Willis family (Hackney and nearby)

[DEVIS]

Hmm! If Matilda did marry Henry Godfrey then there is no Matilda with him in Shoreditch 1911.  He is 67. Henry Godfrey seems to have died in Shoreditch 1917 aged 72.

Can`t find a death of another Matilda Godfrey for the right age !  
Very confusing

Devis

[GLJW]

My father has told me in the past that when he was young, he used to visit his grandmother (Matilda) and her two children who lived with her, Sidney and Violet (who went by 'Aunt Daisy' for the children). George was killed in WWI, I think. There was no grandfather around that my father ever met, and he thinks Matilda would have died while he (my father) was fairly young, probably no older than 10 at most. I assume perhaps she separated from this Godfrey and remarried the mysterious Willis, but quite how it fits together I don't know.

[Barbara F]

Now that snippet of information is really interesting!

I wondered if Matilda married Henry Godfrey, was then widowed and married your Mr Willis/Willes.  Unfortunately I cannot see a marriage  though.  It is possible that they just lived together particularly if Henry Godfrey had not died.

I am also wondering whether any of the other children were registered as Godfrey rather than Willis/Willes.

This is the possible Matilda Wilkes marriage to Henry Godfrey - may be worth getting the certificate.

Jun 1899  
Devonald  Henery Arthur    Shoreditch  1c 217    
Devonald  Henry Arthur     Shoreditch  1c 217    
Fielding  Rosa     Shoreditch  1c 217    
Godfrey  Henry     Shoreditch  1c 217    
Wilkes  Matilda Susannah     Shoreditch  1c 217



Barbara

[GLJW]

Just to throw another spanner in the works- my father spoke to my uncle the other day and mentioned the research I'm doing, and my uncle remembered his father (Leslie)'s mother as being Susannah Freeby-Shakespeare/Freeby Shakespeare at some point (whether the Freeby is a middle name or part of the surname I am not at all sure). It's possible that he's completely off-base, but as the elder brother he has more of an idea than my father, who didn't remember any names involved. The mention of 'Susannah' was what made me consider 'Matilda Susannah Wilkes' as the likely contender. Quite how any of this is any use (if it is at all) I'm not sure, but there it is  My own searches for her under these names yielded nothing at all...

I will look into that certificate, and also I agree that possibly the Willis 'marriage' could have been more common-law than actual. It's really hard to keep track of! I must say that you've provided me with more information than I've managed in the last month (since I hit this snag), so thanks again 

EDIT: My father asked my uncle today for further information, and it turns out that Susannah Shakespeare Freeby (the order was wrong) was Matilda's grandmother; somehow the two became mixed up at some stage.

[DEVIS]

Henry Godfrey in Census 1891 Single lodger age 43 Born Marylebone. Agent for portrait Co.

RG12/201/101/3. 18 Chatham St, Hackney.


Devis

[GLJW]

Thank you, Devis  It seems like it could well be him (maybe a year or two off, but I don't know)
I'm going to have a huge pile of notes written by the end of the day, it seems!