I just cannot let go of this thread. It gets more convoluted the more I dig. Certain things I have been able to establish.
When William's first wife Elizabeth married for a second time in 1918 and claimed to be a widow, she was not telling the truth. Even though it states in the 1911 census that Elizabeth was still married, was it the case that William had already flown the coop (to use a rather quaint expression) by then? If, on the other hand, Elizabeth and William were still actually married (and it was just a case of William being out of the house when the census was taken), why all this malarky with the surname Moore instead of Wilson?
In the 1939 Register William is living with Mary Sherratt (who was born on 1 September 1855) and whose personal occupation is described as 'Unpaid domestic duties' (a euphemistic phrase for 'wife' judging by the register). I have been unable to find a marriage that fits the bill. Perhaps William did not decide to actually get married but simply maintained the pretence that he and Mary were man and wife. Although the birth date for Mary is very handy, I realise that there is virtually no chance of finding Mary's maiden name simply by cross referencing her first name with the birth date - needle in a haystack time, methinks! If anyone has any ideas how to progress further with my attempt to fill in William's 'lost' years I am open to any suggestions.
It would also be interesting to discover when William changed occupations from working in the mines to becoming a locomotive driver. I have noticed that there is a railway connection with the occupations of William's nephew John Halsall and also his father Richard Halsall.
Regards
Doddie
