Wood family from islington london

[IgorStrav]

He joined the army in 1915, saying he'd been born in 1897, and was discharged shortly afterwards when they found he had lied about his age.

At that point he said his next of kin was his mother Mrs Mary Jane Mills (or possibly Hills), of 53 Woodland Place, Muswell Hill

[JenB]

I see while he was on active service he 'unlawfully wounded a comrade with a bayonet' 

At that point he said his next of kin was his mother Mrs Mary Jane Mills (or possibly Hills), of 53 Woodland Place, Muswell Hill

I think it's Mills.

[IgorStrav]

I see while he was on active service he 'unlawfully wounded a comrade with a bayonet' 

At that point he said his next of kin was his mother Mrs Mary Jane Mills (or possibly Hills), of 53 Woodland Place, Muswell Hill

I think it's Mills.

Yes, me too - but can't find a marriage for her as yet.  Or indeed death for Joseph Wood.
Or John Stanley in the 1911 to follow up OP's 'police orphanage' suggestion.

Could this be brother Joseph Thomas in Islington in the 1911 as 'son-in-law' aged 15?  Can't see how he could be stepson (as I assume this must be) of the Harwood family though....

Joseph Wood

Age :   15
Dob:   abt 1896
Relation to Head:   Son In Law
Male
PoB:   London, United Kingdom
Civil Parish:   Islington

Address:   1A Arundel Grove, Mildmay Park N
   Single
Occupation:   DAIRY WORK
Reg district:   Islington
Reg District Number:   10
Sub-reg district:   Highbury
ED:   6
Piece:   975
Household Members:   
Name   Age
William Harwood   59
Elizabeth Harwood   44
Joseph Wood   15
Eric Harwood   7

[IgorStrav]

Public tree on Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/22458997/person/28668795684/facts

This tree has the wrong mother for Joseph Thomas and John Stanley and the other siblings appear to be wrong, as does the 1911 census record.  GRO now confirms MMN, which is definitely MASLEN for both the boys and another son, William Henry, who died as a baby before the 1901.  There were no other Wood/Maslen children to the marriage so far as I can see.

[IgorStrav]

His marriage to Lilian Mitchell in St Pancras 1q 1923 is indexed under both surnames, Wood and Burns.

And he's shown as ROBERT Burns or Wood???

The thick plottens

[mckha489]

Marriages Mar 1923   (>99%)

Burns    Robert    Mitchell    Pancras    1b   111      
Mitchell    Lilian E    Burns    Pancras    1b   111    
Mitchell    Lilian E    Wood    Pancras    1b   111      
Wood    Robert    Mitchell    Pancras    1b   111      

 
    #COMMENT Entry reads Burns or Wood for spouse surname

[mckha489]

Looking to see if Mary Jane might have been married previously

Marriages Jun 1888   (>99%)
 
Maslen    Mary Jane        St. Saviour    1d   79      
Mills    Charles James        St. Saviour    1d   79    

Image says Mary Jane is 26.  so age slightly off
father Joseph Maslen a Carman
 

I think this one died in 1897

[1froglet]

Thank you for all of this this is my first post and didn't get notifications for your replies? Yes so wood/burns on marriage index was first time I'd come across wood. I ordered certificate and have also found information pointing towards joseph and Mary maslen parents.  I only ever knew his name as robert john stanley burns  my grandfather was stanley john robert burns. I'm intrigued where the burns name comes from. I was aware he had a brother joseph who he resented as he was kept and my g grandfather not. He then died in Aylesbury bucks in 1978

[avm228]

Robert J S Burns’ birthdate is 6 December 1899 on the Aylesbury death registration, Sep qtr 1978.