Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Harold Woolley married Mary McDermott circa 1912, Mary was from an English/Irish family, possibly her mother had married one of four brothers who had all arrived in Widnes at the same time, within six months had married local girls.
Harold and Mary had shops in Widnes, carpets and bicycles, in Albert Road.
Can anyone shed light on either; where in Ireland the McDermott brothers had originated, or any history of the Woolley family before 1900? thanks

Hi Peeps
The marriage took place dec qtr 1912 Prescot Rego or Registrar attended.

Gigi, welcome to the forum

Tina

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Your first step needs to be the marriage certificate of Harold and Mary, details given by Tina will enable you to obtain this online at www.gro.gov.uk The certificate will give you their ages, occupations and where they were living, father's names and occupations and a couple of witnesses who might also be relatives.

Hopefully this information will enable you to find the families in the 1911 census and from there we will be able to help with earlier censuses and to see whether any specific places in Ireland are given as their birthplaces.

Hello and thanks for the welcome, and the information, xx

I have found that Harold Woolley died 8 Feb 1957, aged 67 yrs
Mary (McDermott) Woolley died 17 November 1982 aged 89 yrs.
So DOB's circa 1895 (Mary) and 1890 (Harold)

From the 1881 cencus ( I think it was that one) two of the McDermott brothers, Michael and Thomas, had both married girls named Mary and at the time of the cencus the Mary's were aged 31 yrs(Thos wife) and 40yrs.(Michael's wife)
Thomas had a 9yr old daughter Mary
and John McDermott had a daughter Mary aged 12.
It isn;t easy with all those Mary's
Michael seems to have also had a son Thomas 17 yrs
The elder Thomas sons Peter 2 yrs and Thomas 1yr.

This is information I have had for a long time, not sure how accurate it is to my family.

gigi wrote:I have found that Harold Woolley died 8 Feb 1957, aged 67 yrs
Mary (McDermott) Woolley died 17 November 1982 aged 89 yrs.
So DOB's circa 1895 (Mary) and 1890 (Harold)

This is the most important information so far.

If the rest of your information is from the 1881 census then the daughters are too old to be this one so the first thing you need to do is to identify Mary's father then we could begin to search for them from the 1901 census.

We look forward to hearing the details from the marriage certificate to enable us to move backwards.

Hi Mary
I had a squizz for Woolley taking a punt on 1890c birth year. One had a father who was a joiner another a photographer.
This was in Widnes & Ashton U Lyne.
Too many for Mary 1893c.

Tina

Thanks for you help, can you tell I'm a novice at this! I'll have to take this in stages but will update you as I go.
Is there a way to change the heading on this post to both names, ie. McDermott/Woolley?

gigi wrote:Is there a way to change the heading on this post to both names, ie. McDermott/Woolley?

Done for you.

It's always best to verify step by step otherwise you could find yourself following completely the wrong family. Look forward to your updates.

Hi gigi
There is a Harold Wooley age 21 around 1911/12 living with Parents Alfred and Selina also siblings at 47 Frederick St. Widnes 1901 same address
and mother father entered as Arnold of Widnes.
1891 Harold age 1 father Alfred 35 a joiner from Nottingham mother Selena 36 a draper from Frodsham. 1881 Selena is the wife of Robt. moore innkeeper George Inn 64 Waterloo Rd. While Alfred a joiner age 21 son of John Woolley a gardener age 68 living at Birchfield Rd. Vincent Terrace.
1871 Alfred age 13 living with parents John and Ann Wooley also siblings at Appleton Cross Keys Inn. Widnes. 1861 Same Address Father a Beer House Keeper from Ollerton, Nottinghamshire.
Cheers Chris

Hi Chris,
Thanks for taking the time, that makes so much sense, I knew that Frederick Street was an address, though I had thought much later on. There were inn keepers in the family, I have seen the silver ware they used on the dining tables of the inns. Appleton Cross Keys also fits well

Hi gigi
With Selina if Im right her maiden name was Simcock Her father was Thomas Simcock who in 1841 was a publican in Bridge St. Warrington. Later a Hairdresser also Bridge St. There are also lots of siblings along the way in all the families. But need a little caution its easy to assume one is right.
cheers chris.

I have checked and it seems that an Alice Simcock was often mentioned as a cousin to Harold and Mary's children.