hmm two years on and I now have a whole pot of glue for my theory about Mary Jane and John George Hudspith. (I'm slow, but I do get often there in the end)
The extra glue came from Mary's Mam's will - I am still no further forward with finding the death of her first husband, William Pickering, OR her 'supposed' marriage to her boarder in 1881, William Hails.
BUT I did discover a possible 3rd (or maybe 2nd official one) marriage in 1909 for an Elizabeth "Hails" to a George Reay.
They are on the census in 1911 at 42a Front St, Prudhoe . George died in 1924 and admin was granted to his widow. This Elizabeth Reay died on 9th Sept 1939 at the same address
Elizabeth's death notice in 1939 said her maiden name was Harwood and she was originally from Swalwell.
and her will names her daughter Mary Jane Hudspith and grandson Willie Pickering (who was Mary Jane's child, born prior to marriage) as executors and joint beneficiaries (originally it included her other son William Thomas Pickering but he died before his Mam and she added a codicil to say just her daughter and grandson would be executors and beneficiaries . The probate was not done till 1949 which I thought was odd . .
Till I remembered that in 1939 Mary Jane Hudspith and John George Hudspith lived at 42a Front St, Prudhoe. She died in 1947 then John George Hudspith died in 1949 - both at 42a Front St.
So it looks like the Hudspiths moved into Mam's house soon after she died, then when both Mary Jane and John George had died, Willie, in order to sell the house would have had to put his Granny's will through probate.
oh and Elizabeth and Mary Jane were buried in the same grave at Prudhoe Cemetery.
I think all that glue will hold :-)
So the moral of the story is, even when things look like they will never be sussed out properly, keep firkling, poking, prodding and you may well just get there in the end.
Will have to keep on going with William Pickering and William Hails - that may take a good while . . . :-)
Boo