FLINT, Hannah CM 319394
Age: 22 Marriage
Spouse: PEARCE, Alfred
Age: 24
Marriage Date: 28 May 1875
Reg Year: 1875
Reg State: Tasmania
Ref Number: 40

Additional information found by Louise Leslie on microfilm ...

The marriage took place in Deloraine (not just registered there). Alfred was a bachelor, and was a farmer, Hannah was a spinster and a farmer's daughter. The marriage ceremony was performed in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of the Church Of England. They married in the Parish Church. Alfred and Hannah were both able to sign their own names.

The witnesses were:

W. FLINT (who was able to sign his (or her) name; and
Amelia Pearce, left her mark.

Microfilm entry found by Louise Leslie ...

Alfred PEARCE
male, age 38
died 17 Mar 1892
reg Ulverstone
farmer
cause 1. spinal paralysis (that's what it looks like to me)
cause 2. bed sores
informant William PEARCE, son of FORTH

From the age of death, Alfred would need to be born 1854, but it can not be discounted as not the same person, just because of his age...
he may have lied at his wedding to appear older than his bride.

His son, who registered his death might not have known his father's exact age... and that's reasonable to assume.

I've managed to find Alfred's birth on the Tasmanian Pioneer Index ...

Digger - Tasmanian Pioneer Index 1803-1899

Surname: PEARCE
Given Names: ALFRED
Event: Birth
Father/Spouse Surname: JOSEPH
Mother/Spouse Given Names: GRUNDY MARY ANN
Day: 20
Month: 3
Year: 1854
Age:
Sex: M
Spouse Age:
Spouse Sex:
Registration Place: WESTBURY
Registration Number: 1285/1854
Reference: RGD 33

FLINT, Anna Selina CB 675987 Birth
Sex: Female
Father: William
Mother: Eastley Eliza
Event Date: 17 Sep 1853
Reg Year: 1853
Reg State: Tasmania
Ref Number: 1205

From microfilm looked up by Louise Leslie ...

Anna Selina FLINT
born 17 Sept 1853
to William FLINT and Eliza (EASTLEY)
reg Westbury
reg no 35.1853.1205
father's occupation: farmer
informant; W. FLINT,
place of residence: Deloraine............
couldn't read the rest of the place
(perhaps it was a property name

As you can see from these entries (top one is from the AVRI CDs), Hannah was registered at birth as Anna Selina FLINT. She was married as Hannah Selina FLINT and on her children's records it varies from Anna to Hannah to Emma!! Human error certainly plays a large part in these records, as does accents and illiteracy. It certainly shows that we can never be 100% sure of any records we find and as such should check them as much as possible against ALL records!!

Notes received from David and Edna Armstrong ...

"The first recorded birth was Hanna Selina (or Anna). However, in my Pearce history which was given to me by a member of the Pearce family who is also a descendant of a Pearce Flint marriage - there is a footnote written about the variation in names. It reads.``Alfred Pearce aged 24 years, occupation farmer, married Hannah Selina Flint aged 22 years, farmers daughter on May 18th 1875. The wedding took place at St Marks C of E Deloraine". The couple had an issue of 7 children ."

"Alfred Pearce died on the 19th March 1892, cause of death given as Spinal Paralysis. "

"Informant was William Pearce, son, of Forth. William would have been 16 at the time and apparently may have written the incorrect age for his father - quite common on death certificates in those days."

"Hannah Selina Pearce (formerly Flint ) married a Mr. Rigg after the death of Alfred. It was then that Hannah wanted to be known as Anna Rigg (maybe she wanted to change her identity in her new marriage). Then in her later life, Selina Rigg was also a well known identity of the Anglican Church at Hamilton on Forth and in the 1920's was the oldest member of the church. So as you can see Hannah was the one to confuse everyone. I really believe she was called Hannah - considering William Flint's mother was named Hannah Hemmings. She was also named Hannah on her wedding certificate, and was witness at another wedding as Hannah as well. "

"William also called one of his sons, my Gt grandfather, Henry Hemmings Flint after his mothers maternal name. Her brother (his uncle) was called Henry Hemmings. I have a photo of the Flint family group which appeared in the Advocate Tas. in a segment they did on pioneering families. It was given by a Bennett family member, and said the photo was taken in March 1891 after the funeral of William Flint and that his (William Flint's) daughter, a Mrs Bennett, had died several months prior to the death of her father. "