Mary Mays was the third child of Richard Mays & Mary Morris christened March 30th, 1873 at Forest Row, East Grinstead, Sussex.
In 1881 Mary & her parents & older brother William were living at Culver Cottage, Ashurstwood, East Grinstead, where her father was a farmer.
In 1891 Mary was living with her half-brother, Henry & his wife Mary at 1 Oriental Place, Brighton where Henry was a lodging house keeper.
Mary was still living with half-brother Henry at the time of the 1901 census. The address was now 34 Oriental Place which was still a lodging house.
On April 12th, 1909 Mary married Charles Morris at St Matthew’s, Surbiton, Surrey. Mary gave her address as Ivy Villa, East Grinstead & gave her father’s name as Henry Mays, a gentleman. However an annotation on the marriage certificate on May 23rd, 1909 by the vicar points out that the father was in fact Richard Mays, deceased. Witnesses at the wedding were Mary’s half-brother Henry Mays, & Ada Diana Morris, Charles’ sister. Charles was a grocer of 84 Bond Rd, born c1875 the son of Sarah & Thomas Morris, a police constable.
In 1911 Mary & Charles were living at Church Approach, Lingfield, Surrey. Charles was the manager of a grocery & provisions & off license shop.