His birth index:

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
POWYS, EDWARD  WILLIAM WAYNE WAYNE  
GRO Reference: 1870  D Quarter in WARWICK  Volume 06D  Page 510
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His baptism image, thanks FindMyPast, from the register, transcript by me:

>                      St Nicholas, Warwick  >  1850-1883

“                      Page 276
“BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of St Nicholas Warwick
“  in the County of Warwick in the year 1871
“. . . .
“When Baptised:       February 12th [ 1871 ]
“No:                  2205
“CVhild’s Forename:   Edward William Wayne
“Parents’ Forenames:  Edward Victor Robert and Elizabeth Gwenllian
“Parents’ Surname:    Powys
“Abode:               Edmondsworth House, Coten End
“Profession:          Vicar of St Nicholas, Warwick
“Celebrant:           C. Brodie
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His death index, noting that his third forename is erroneous:

Name:                          Age at Death (in years):  
POWYS, EDWARD WILLIAM DAYNE    69  
GRO Reference: 1940  M Quarter in COCKERMOUTH  Volume 10B  Page 1640
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Burke’s peerage includes that he “m. 1919 Sarah Rebecca (d.9 Nov 1942), dau. of Samuel Phenix Franks of Wisbech”.

But I can find no mention of any such marriage.
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In the probate index entries there is:

1943
POWYS Sarah Rebecca of 32 Palmerston-place and of care of W. and F. Haldane 4 North Charlotte-stgreet both in Edinburgh widow died 9 November 1942  Confirmation of William Archibald Orrock solicitor of Supreme Courts and Archibald Richard Burdon Haldane writer to the Signet.
Sealed Llandudno 18 January.

The “sealed Llandsudno” seems to mean that a copy of the probate or whatever in Scotland was recognised by the English probate system.  So to Scotland one must go to find more details.
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The memorial stone inscription adds weight to the scene.  It is at Crosthwaite Churchyard, Great Crosthwaite, Allerdale Borough, Cumbria.  See his Mon Inscripts Notes.
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Now to see if we can find any more about her:

In 1881 she was a 14-year-old grand-daughter to a farmer of 74 in Holbeach, Lincs.
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Her birth index is:

Name:                      Mother's Maiden Surname:
FRANKS, SARAH REBECCA      MENDHAM  
GRO Reference: 1866  D Quarter in HOLBEACH  Volume 07A  Page 332
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FindMYPast, thanks, has the image of her baptism register, transcript:

>                Whaplode Drove  >  18..-…..

“                 Page 29
“BAPTISMS solemnised in the Parish of Whaplode Drove
“  in the County of Lincoln in the Year 1867
“When baptised:       1867 Feby. 3rd
“No:                  225
“Child’s Forename:    Sarah Rebecca
“Parents’ Forenames:  Samuel Phenix & Elizabeth
“Parents’ Surname:    Franks
“Abode:               Whaplode Drove
“Profession:          Farmer
“Celebrant:           J Swaine
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In 1871 she was with her parents and four sisters, no sons, at River Gate, Whaplode, Holbeach, Lincolnshire.  She was the second sister; but she was named as “S.R.” and the third sister was “Sarah”.

Also in 1881 she was with her parents, she was the second daughter, aged 14, named as “Sarah R” and the third daughter was “Susannah”.  This may unravel the confusion of 1871 and it maybe that she was actually with her grandfather in 1881, and not noticed with the 7 daughters and one son plus a niece in her own immediate family.

Then she was to be found in no more censuses and not even in 1921 after her reported marriage as Powys nor in 1939.
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Her death is on the Scotland’s People site index:

Surname  Forename      Age at death  Mother's Maiden Name  Year  Ref        RD Name
POWYS    SARAH REBECCA      75                             1942  685/1 641  Haymarket

Currently I don’t think this will produce any more information about her and Edward and their ‘marriage’, so I am not ordering her death certificate.  We already know her mother’s maiden name to be Mendham.
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I am beginning to wonder if both William and Sarah had been put in asylums once they had become adult.  Something went wrong at William’s birth as his mother died in the following month.  Then when they were around 50, they may have met up in their safekeeping and may have been allowed to call themselves married with some confidence that they would not produce any children, hence the lack of any formal marriage ceremony, though there may have been a celebration in their accommodation.  The involvement of the Courts was possibly because the Courts of Protection were involved.

Some clarification may be obtained from the will of Edward’s father which will be ordered when the gov.uk wills site has been sorted out.
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His probate index from Ancestry:

1940
POWYS Edward William Wayne of The Cottage Hospital Keswick Cumberland died 21 February 1940  Confirmation of Sarah Rebecca Powys widow.  Sealed London 17 April.
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I just wonder if this ‘Sealing’ was for her to obtain a widow’s pension as there is no mention of any probate or administration or of the Effects of his estate.
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Thanks to FindAGrave.com we have a photo of Sarah and William’s gravestone:


           IN LOVING MEMORY OF
          EDWARD WILLIAM WAYNE
                 POWYS
      WHO DIED 21ST FEBRUARY 1940
          AND ALSO OF HIS WIFE
           SARAH REBECCA POWYS


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