I now have a copy of the marriage certificate for my great grandparents – Charles Edward Robb and Louisa Bowman. They were married on 16 December 1877 at St. Luke’s, Victoria Docks, in the district of West Ham, Essex. Charles is described as a labourer. The address for both parties is given as 22 Buxton Terrace, but this may indicate a newly acquired marital home rather than any premarital cohabitation – I don’t know enough about the conventions of the time to be sure. Charles’ father’s name and occupation are given as William Robb, stationer’s clerk, and Louisa’s as John Bowman, umbrella maker. The witnesses were Matilda H. Robb and John W. Bond.  I have no idea who the latter is: possibly Matilda’s fiance, or maybe a friend of the Bowmans? I’m also unsure about Matilda. William’s sister – and Charles’ older sister – Matilda would have been about 31 years old in 1877, but her middle name was Fanny. Perhaps there is a misprint in the certificate: if so, it provides the only information that we have about Matilda after the age of 14. The only other Matilda alive at the time was William’s older sister, and Charles’ aunt, but she married Frederick King in 1860 and presumably changed her name at the same time.