MayWorthington (Born 6th May 1908)

[Blue70]

This link should explain:-

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/1939registe ... 9-register


Blue

[Alison C]

FreeBMD has the following possible re-marriage for May:

Marriages Jun 1934
George Bell to May Smith or Worthington
West Derby, 8b, 1051

There are then the following possible births for this marriage:
Births Mar 1935
George Bell, mother's mn Worthington
Liverpool S., 8b, 84

Births Mar 1942
Arthur W Bell, mother's mn Worthington
Liverpool N., 8b, 746

There are several May Bell's in the 1939 register but none of them seem to have the right date of birth nor be living with a George Bell

There is a possible death for George Bell in 1960:
Deaths Sep 1960
George Bell, aged 48
Liverpool N., 10d, 267

With a corresponding probate entry granting probate to May Bell, widow:
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Ca ... 7#calendar

No sign of a death for a May Bell with the right DOB, but she could have re-married again?

[billh35]

Alison C

Well done and thank you. I am convinced that the marriage of May Smith or Worthington to George Bell is the same "May". Her first husband Charles Smith re-married on 23rd June 1935 at Everton Parish Church and his marriage certificate shows him as "divorced" even though we cannot find a divorce case. So May re-marrying in June 1934 seems to fit.

May is also shown in places as having a date of birth of 20th May 1908 so perhaps does this have an effect.

My wife is absolutely thrilled that we are getting a step closer to finding what happened to May - it's always been a big family mystery amongst the Smith family of what became of her. If the 5 Ivernia Road address is correct for May & George Bell, then it would appear that May lived all her life from 1930 onwards within a few miles of her son Charles but never ever visited him or tried to contact him which is very sad.

Thank you so much!

Bill

[billh35]

If our workings are correct it appears that the son George Bell may have died on 28December 2011.

A cursory look at Findmypast shows the wedding of May Bell (nee Smith) in West Derby, Liverpool in Q3, 1934.

I was tempted to join this but I see FMP have cleverly excluded the 1939 Register from their one month subscription.

Based on what we have found I have actually ordered the Marriage Certificate for George Bell & May Smith for June 1934 to check.

[billh35]

So just when you think you are getting places and it all goes pear shaped. Following Alison's wonderful lead I followed the wedding of May Worthington and George Bell. Lo and behold May Bell, as she would become, is clearly shown as "May Smith formerly Worthington" and in the Condition box is further shown as "The divorced wife of Charles Smith"! Ta Da! We have her........! But hang on......May Smith (formerly Worthington) is shown as "21 years" where we believed May Worthington was born on 6th May 1908. The wedding is in 1934 so that would make May born in 1913 not 1908.

Then comes catastrophe No.2....May's father is shown as Arthur Worthington...occupation - painter and decorator......not David Worthington! I could almost hear the Ancestry software creaking as I "disconnected" David Worthington and all his family from May! I had so much stuff on David Worthington's family, I dread to think how much research has just disappeared.

So back to Square One but in a different direction. We now what happened to "our" May Worthington after she dumped baby Charles Smith with a watchman, in as much as four years later she re-married, having remained in Liverpool and gotten divorced. Now to look for her past and her descendants.

Here we go again......

[MaryA]

Blehhh!! just when you think you got it straight. Have you decided that this May is definitely no relation? I wonder if you checked the National Archives you might find divorce papers for her which might give more information.

[Alison C]

There is no obvious birth registration for a May Worthington in 1913. Also, if she was born in 1913 then that would make her only 16 when she married Charles Smith. Do you have the marriage certificate for that marriage to confirm her age? I'm wondering if she trimmed a couple of years from her age when she married George Bell if he was a bit younger than her?

Alison

[billh35]

If ever there was a woman trying not to be found it is "our" May Worthington.

I have now obtained the marriage certificate for George Bell and "May Smith formerly Worthington" which clearly states that she is "The divorced wife of Charles Smith" who were married on 30th June 1934 at West Derby Register Office. May is shown as 21 years of age and George as 23 years of age. May's father is shown as Arthur Worthington (painter & decorator) and she has been resident at 22 Railton Road, West Derby whilst George has been resident at 22 Wycliffe Road, West Derby.

I have further obtained the marriage certificate of Charles Smith and May Worthington dated 3rd August 1930 at St Saviour's Church, Everton. May is shown as 18 years of age and living at 22 Hunt Street whilst Charles is 17 and living at 54 Hunt Street. May's father is Arthur Worthington (painter). Charles & May's son Charles (my wife's father) would be born on 6 December 1930 - so May was 4 months pregnant when she married Charles. She would abandon the baby Charles in January 1931 and vanish. (She obviously didn't leave the city but the Smith family never saw or heard from her again - despite her remaining relatively close by)

From these documents I deduce that May's birthday would have been around July 1912 but can find no record of any birth or baptism. In the 1911 census May's father Arthur (occupation shown as painter) and her mother Annie appear to have been resident at 33 Lance Street, Everton with a son William Arthur Worthington aged 1 in 1911 - indeed William Worthington appears on the 1934 Marriage certificate to George Bell as a witness. William was baptised in St. Cuthbert's, Everton on 31st October 1909 but there is no sign of May having been baptised there.

The two marriage certificates tie together via Charles Smith (my wife's paternal grandfather) but she remains elusive. We believe that the probate of George Bell who died on 14 July 1960 is the same family but we cannot find May's death which could have been much more recent.

The plot thickens....and we thought we might have had it sorted.........Thanks to everyone who has helped so far - your continuing support is much appreciated and we hope you enjoy the intrigue of finding May!

[Bertieone]

The 14th July death is that of George Bell, 5 Ivernia Road, Liverpool, probate, widow Mary Bell.

1938 Directory,
George Bell, clerk
5 Ivernia Rd.

I can't open the record, the 1939 register shows living in Ivernia rd,

George Bell, 1884
May Bell, 1895
George L Bell, 1907

[Bertieone]

Arthur Worthington married Annie Powell, 1909, West Derby.

WORTHINGTON, MAY MMn POWELL
GRO Reference: 1911 S Quarter in WEST DERBY Volume 08B Page 1018

[billh35]

Bertieone, thanks for that - we can go back quite a way on Arthur Worthington & Annie Powell.

George & May Bell had two sons
George Bell b Mar 1935 d 28 Dec 2011
Arthur W Bell b Mar 1942 and still living (we believe)

We can't find any sign of May Bell passing away - so she could be alive aged 104 (my own mum is 98!) but this is doubtful.

[MaryA]

1939
5 Ivernia Road
George Bell 16 Sep 1884 Married Clerk - Un??plant Assistance
May 4 Dec 1895 Married Unpaid domestic duties.
George L 1 Dec 1907 S West African Trader - General Merchandise
Annie (GE written in different ink) Trubshaw 28 Mar 1894 S Cigarette Packer

[MaryA]

Sorry, picking up without refreshing myself over the whole thread, it seems that you are still looking for her birth?
From the GRO Index
William Arthur Worthington 1909 D Quarter in WEST DERBY Volume 08B Page 440 MMN Powell
May Worthington 1911 S Quarter in WEST DERBY Volume 08B Page 1018 MMN Powell

[billh35]

Now got the birth certificate for May Worthington born 4th August 1911 in South Everton and parents listed as Arthur and Annie Worthington (nee Powell) living at 14 Lance Street.

I don't think I've seen this "May" referred to at all on Ancestry! She is the one that has been mentioned here.

I understand one of her children Arthur W Bell born in 1942 may still be alive today! I wonder why we can't pick up on a death for her - she would be 105 if still alive.....a remote possibility?

[MaryA]

I wonder if it could be worth your while spending a little time at a local library that has Findmypast available for free, Liverpool does for example but you could enquire more locally, as the UK Electoral Register 2002-2014 is on there and you might find Arthur W Bell, thinking this might be a better line of research.

[Alison C]

George Bell b Mar 1935 d 28 Dec 2011

I think this is a different George Bell. Here is a link to a death notice from his sister Margaret:
http://tmso-bmd-bua.iannounce.co.uk/liv ... source=all

As far as we know, George and May Bell did not have a daughter.

So it looks like both Arthur W and George could still be alive!

Alison

[MaryA]

There are no Arthur W Bells listed on the Electoral Register I mentioned, however there are two living in the Merseyside area both having lived in the same house for quite a number of years and both with a female name living with them. Can't give any public information as they are (or at least were in 2014) still living.

There are obviously rather a lot more entries for a George, you should take a note of addresses and cross reference them with the BT phonebook (available online) and either see if you can telephone or send a letter.

[billh35]

This has to be one of the most confusing and elusive traces ever!

I have now obtained the wedding certificate for George Bell & May Smith (nee Worthington) who were married at West Derby Registry Office on 30th June 1934.

George Bell Aged 23 (Journeyman/Bricklayer) of 22 Wyecliffe Road - son of John Bell (Plumber)
"May Smith formerly Worthington" (as shown on the certificate Aged 21 (followed by the words under Condition as "the former wife of Charles Smith") of 2 Railton Road, West Derby - daughter of Arthur Worthington (Painter & Decorator)

Witnesses William Worthington (May's brother) and Alice Wright.

We know this is 100% right by the references to May being the former wife of Charles Smith.

I do not believe that the Bells at 5 Ivernia Road are the same people as the dates and ages don't match.

[MaryA]

There are no Arthur W Bells listed on the Electoral Register I mentioned, however there are two living in the Merseyside area both having lived in the same house for quite a number of years

I wonder if you followed up on this point I made?

[billh35]

I didn't follow up on them because I am not convinced that the Bell family at Ivernia Road is the same George & May Bell. The dates of birth given for them are considerably out. The May Bell at Ivernia Road was born in 1895 where May Bell (nee Worthington Smith) was born on 4th August 1911 - that's a 16 year difference. George Bell is shown in the Street Directory for Ivernia Road as a clerk but "our" George Bell is shown on his marriage certificate as a Journeyman/bricklayer - a very different occupation. With that in mind my thoughts are now that we may be on the wrong track (again!). What do you think?