Another Dead End

[Workhorse]

Help: I have been tracing my family line The Wood Family, and everything was going fine until I checked burial records at the LMA. to see who was buried with my Great Grandad Wood, James Thomas Wood - age 80, and here lies the problem Because My Great Grandmother who shares the grave is named as Emily Mary Wood age 71.
Now the problem is that the census records for 1891 and 1901 and a couple of birth certificates name the wife or mother as Mary Ann Wood (was Martin)

I sent of for the relevant death certificates and they state the same, so no mistake there. I have checked for any other marriage certificates with James Wood and Emily Mary ? without success.

Does anyone have any idea's as to where the problem may lie. Records show that they were both born in Bow, Middlesex

[Jan1954]

Just a thought, Workhorse, but could there be a transcription error? Is it at all possible that you could visit the cemetery (or wherever the cemetery records are kept) to check the actual records?

[Alan Welsford]

So you have the death certificate.

I think you are saying that is consistent with other paper records, like children's birth certificates, and the censuses, and the only name that is inconsistent is the one for the burial, (please correct me, if I have misunderstood).

Assuming I'm right so far, presumably the burial records show a date of burial. (If not, I feel sure it can be found out by further enquiries). Is the date of burial consistent with the death certificate ?

If yes, then it must almost certainly be a clerical error. If no, then obviously it doesn't sound like who is in the grave matches who is on the certificate, and further investigation required :confused::confused:

If there is a discrepancy about dates, you have already considered the possibility of a remarriage. Don't forget if you use FreeBMD for this, it's completeness gets patchier once into the 20th century. Failure to find a marriage in FreeBMD doesn't mean there wasn't one.

Alan

[Geoffers]

Transcription error seems a distinct possibility; but as another option was she baptised Emily Mary Ann? (I have a chap whose wife was Ann on one census and Elizabeth when she popped her clogs, turned out he married Elizabeth Ann)

[Workhorse]

Done that, and checked the original documents, and they state the same, Emily Mary Wood, and not as we feel it should be Mary Ann Wood.

[Workhorse]

Hi Alan

YOu are correct in your thinking, everything is in order, including the death certificate. Even the dates are correct. The record shows only two people burried their, Emily Wood, and James Wood.
Its a bit of a mystery

[Workhorse]

Hi Geoffers

As far as I know she was baptised Mary Ann Martin, and this is what the marriage certificate shows. I will have to have a dig around and see if I can find a birth certificate, and see what that comes up with, although I'm pretty certain I've done that already.

As far as a clerical error, surely my grandfather would have seen that on the death certificate. AS far a the grave is concerned. They are buried at Tower Hamlets Cemetery. So checking the grave could prove difficult.

[Geoffers]

As far as I know she was baptised Mary Ann Martin, and this is what the marriage certificate shows. I will have to have a dig around and see if I can find a birth certificate, and see what that comes up with, although I'm pretty certain I've done that already.

You didn't mention a year of death, but don't forget that if it puts her year of birth prior to 1837, you won't get a birth certificate for her and will need to rely on a baptism.

As far a the grave is concerned. They are buried at Tower Hamlets Cemetery. So checking the grave could prove difficult.

Does the transcript, or whatever paperwork you have seen record "Emily Mary wife of James Thomas....." or some other definite indication of a relationship? - or does the record just refer James Thoma aged 80 in one entry and Emily Mary aged 71 in another?

[Workhorse]

Hi Geoffers

She died in 1936 age 71, born 1865. and the death certificate states wife of James Wood.

[Alan Welsford]

YOu are correct in your thinking, everything is in order, including the death certificate.


As far as a clerical error, surely my grandfather would have seen that on the death certificate.

If the death certificate records the expected name of Mary Ann, why would your grandfather have noticed anything ?

I'm confused :o

I thought you are saying only the cemetery records are wrong. One wouldn't normally expect to see the cemetery records when someone is buried, would they ?

I still don't understand why it is probably no more than a mistake that someone made after the burial.

Out of curiosity, what was it that caused you to look at the burial records in the first place, please ?

Alan

[Workhorse]

Hi Alan

Sorry to cause confusion.

I wanted to see the burial records to see who was buried with James Wood. It was only then that I found out that the person who was in the same grave was Emily Mary Wood. I then sent off for the Death Certificate. I was expecting Mary Ann Wood.

As I have said before, all the documents and census 1891 and 1901 show the wife of James Wood as Mary Ann Wood, (was Martin), and not Emily Mary Wood.

Even some of their children's birth certificates show the mother as Mary Ann Wood (was Martin) and we know its the right person.