Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I am looking into any information about John Woodhouse born 1870/3 West Derby Liverpool and was married in 1899 to Mary Frances Johnson born 1880 in West Derby Liverpool died 1965.

John Woodhouse in 1901 was connected with the Navy then he was a Sgt. in the marines in Millwall London. After that we are unable to find out what he did or when he died.

Later Mary Frances Woodhouse (Johnson) went on to marry in 1904 James Costley born 1874 Liverpool he was a Boatman in 1911 died 1913.

She then had connections with a William Costley that we can not find she married.
Can anybody point me in the right direction how to find the missing information.
David Hambley

If he was a marine - he may have been posted abroad and died there.

The 1899 marriage was in Blackburn

The only death matching his age is in Sept qtr Bury in 1904 but if Mary re-married in 1904 then it can't be his death. Are you sure she re-married in 1904 - see below

There is a William Costley marriage to a Frances Woodhouse in 1919 but there is no James Costley marriage in 1904

Marriage 1.5.1899 St Peter Blackburn

John Woodhouse 26 Sgt Royal Marines - father John occ hotel proprietor

Mary Frances Johnson 21 - father Thomas occ decorator

John & Mary Frances both made a full signature

Witnesses William Whittaker & Madeline Blackett

Hello Carole

Yes the Blackburn Marriage is correct. I got it wrong about the James Costley being Married, but they were together

William Costley is correct at 1919.

James Costley is another problem, his life is very complicated. He has other ladies and children and the name Schofield we think. Also he was listed in court as a bigamist and was Married to Grace Halliwell in1853 at one time
Then Ellen Schofield. What a double life this man was up too

David

Also he was listed in court as a bigamist and was Married to Grace Halliwell in1853 at one time

I don't think so - he was only born in 1874

Have you found Mary Frances Woodhouse in 1901 and 1911?
Please post census references if you have.

In 1911 she is with James Costley

James Costley born 1874 Liverpool he was a Boatman in 1911 died 1913

In 1901 she is with husband John (28) & son Sidney (8mths) in Blackburn

On both censuses she is Frances - not Mary

You appear to have more incorrect information

John Woodhouse born 1870/3 West Derby Liverpool

John Woodhouse in 1901 was connected with the Navy then he was a Sgt. in the marines in Millwall London

The 1901 census shows him born Millwall London and in 1901 he was living in Blackburn

CaroleW wrote:In 1911 she is with James Costley

James Costley born 1874 Liverpool he was a Boatman in 1911 died 1913

In 1901 she is with husband John (28) & son Sidney (8mths) in Blackburn

On both censuses she is Frances - not Mary

Thanks for that Carole. I see from the last census that there was another Woodhouse son born abt 1902 in Blackburn. And 'Frances' says she has been married 7 years.... just makes the first Costley child, Amelia, legitimate.

With no Costley marriage to Mary Frances to be found I think she was either deserted or maybe did a runner back to Liverpool with the 2 kiddies. With a divorce more or less out of the question marriage would have been improbable.

I think this is John Woodhouse in 1891:
WOODHOUSE, John - Soldier - u/m - 21 - 1870 - Private, Royal Marines L I - Poplar, Middlesex.
Address: Royal Marine Barracks, Forton, Alverstoke, Hampshire.
RG12 - Piece: 881 - Folio: 64 - Page: 20

Edit to add: Re L I in his occupation.. This stands for Light Infantry.

Hello Carolew & Dickiesam

Sorry I am really no help giving you wrong information. We are mixed up with it all.

I have a list of children for the family Sidney 1900,William 1902 born in Blackburn? Amelia 1905, George James 1908, Lillian 1910, Tom&Reginald twins 1913. born Liverpool? We think William Costley did not father any of the children.

David

Hello David,
I agree you may have some 'wrong information'....

Amelia Costley bn abt 1905 was registered thus:
WOODHOUSE, Amelia Johnson
Registration district: West Derby
Year/qtr of registration: 1905 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 549

So was John Woodhouse her biological father?

COSTLEY, George James was so registered in Toxteth Park, 1908. Unfortunately without a birth cert or baptism don't know the given maiden name.

Lilian was bn after the census in 1911:
COSTLEY, Lilian
Registration district: Toxteth Park
Year/qtr of registration: 1911 / Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's maiden name: Johnson
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 261

COSTLEY, Thomas and Reginald
Registration district: Toxteth Park
Year/qtr of registration: 1913 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Mother's maiden name: Johnson
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 368.

It would appear that Frances was 'widowed' when James died while she was pregnant with the twins or shortly after their birth....
Death: COSTLEY, James
Registration district: Toxteth Park
Year/qtr of registration: 1913 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at death: 39
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 196.

The William Costley you referred to was James brother? Born abt 1878, father James [boatman]?
RG12 - Piece: 2990 - Folio: 59 - Page: 30.
Address: 34 Guelph Street, West Derby, Liverpool.

In the last census he is unmarried and at home [still 34 Guelph Street] with his widowed mother. Did he 'take over' the family of his late brother James?

And is this his death...?
COSTLEY, William
Registration district: Liverpool
Year/qtr of registration: 1930 / Apr-May-Jun
Age at death: 53
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 96.

Misleading information removed.
See Edit to previous post:

Edit to add: Re L I in his occupation.. This stands for Light Infantry.

Hello dickiesam
We think there was a lot of confusion when James Costley took over from John Woodhouse. Because no marraige record can be found and they were living in sin kind of thing the family were unsure about what to record for their family name?

We think William Costley did marry and as you say took over the family in the end.

The father of James Costley 1833 D1899( who was the bigamist married to Ellen Scholfield 1882 and Grace Haliwell 1853). I wrongly listed him in my previous posting as the 2nd marriage of Frances Woodhouse(Johnson

David

So Frances reverted to her married name when she married William...

William Costley married Frances Woodhouse
Registration district: Liverpool
Year/qtr of registration: 1919 / Apr-May-Jun
Volume no: 8B; Page no: 223.

Does she refer to herself as widow on this marriage cert? Unless she was a bigamist it would give a timeline for the death of John Woodhouse.
RE:

Because no marraige record can be found and they were living in sin kind of thing the family were unsure about what to record for their family name?

As far as 'officialdom' is concerned the family name for children born while James Costley and Frances were together has to be what is recorded on their birth certificates. For instance, if in later life they decided to apply for a passport they would be required to submit a certified birth cert. In Amelia's case, although she is listed as a Costley in the 1911 she was registered as a Woodhouse and that could be a surprise for her and her husband if she married.

The Royal Marine John Woodhouse I found in 1891 in Forton Barracks, Hampshire, had his place of origin as Poplar, Middlesex, and born abt 1870.

There'a death in 1917 that may have been the trigger for Frances to marry William Costley a year or so later.
Death: WOODHOUSE, John
Registration district: Poplar, London
Year/qtr of registration: 1917 / Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at death: 47
Volume no: 1C; Page no: 527.
You would need the cert to try to confirm who he is.

Thanks dickiesam

We have a service record for John Woodhouse but it is hard to read. He enlisted in London 18th Dec 1888 and finished 8th March 1904 There is at the end of the record an address in Liverpool of Starfield road off West Derby Road. But then he could have gone back to London to die in 1917.

David

David Hambley wrote:Thanks dickiesam

We have a service record for John Woodhouse but it is hard to read. He enlisted in London 18th Dec 1888 and finished 8th March 1904 There is at the end of the record an address in Liverpool of Starfield road off West Derby Road. But then he could have gone back to London to die in 1917.
David

It seems odd to me that he was discharged in March 1904 and Amelia Johnson Woodhouse was born in the Dec qtr of 1905. It would be interesting to see if her father was indeed entered as John Woodhouse and what was the family home address? You might find a baptism in the Ancestry Liverpool collection. The fact that Amelia was listed as a Costley by James Costley indicates to me that James was the biological father and possibly the reason why John may have upped stakes and left for London.

In John's military record where was he between April 1901 and 1904 and where was his place of discharge. Can you read the # in Starfield Road which he gave as his next address? If you can't, can you post that particular section here so more eyes can see it.

Hello Dikiesam

The address is 10 or 16 Starstreet that we are unable to find now, it may have gone with redevelopment.

I have made a copy of the record how do I attach it

David

To show an image in your post
http://www.forum.liverpool-genealogy.or ... =16&t=9817

Sorry no sign of a baptism, nor marriage for Frances and William for that matter, but LancsBMD has it down as Liverpool, Register Office or Registrar Attended.