Jane died 30 Dec 1943 and probate was granted in 1944. I've got a copy of her will, her son in law was the executor and her estate was shared between the 3 children. No mention of him in it at all so I suspect that Jane didn't know where he was. My guess is that the probate notice mentioned "wife of Arthur Howard Cooke" in case he was still alive and wanted to make himself known. I gather he didn't.
They seemed to have been mobile, married Hayfield Derbyshire, first child born Manchester, second child born in Wolverhampton and third child born Swindon. Jane was a servant in Hale Cheshire in 1911 Census and she died in Preston.
Arthur's eldest brother stayed in Denton all his life, no sign of Arthur with him. I've found his brother John up to 1891 Census, lots of possibles after that! His sister married and they lived with Arthur and their parents in 1891, by 1901 her husband appears as a boarder so I suspect she died young.
My grandmother never knew what happened to her Dad, he was recorded as deceased at her marriage since nobody knew where he was.Grandma never met him and had no idea what he looked like. There are no family photos, not even of their wedding in 1893, probably to expensive.
Mum spent some time trying to trace him before the days of computers, she found him in the 1901 Census but that was all. He is extremely elusive!
Any leads gratefully received. I wonder if he died or emigrated but haven't found any trace of either.
