Roger Kingzett - Double Bigamist
Roger Kingzett was actually born Roger Kingshott. He was my 2nd Great Uncle. He was born on 13Aug 1901 in Lurgashall, Sussex, England, the 15th child of John Kingshott and his wife Ann nee Cannon.
Roger was baptised at Lurgashall on 21st August 1901 and shortly after moved with his family to Kingshott Cottage in Shackleford where he was on 2nd April 1911, when the 1911 census was enumerated.
On 26th March 1920, Roger married a lady called Ivy Welton at the Registry Office in Guildford, Surrey. She was born on 21st October 1896 in Southwold, Suffolk. Their first child, Percy Edward Roger Kingshott, was born in 1921 and sadly died in 1924. They then had a daughter, Irene Kingshott, who was born and died in 1922. ​
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In 1923 and 1924 two more sons were born. They were Stanley Leonard Kingshott and Percy Edward Roger Kingshott. This was the point that I reached when I lost track of them for some time.
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Marriage Record request for Roger Kingshott and Ivy Welton
On 5th April 1926, Roger, by now calling himself "Richard Kingsett, married a lady called Caroline Burrows in Reigate, Surrey. This would be unremarkable were it not for the fact that he was still legally married to Ivy. Quite what the circumstances were that led to him thinking that this was in any way a good idea are not known. But he did it. He therefore committed the offence of Bigamy.
Marriage certificate between Richard Kingsett (actually Roger Kingshott) and Caroline Burrows in 1926
This seemed to work out for Roger - sorry "Richard" - who managed to get away with this for some time. Unfortunately for him, he was found out and convicted on 6th July 1931 at Lewes Assize Court for bigamy. He was sentenced to 9 months hard labour. The Sussex Agricultural Express of the 10th July 1931 reported the case.
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I would like to report that dear Roger learned his lesson and came to his senses. Alas, it was not to be!
On 26th October 1935 Roger married a lady called Katherine Maud Letheren at the Registry Office in Worthing, Sussex. Unfortunately for him, he was still legally married so again committed the offence of Bigamy. This time, he only lasted a year before the matter was heard at court, and on 11th December 1936, again at Lewes Assize Court, he was convicted of the offence. The Worthing Herald of 12 December 1936 reported it as follows.
I can't help thinking that for some reason the court was unaware of his previous conviction because he seems to have gotten away with this very lightly.
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Roger died at Frimley, Surrey on 16th June 1964. He was a bit of a rogue, but he was family.