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:
Wayne
My Grandfather was Edward Trew born 1897. It is my belief that Samuel Trew came to Australia as a soldier with the 40th Somerset 2nd Regiment of Foot with a George Trew and went AWOL so as not to go to fight in NZ in 1860. Please get in touch Wayne
Gary
Hi Wayne,
That’s interesting. Do you have any copies of official documents related to his service? I did a search and found your page plus some other references to Samuel and George being on the Vulcan. I couldn’t find a passenger list that included them though – possibly because they were military passengers.
I sent you an email back on September 3.
Valda
Samuel TREW changed his name to William TAYLOR prior to first marriage. Changed name back to Samuel TREW prior to second Marriage . Perhaps this was as a result of his possible desertion. I am a descendant of his second wife, Margaret LOUGH (nee PYE)
Gary
Hi Valda and thanks for dropping by. Yes, his first marriage was a week before George’s desertion appeared in the police gazette so it is very likely that he was trying not to attract any unwanted attention at that time.
Valda
Just thought I’d mention that the Taylor/Trews knew the Loughs back in Harrow. Well after Charlotte’s death Samuel married Margaret Lough in Saw Pit Swamp. Christina Lough (married to George Trew) was Margaret’s daughter. Margaret and her husband William Lough had 7 children.