Mary Machin b1Q1848, birth registered as Mary Machent, baptised 9 Apr 1848 at Teversal, parents Jedidiah Machin b1814 and Sarah Cowpe b1818. In 1862, she got pregnant by John Smith, child Sarah Elizabeth Smith born 4Q1862. She was just under 15 years old. There is no trace of any marriage between John Smith and Mary Machin, they probably just started living together and lied about her age (for example, in 1871 census she is stated as being born in 1846). Next child was Jemima Smith, born 2Q1864 (she was then 16). Further children were Hannah (b 1Q1867), Henry (b 1Q1868), John William (b 4Q1871), Mary Ann (b 1Q1874), Charles Edward (b 3Q1876), Sarah Amelia (b 4Q1878), Ellen b 1 Nov 1880), James (b 1Q1883), Arthur (b 4Q1884), Agnes Elizabeth (b 1Q1887), Lucy Elaine (b 3Q1889), Annie Bertha (b 2Q1893). So she had 14 children from the age of 14 up to 45! In 1894, her partner John Smith died. Between then and 1901, she met and lived with Henry Pickering in Tibshelf. he was originally from Northampton. Again it appears that they did not marry. Probably she wasn't sure which name to give the authorities! In the 1911 census, she is a "widow", and has kept the name of her second partner. When she died in 1918, it was as Mary Pickering, death 3Q1918 at Nottingham, ref: 7B 320