My Mystery For A Great-Grandmother?

Question

Hey,

I've been trying to find this woman's family for like a year but no luck so far, really hoping someone will notice something I've not..:)

Her name was Alice Matilda Wood, when she married at CROYDON, Surrey in Jan 1905 she said she was a 21 year old Spinster living at 34 Forster Road, Croydon, daughter of Charles Wood a market gardener.

However, her grave stone states she was born in June 1887.

Also, she had a sister called Sarah and one of them used the name WoodS whilst the other used only Wood (most probs Alice seeing as Wood is on her marriage cert).

My Dad thinks she met my G.Grandad in a Convent Gardens where he was working as a flower seller (ties in with him on 1901 census) and also her fathers occupation. Apparently, she lived and worked nearby.

Also, there is some link to Holloway. My Dad thinks that her mother was in Holoway prison for something, we don't know what, and as a result the children ended up in the work house, again, no idea when.

Answer 1

If she was 21 at her marriage in 1905 means she would have been born in 1884. But if her grave stone says she was born in 1887, you need to be prepared that she may have lied about her age in order to marry.

You say she was also pregnant, and in those days an illegitimate child was a scandal. The trouble is, if she fell pregnant, but was under 21, she wouldn't have been able to marry by law, so the only way she could avoid the scandal was to lie about her age and marry.

I did a quick search (for Alice Wood born between 1883 and 1899 - to cover all possibilities) on FreeBMD, and came up with this: http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl although I don't see any Alice Matilda Wood listed. The listings aren't complete yet though, so that doesn't mean it's a dead end. Check back in a few months and do a fresh search. That's what I do.

Alternatively, you might like to do the same search for her sister Sarah. Obviously the name Sarah Wood is going to be more popular than Alice, so it will help to have an idea where she was born.

Remember that if you're looking for a birth in Greenwich (for example), just because it may not come up on a search, it doesn't mean she's not registered under a sub district, eg Plumstead. I spend my life on Google Maps, trying to work out how close these sub-districts are to my family's home.

And don't forget, she may have been born while her parents were on a trip, and her birth would have been registered in the nearest town.

Answer 2

UK answer.

I was just wondering if you were aware that up until 1929, a girl could marry at the age of 12, and a  boy could marry at the age of 14, with parental consent, it was raised to 16 years of age in 1929, and up until 1969 parental consent was needed until a child attained the age of 21.

Answer 3

Births Sep 1882  

Wood  Alice     Croydon  2a 285

Birth Sep 1893  

Wood  Alice Matilda     Wandsworth  1d 670

Birth Dec 1898  

Wood  Alice Matilda     St.Saviour  1d 116

Answer 4

Found the following which may help you. Would have made Alice 14 or 15 when she married but it is the best fit I could find in 1891 and 1901 given what you know.

1891 Census

21 Alpha Road, Kingston, Surrey

Charles J Wood; head; married; aged 32; Gardener; born Brixton, Surrey

Elizabeth Wood; wife; married; aged 34; born Little Hadham, Hertfordshire

Daisy E Wood; daur; aged 1; born Surbiton, Surrey

Alice M Wood; daur; aged 3 months; born Surbiton, Surrey

Mary Ansell; mother; widow; aged 71; Parish Relief; born Standen, Hertfordshire

RG12/613 folio 1A page 5

1901

9 Vale Tree Cottages, Red Lion Lane, Tolworth, Surrey

Charles J Wood; head; married; aged 43; gardener "domestic"; born Brixton, Surrey

Elizabeth Wood; wife; married; aged 46; born Little Hadham, Hertfordshire

Daisy E Wood; daur; aged 11; born Surbiton, Surrey

Alice M Wood; daur; aged 10; born Surbiton, Surrey

Margaret M Wood; daur; aged 3; born Tolworth, Surrey

George Carey; boarder; single; aged 32; Municipal Fireman; born Isle of Oxney, Kent

RG13/668 folio 108 page 23