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My great-grandmother's name was Alice Matilda Wood. On her marriage cert her father is down as Charles Wood. She married in Croydon. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much more out about her, except that she lied about her age to get married in 1905! However, I just found a 1891 census record, Charles as Head and his daughter Matilda (with outher family members too). She's the right age, 4 at the time (Alice's death record says she was born in 1887) and in the same area she got married. So, how reliable are the census records? And could this really be Alice, under her middle name? Clare

Probably is your gran. My grannny was two different names on two census too. Her name was Susannah, and on the next one she was Susan. She was never called that to my knowledge, but who knows? I have very many mistakes on census...we all have. Deanna X

Thanks! thought as much, just wanted to be sure! :D Clare

I searched for several years for someone on a census called Mahala. She had married into the family. In the end I found her burial record - she was really Alice Mahala! No wonder I couldn't find anything about her. Once I knew it was Alice I was looking for it was easy! Anne

I would say definitely the same person. My own grandmother was named Ida but it wasn't until I started doing family tree that I found out that she was actually Alice Ida.

On the 1901 she is coming up as Matilda M. This is the same family as the 1891 Matilda M Wood Age: 14 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887 Relation: Daughter Father's Name: Charles Mother's Name: Emma Gender: Female Where born: Holmwood, Surrey, England Civil Parish: Capel Ecclesiastical parish: Capel St John the Baptist Town: Capel County/Island: Surrey Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View Image Registration district: Dorking Sub-registration district: Capel ED, institution, or vessel: 2 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 163 Household Members: Name Age William Cadd 69 Agens F Wood 8 Charles Wood 40 Dorothy E Wood 6 Emma Wood 41 George W Wood 3 Harriet E Wood 11 Matilda M Wood 14 Olive A Wood 2 Rose L Wood 9

Clare The one you found on the 1891 is not the right one, here is that Matilda's birth Births Mar 1887 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wood Matilda Alice Settle 9a 17 >>>Wood Matilda May Dorking 2a 153

thanks...but now got to search for wood again :(

Clare Found this one in the 1901 just going to check the 1891 Alice M Wood Age: 15 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886 Relation: Stepdaughter Mother's Name: Mary Gender: Female Where born: Blackfriars, London, England Civil Parish: Banstead Ecclesiastical parish: All Saints Town: Banstead County/Island: Surrey Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View Image Registration district: Epsom Sub-registration district: Carshalton ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 279 Household Members: Name Age Daisy E Godfrey 8 Harry Godfrey 49 Mary Godfrey 50 Alice M Wood 15

Clare Does it say if Charles was alive or not, also who were the witnesses

This was nudge at 12/08/2007 20:33:45 Don't know why they never left it

Hi Sorry it's taken so long to get back. The witnesses were Sarah Hunt and Annie Field, all it says for father is Charles Wood (plus his occupation, Market Gardener)..would it say if he'd already died? Thanks, Clare

Her mother was arrested at some point and her and her sister Sarah were put in the workhouse (North East Surrey), that's how she ended up in Surrey, may be that her dad had already died? Don't know how to find out. Therefore, am thinking that she may have been from a different county, though I'm not sure yet. Clare

Hi Clare On her M/C it would say if Charles is deceased (sp) or not. Do you know if Sarah was older or younger than Alice

Err....I don't know...she married a Baxter though apparently... although this could've been a second marriage. :) Clare

Hi Any chance someone could find a birth ref for Alice please? Alice Matilda Wood, born 28/06/1887, father Charles Wood. Won't let me order the birth certificate without it. Clare

This is the only birth reg'n for 1887 with the combination of names you list Name: Matilda Alice Wood Year of Registration: 1887 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar District: Settle County: Yorkshire - West Riding Volume: 9a Page: 17 If you use the father's name as a checking point, you will receive the cert only if it is correct...........and they will refund part of your £7.00 Mind you, if she lied about her age, she could easily have been lying about her father........... Reg

If you haven't got a birth cert.........where did you learn about her DOB? Reg

From the IGI.............have you seen this? Alice Wood Christening: 01 SEP 1889 Croydon, Surrey, England Parents: Father: Charles Wood Mother: Kate Wood Reg

It was written down somewhere I think, I forget where now. :D Thanks