Jessop 84

OPTION C -  An Emily Merton, from Norfolk (which is even further away) and who was still in England in 1891, long after our Emily had arrived in New Zealand, married Ernest and daughter Maud, would have been a year old.


PLAN MOVING FORWARD >>>

• Attempt to acquire Ernest and Emily's Notice of intention to Marry
• Purchase Emily's Death Entry
• Upload Elizabeth Wybrow's family onto the Wiki Tree, to attempt to identify any of her descendants that may have been DNA tested. 

"Peace - Perfect Peace"

Hadleigh Cemetery, Waipawa

 Peace Perfect Peace, With Loved Ones Far Away ... In Jesus Keeping, We Are Safe And They"

is the inscription on Ernest Henry Ingpen's gravestone.  It's taken from a line [line 4] in a hymn composed in 1875, by Anglican minister Edward Henry Bickersteth.   It gives the impression that Ernest and Emily were regular church goers and confirms that they were Church of England adherants.   A copy of Bickersteth's hymn, inspired by Isaiah 26:3,  is included below.  

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  (Isaiah 26:3)

Youtube link to music of "Peace - perfect peace"

It seems a rather fitting passage, for a settler - who was indeed far away from his English home. 

In March 1908, Ernest Henry Ingpen deceased at Waipukurau Hospital.  The headstone and registration read 8th March 1908, however the probate file has a date of the 7th March.  [Insert amount of years in New Zealand].

He was interred in Hadley Cemetery, at Waipawa, in the Anglican Block S - plot 36, on the 9th instant.   The image file above shows the Cemetery as it appears today.  On the quiet outskirts of Waipawa, with a view of rolling hills and pasture, again the inscription of "peace - perfect peace", seems fitting.   Ernest Henry was survived by his wife Emily, and his only child, Maud Beatrice Ingpen.  She was a mere 17 years old at the time.   

More than a hundred years later, the headstone still stands.  It could probably do with some refurbishment and a memorial visit might be nice from some of his descendants.  I plan to make such a journey to Waipawa one of these days.  

Fig 1.  Headstone as it is today

Miss Mabel May Ingpen

Other Ingpens at Waipawa

The two Ingpens in this clipping are probably Edward Lockyer Ingpen and his son Francis Ingpen.

School Master, Post Master, Returning Officer, Secretary EXTRAORDINAIRE

1876 : GUMMIE'S BUSH SCHOOL (Nth Riverton)

On Tuesday evening on the 8th August, we find Ernest attending a Social for parents and children at the Gummie's Bush School.    Apparently the place was named after a whaler, surname Leader who had no teeth, hence "Gummy", and it is said that he camped in the area.

[insert reference]

Emily involved herself with Ernest's employ, providing instruction in "plain and fancy needlework" to the girls.  This was described as "kind and able supervision".

In 1878, Ernest and Emily were still living in Gummie's Bush.   An advertisement in the Western Star, informed readers that school would be opened on the 15th April 1878,

Later in the year, 30 November, an advertisement is found offering Private Lessons - "Evening School" for "Young Ladies and Gentlemen" .  Three languages, Latin, French, and Italian were offered, as well as Drawing.  Fancy and Plain Needlework was also provided by Emily.  

Presumably this was at the end of the School year, and was perhaps an initiative to bring in an income over the holidays. 

[Date]: WAERENGA A HIKA SCHOOL, Poverty Bay

1887 : KARAKA SCHOOL, Poverty Bay

1893 : OBTAINED A LICENCE TO TEACH

National Archives New Zealand - List of files held re: Ernest Henry Ingpen

ACGO 8333 IA1/587/[93] 1890/2079
From: [E H Ingpen], Secretary, Waikohu Road Board, Te Karaka (Gisborne) Date: 16 July 1890 Subject: Result of Election ORDER DETAILS »
1890 1890 Wgtn

ACGO 8333 IA1/621/[32] 1892/1567
From: E H Ingpen, Clerk to Waikohu Road Board, Gisborne Date: 17 June 1892 Subject: Result of poll to borrow £120 ORDER DETAILS »
1892 1892 Wgtn

ACGO 8333 IA1/682/[73] 1895/1308
From: Ernest H Ingpen, Clerk to Waikohu Road Board, Te Karaka Date: 7 May 1895 Subject: Result of election ORDER DETAILS »
1895 1895 Wgtn

ACGO 8333 IA1/730/[14] 1897/3211
From: E H Ingpen, Clerk Waikohu Road Board Date: 30 October 1897 Subject: Result of election ORDER DETAILS »
1897 1897 Wgtn

ACGO 8333 IA1/739/[98] 1898/1317
From: E H Ingpen, Clerk Waikohu Road Board, Te Karaka Date: 3 May 1898 Subject: Result of Election ORDER DETAILS »
1898 1898 Wgtn

ACGO 8333 IA1/824/[62] 1901/1752
From: E H Ingpen, Secretary Waikohu Road Board, Te Karaka Date: 24 May 1901 Subject: Result of Election ORDER DETAILS »
1901 1901

1902 : WHAKARARA SCHOOL, Central Hawkes Bay

Annual Salary : 82 pounds, 16 shillings

Source : Kete Central Hawke's Bay - Whakarara School
Link to Source of Photograph

[see also link below, mention of Ormond School, but this may be an error on the authors part]
(http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-MacHist-t1-body-d38-d8.html)

[move this to blog re: Life after Ernest ]

Beatrice Ingpen's Wedding - St Peter's Anglican Church, Waipawa - 1911

An Artists Impression of Frank & Trixie (based on photographs where they are older)

On 30 December 1911,  Beatrice Ingpen married Francis James (Frank) Howie at St Peter's Church, Waipawa.   She was 21 and Frank, a labourer from Palmerston North was 25.  Little is known about the event, other than what can be gleaned from details on the Marriage Entry.   Ernest had died three years earlier, but Emily's presence at the wedding is confirmed by her signature on the Marriage entry.   She was one of the two witnesses.

St Peters Anglican Church (pre-1934)
Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, (ref. 35-R1519)

A copy of the Marriage entry from 1911

Transcription :
Details from the Marriage Entry11/7907
1911.  Marriages in the District of Waipawa
No.33 : Dec 30th 1911, St Peters Church, Waipawa
Francis James HOWIE, 25, Labourer, Bachelor, Birthplace Canterbury NZ, Usual Place of Residence : Palmerston North
Parents : William HOWIE, Station Master and Elizabeth HOWIE nee Unwin.
Maud Beatrice INGPEN, 21, Spinster, Birthplace : Waipawa, NZ [??]
Parents : Ernest Henry INGPEN, School Master and Emily Beatrice INGPEN nee Merton.
Rev. H.P.Crux was the officiating minister.                                Witnesses : Emily B. Ingpen, of Waipawa and E.G.Wooley of Newbury, School Teacher. 

As to the other witness, Mr E.G.Woodley of Newbury, some quick checks showed that he was connected to Frank.   The electoral roll for the same year, provided his full name,  Ernest George Woodley, a school teacher.  A search for him at NZ BDM online, provided us with his age, he was 22, and Frank being 25, close enough in age, they were probably very good friends.











Registration Number Family Name          Given Name(s)          Mother                        Father 
1889/18479           Woodley           Ernest               Mary Ann          Charles

The mention of Newbury helped establish the connection as well, this is where Frank's family also lived in 1911.  His mother Elizabeth, was the teacher at the Newbury School.    A newspaper article that referred to the Newbury School Annual Picnic held earlier that year, provided further confirmation.

A number of names have been underlined in yellow.  Mrs Howie, Frank's Mother is mentioned as well as his younger sister Dorothy and brother Hubert. All the other names, the Woodleys - Amy, Alice, Agnes and Cyril were all Ernest Woodley's siblings.  They were all children of Charles and Maryann Woodley.  They were two large families, with children of similar age, living in a small rural community, aside from the fact that Frank's Mother was the local teacher.   

Registration Number Family Name           Given Name(s)         
Parents

1897/12460          Woodley, Amy Florence     
(Mary Ann &Charles)
1898/11478          Woodley, Alice                   
(Mary Ann &Charles)           
1900/03026          Woodley, Agnes Emily
(Mary Ann & Charles)         
1903/03886          Woodley, Cyril Leonard     
(Mary Ann & Charles)

Now this doesn't help us much in terms of tracking footprints of this momentous occassion for Beatrice.  There are no newspaper announcements, nor surviving memorabilia at this stage.  All that can be said was that it was a Church wedding in Waipawa, and at least 5 people were present.

• The Officiating Minister - Reverend Crux
• The Groom - Francis James Howie
• The Bride - Beatrice Ingpen
• The 1st Witness/Mother of the Bride - Emily Ingpen 
• The 2nd Witness/ possible Bestman - Ernest Woodley

This doesn't say that there weren't more people there that day,  perhaps more footprints will show up some day.     To conclude, below is a picture of what St Peter's Anglican Church looks like today.  According to the St Peter's Church Facebook Page,  stone veneer cladding was placed over the wooden structure in 1934.