FAMILY HISTORY: BOOCOCK

THE MARRIAGES OF ROBERT BOOCOCK:

 

GROOM:
Name: Robert Boocock, of Hill Street, Preston
Father: Richard Boocock, deceased
Mother: Mary Seed
Birthdate: 15 April 1863
Birthplace: Preston, Lancashire, England

 

FIRST MARRIAGE: BRIDE:
Name: Sarah McArdle, of Stanley Street, Preston
Father: John McArdle
Mother:
Birthdate:
Birthplace:

 

THEIR WEDDING:
Date: 5 June 1883
Place: St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church
Location: Preston, Lancashire, England
Priest: Father Patrick Kirwan
Witnesses: Richard Boocock, of Hill Street, Preston, &
Helen Keenan, of Stanley Street, Preston

 

THEIR THREE KNOWN CHILDREN:
Frances Mary Boocock Born: 10 Sep 1883
Helen Boocock Born: 24 Dec 1885 (infant)
Margaret Boocock Born: 30 Sep 1887 (infant)

 

DEATHS:
Helen Boocock [ 1 yr] Buried: 11 Jan 1887
Margaret Boocock [17 mos] Buried: 20 Mar 1889

 

NOTES:
1: The above information is from the original registers of St. Augustine's Church held at the Lancashire Record Office, and the registers of English Martyr's Church when they were still held there.
2: I recently discovered that Robert Boocock emigrated to Fall River, Massachusetts in about 1894 but his wife and child did not accompany him. What is really surprising is that he remarried there describing himself as "single" and claiming that it was his first marriage. (see below)
3: The above photo was taken by me c. 1990.

 

THE MARRIAGES OF ROBERT BOOCOCK:

SECOND MARRIAGE:

 

GROOM:
Name: Robert Boocock, age 48, comb tender, of 30 Webster Street, Fall River
Father: Richard Boocock
Mother: Mary Seed
Birthdate: 15 April 1863
Birthplace: Preston, Lancashire, England

 

BRIDE:
Name: Mary (Clayton) Bottomley, widow, age 47, card stripper, of 30 Webster Street, Fall River
Father: George Clayton
Mother: Mary A. Bann
Birthdate: c. April 1864
Birthplace: Macclesfield, Cheshire, England

 

THEIR WEDDING:
Date: 25 April 1911
Place: Fall River City Hall
Location: Fall River Massachusetts, USA
Priest: Joseph F. Delshanty, JP and Assist City Clerk
Witnesses: (none listed on marriage certificate)

 

THEIR CHILDREN (none)

 

DEATHS:
Robert Boocock [61 yrs] Died: 13 May 1924
Sarah Boocock (Mrs) Died:
Mary Boocock (Mrs) Died:
Frances Mary Boocock Died:

 

NOTES:
1: When Robert Boocock and Mary Bottomley were married she described herself as a widow and stated that this was her second marriage. However, Robert claimed that it was his first marriage. If he was a widower why would he not just admit that? The fact that he claimed to be a bachelor and the fact that I have not been able to find any trace of his first wife and their eldest child leads me to suspect that Robert was a bigamist.

Bigamy was more common than most people might think. This was at least partly to do with the fact that divorce was difficult and expensive for ordinary people. It may be that Robert's first wife Sarah left him while he was in prison in England and when he emigrated to the USA he decided to start a new life. He knew he would never see his wife and child again and was - for all intents and purposes - single again.
2: Mary Bottomley was the widow of Walter Bottomley, and at least two children by him. Her children were grown by the time she married Robert Boocock.
3: The above information is taken from a scanned copy of the marriage entry and various census returns.

 

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