Sunday, September 26, 2010

Nothing In the Papers

In the summer of 1844 the English papers highlighted a Radnorshire wedding in the parish of Llanstephan. A blind former blacksmith from Glasbury, one William Thomas, aged 87, married Margaret Pugh, a 16 year old local girl. No doubt the papers would have been even more shocked if they had followed the story through, as by the time of the 1851 Census the happy couple had three children.

Unfortunately the Census also informs us that William, who was indeed a blind former blacksmith, was a sprightly sixty four year old, while wife Margaret was thirty eight, ages which are confirmed in census returns both before and after their marriage. I wonder what the marriage certificate says?

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