Genealogy Chat

I'm new to this so hope this is the right place to ask. I'm trying to find out about my grandmother Fanny Wood formerly Adams. All I have to go on is my mother Beatrice's birth certificate. She was born in Bengeo, Herts in 1907. There is no father's name. I believe she had a sister, I have found a Gertrude Wood born in Bengeo in 1905 , but don't have a birth cert. My mother was fostered so didn't know anything about her family. I have found a Fanny Adams born Ware Herts 1875 in the 1891 and 1901 census, but can't find a birth or marriage. In 1901 Fanny was in service with a Lily Wood, but I've not be able to find her again, could it be that her brother was Fanny 's future husband. If anyone could suggest where I look next I'd be very grateful.

Do you just presume she was later Fanny Woods as your mothers name is Woods? On the birth cert it gives no fathers name and does it name mother as Fanny Adams or Wood? Zoe

Hi Zoe, on the birth cert it says, mother's name Fanny Wood Formerly Adams.

so can you find an Adams/wood marriage in the right area at the right time. its it worth investingating Miss woods family further back to try and fins her brothers names if they are chief 'suspects' was Miss woods local?

this must be the 1901 >>View Record Fanny Adams abt 1875 Ware, Hertfordshire, England Servant Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Bertha S Gaggs abt 1881 Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England Servant Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Jack W Hargreaves abt 1900 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Son Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Mary D Hargreaves abt 1867 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Wife Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Olive A Hargreaves abt 1895 Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Percy Hargreaves abt 1868 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Head Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Percy W Hargreaves abt 1896 Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England Son Cheshunt Hertfordshire View Record Violet M Hargreaves abt 1893 Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Cheshunt Hertfordshire **View Record Lily R Wood abt 1877 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Servant Cheshunt Hertfordshire

probably Lilly in 1891 which makes the suspect charlie I guess!! Wood, Charlie abt 1870 Epping, Essex, England Son Cheshunt Hertfordshire Wood, Daisy M abt 1884 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Cheshunt Hertfordshire Wood, Florence E abt 1880 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Cheshunt Hertfordshire Wood, Frederick W abt 1841 Writtle, Essex, England Head Cheshunt Hertfordshire Wood, Lilly R abt 1877 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Cheshunt Hertfordshire Wood, Mary J abt 1873 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Cheshunt Hertfordshire Wood, Rebecca abt 1841 Dunmow, Essex, England Wife Cheshunt Hertfordshire -------------------------------------------------------- 1881 He is a charles really Adeline Wood abt 1868 Chadwell St Marys, Essex, England Daughter College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England >>Charles Wood abt 1870 Epping, Essex, England Son College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Edith Wood abt 1880 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Frederick Wood abt 1841 Wryttle, Essex, England Head College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Julia Wood abt 1875 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Mary J. Wood abt 1873 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Rebecca Wood abt 1841 Dunmow, Essex, England Wife College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Rebekah Wood abt 1877 Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England Daughter College Rd, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England

Thanks Jess, it looks like he might be the one, or of course, he could be totally innocent. I can't find a marriage for him or Fanny. Maybe she wasn't married and just called herself Wood, I don't suppose she would have needed to prove her identity. I had always assumed she would be a young unmarried mother but she would have been 30 when Gertrude was born, perhaps it's even the wrong Fanny. I was just looking for someone who lived near to Hertford. I don't suppose it's something I will ever be able to prove. I don't expect there are any fostering record available, I should think they are confidential like adoption records. It would be nice to know what happened to Gertrude but she may have changed her name as it's possible she was also fostered but by a different family. Thanks for you help anyway.

When kids are fostered....they KEEP thier own name....I did.

Gertrude's birth cert might well be the same as Beatrice's. On the other hand, it's also possible it's got the name of a husband and father on it. Presumably when Fanny registered Beatrice she told the registrar she was a widow, to reconcile the 'formerly' with the blank father's name. But if she never married Mr Wood, and he died or disappeared after a short time with no children resulting, it's odd that she would keep his name and take up pretend-widowhood. It all makes more sense if Gertrude was his child. Perhaps she set up house with Mr Wood intending to get married, but they didn't rush. When Gertrude arrived, they registered her as if married, and then maybe he died or disappeared. With a child, she'd be more likely to keep his name and carry on as a widow as if the wedding had taken place

Thanks for you suggestions, guess the only hope is to get Gertrude's birth cert and hope it names the father. I cannot find a marriage or death for Fanny Adams or Wood . As she gave up her children something must have happened perhaps she changed her name again, if so I have hit a brick wall. Thanks for the help.

Is this maybe Fanny in 1881 Alice M. Adams abt 1879 Ware, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Musley (The Rising Sun), Ware, Hertfordshire, England >>>Fanny Adams abt 1875 Ware, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Musley (The Rising Sun), Ware, Hertfordshire, England Isabella Adams abt 1842 Tylers Causeway, Hertfordshire, England Wife (Head) Musley (The Rising Sun), Ware, Hertfordshire, England Rosina Adams abt 1871 Ware, Hertfordshire, England Daughter Musley (The Rising Sun), Ware, Hertfordshire, England Isabella Adams Married Zoe Thomas H. Adams abt 1868 Ware, Hertfordshire, England Son Musley (The Rising Sun), Ware, Hertfordshire, England

Thanks for that Zoe. I had found that one. The thing that I'm stuck on is trying to find Fanny after 1907. I can't find a marriage for her anywhere, before then or after. Unless I find a marriage I can't be certain she is the right person. Might be barking up the wrong tree! I have just found out taht I was barking up the wrong tree not only that but in the wrong wood!!( excuse the pun). I got a copy of Gertrude's birth cert. yesterday. Same mother but again no father's name, but it did say mother was a widow. Still couldn't find Fanny on the 1901 census, so tried the address on Gertrude's cert and lo and behold there they were. Fanny and George Wood and three children , its seems the name had been transposed as Weed! Once I had a name for her husband I found a marriage and found Fanny on all the other census's. Nothing to do with the Fanny I was first looking at, so poor charlie was innocent after all. I still don't know who my grandfather was as it clearly wasn't George as he was dead by 1905, although I have yet to find his death anywhere. I can't tell you how excited I was to find my mother had a half brother and half sisters. I also found other of Fanny's children living with her parents. I now want to find out if these children have decendants. Thanks for your help, if only I had got Gertrude's birth cert sooner it would have saved a lot of work.