This one is an interesting story due to the conflicting records. According to official marriage records, Charlotte Moorse, aged 22 who was the daughter of Samuel Moorse and Amelia Moorse, married William Taylor at the ‘Temporary Church of St. Stephen’ in Portland on December 24, 1855.

We believe that Charlotte actually married Samuel Trew but for reasons unknown he called himself William Taylor.

On the marriage certificate it says that William Taylor, a brickmaker born in Witham, Essex was 27 years of age at that time. Samuel William Trew was a brickmaker who was born in Witham Essex in 1828 – so he would have been 27 years of age in 1855.

On the marriage certificate it says that William Taylor’s parents were William Taylor and Hannah Taylor. Samuel Trew’s parents were William Trew and Hannah Trew.

The death certificates tell a similar story. On Charlotte’s death certificate (May 21 1869) it says her husband was William Taylor and her children were Charlotte (dead), George (7), William (5), John (dead) and Edward (18mths). There was another child. Charlotte’s cause of death was miscarriage and liver disease. On the same death certificate it lists a ‘Taylor not named’ female who lived for 7 hours and died on April 15 1869.

On Samuel Trew’s death certificate, the informant being his son Edward Trew, it says his wife was Charlotte Moorse and they were married in Portland, Victoria. It also lists the three living children – George (41), William (39) and Edward (35).

Just to make this a little more interesting, in 1880 Samuel Trew married for a second time. His second wife was Margaret Lough (nee Pye). They were married at Sawpit Swamp in Samuel’s residence on August 18, 1880. Margaret’s former husband, William Lough (who she had married in Sawpit Swamp in 1855) had died in 1880, presumably some time in the eight months before Margaret married Samuel though I’ve not been able to find an official death record.

As suggested by Wayne in the comments below, it is quite likely that Samuel deserted and changed his name so that he could marry without being identified as a deserter. Further information at these links:

Private George Trew

Private Samuel Trew