Christine, of Oregon, USA, says: My GGGF William Daniel BROWN was born in 1823 and was married to Getrude Ann Groas 23 Nov, 1845 in St.Pancras. I have their marriage record. In the 1881 census William was living at Truro Villa, Potters Bar with wife Ann and 4 additional children. My records show his wife to be Gertrude Ann. How do I go about finding his divorce and 2nd marriage records?  Also the birth records of the additional children registered in S. Mimms. 

Technically this query lies outside the scope of this website - which concentrates on the Historical County of Hertfordshire. See South Mimms & Potters Bar for information on the relation between these places and the County boundary.

For reference purposes I reproduce the 1881 census records the following people at No 1 Truro Villa, High Road, South Mimms, Middlesex.

William BROWN	Head	57	Glass Dealer	St Pancras, Mddx
Ann BROWN	Wife	50		Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
Matilda BROWN	Daur	27		St Pancras, Mddx
Arthur BROWN	Son	15	Errand Boy	St Pancras, Mddx
Sidney BROWN	Son	14		St Pancras, Mddx
Alfred BROWN	Son	12	Scholar	S Mims, Mddx
Helen BROWN	Daur	11	Scholar	S Mims, Mddx
Grace BROWN	Daur	8	Scholar	S Mims, Mddx

I am not sure why you think there had been a divorce. It was common for the census returns to record only one given name ever when there were more and if the William Brown in the census is the same person as your William Daniel Brown there is no reason why Ann Brown's full name could not be Gertrude Ann Brown. If there are reasons to believe that Ann is not Gertrude Ann it is far more likely that Gertrude died (the death rate in child birth was quite high) that that there was a divorce - as divorces were comparatively rare in the 19th century.

See Civil Registration for birth records for (virtually) everyone born after 1837. If the children were baptised into the Church of England you may be able to see microfilms of the South Mimms registers at your local LDS Family History Centre (address at familysearch.)

February 2003

Christine writes: I have further information on William Daniel BROWN who said his wife was Ann in the 1881 census. It appears in his will she was his housekeeper even tho they had 5 children and her last name was BUTLER. So you were correct and there was no divorce.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.