Francis George Woodhouse - please help!

[Flemming]

You do wonder if Francis reinvented himself for some reason, and if he wasn’t really who he said he was, and/or not born when and where he claimed. In 1911, he’s in Woolwich Barracks as a Sergeant, age 38 years, and so another YOB (1872/3), but still born in Plymouth. However, there are only 13 civil birth registrations for Woodhouse in Plymouth and immediate areas from 1863-83 and none look like Francis George.

Francis’ wife, Ellen, was born in Budleigh in Devon (according to the 1911 census) and it may be her in 1881 in Chapel Street, East Budleigh, with parents William (Naval Pensioner) and Elizabeth Britton, although her POB is Morice Town (Devonport). In 1891, she’s still with parents in East Budleigh, and also two Gibbs cousins born in Australia. In 1901, she’s in Plymouth as a domestic born Budleigh.

Interestingly, there is also a Woodhouse family in East Budleigh. In 1881, there's George G Woodhouse, age 50 yrs, born Sedgley in Staffs, clerk in holy orders living at Otterbourne House along with his wife, four children, and various pupils and servants.

I wonder if Francis was born as someone else, taken in by George Woodhouse, and given his name (or taken his name years later). Might be worth digging into this a bit more.

EDIT: In 1881, the Woodhouse children are Mary b 1859 Shropshire, George E b 1867 Budleigh, Lawrence b 1874 Budleigh and Emmeline D b 1876 Budleigh. There are birth registrations for Mary and Emmeline (Dorothea) with mother’s maiden name Benson. Also brs for male Woodhouse Q2 1866, female Woodhouse Q2 1868 and John Woodhouse Q3 1871, all mmn Benson and in St Thomas (the Budleigh registration district).

The male Woodhouse born 1866 could be George E (George Edward bp 1866 East Budleigh), and the female Woodhouse br 1868 could be Ruth Martin Woodhouse (bp 1868 East Budleigh) but I can’t find a br for Lawrence, although he was bp 1873 East Budleigh. He seems to be a pupil in Great Amwell in 1891, and a school teacher in Malvern in 1901, but might there be other children to George and Elizabeth Woodhouse without an obvious birth registration?

[EmmaDean]

You do wonder if Francis reinvented himself for some reason, and if he wasn’t really who he said he was, and/or not born when and where he claimed. In 1911, he’s in Woolwich Barracks as a Sergeant, age 38 years, and so another YOB (1872/3), but still born in Plymouth. However, there are only 13 civil birth registrations for Woodhouse in Plymouth and immediate areas from 1863-83 and none look like Francis George.

Francis’ wife, Ellen, was born in Budleigh in Devon (according to the 1911 census) and it may be her in 1881 in Chapel Street, East Budleigh, with parents William (Naval Pensioner) and Elizabeth Britton, although her POB is Morice Town (Devonport). In 1891, she’s still with parents in East Budleigh, and also two Gibbs cousins born in Australia. In 1901, she’s in Plymouth as a domestic born Budleigh.

Interestingly, there is also a Woodhouse family in East Budleigh. In 1881, there's George G Woodhouse, age 50 yrs, born Sedgley in Staffs, clerk in holy orders living at Otterbourne House along with his wife, four children, and various pupils and servants.

I wonder if Francis was born as someone else, taken in by George Woodhouse, and given his name (or taken his name years later). Might be worth digging into this a bit more.

EDIT: In 1881, the Woodhouse children are Mary b 1859 Shropshire, George E b 1867 Budleigh, Lawrence b 1874 Budleigh and Emmeline D b 1876 Budleigh. There are birth registrations for Mary and Emmeline (Dorothea) with mother’s maiden name Benson. Also brs for male Woodhouse Q2 1866, female Woodhouse Q2 1868 and John Woodhouse Q3 1871, all mmn Benson and in St Thomas (the Budleigh registration district).

The male Woodhouse born 1866 could be George E (George Edward bp 1866 East Budleigh), and the female Woodhouse br 1868 could be Ruth Martin Woodhouse (bp 1868 East Budleigh) but I can’t find a br for Lawrence, although he was bp 1873 East Budleigh. He seems to be a pupil in Great Amwell in 1891, and a school teacher in Malvern in 1901, but might there be other children to George and Elizabeth Woodhouse without an obvious birth registration?

Thank you very much for this Flemming. You’ve echoed my thoughts exactly in terms of whether Francis was not born as Francis and assumed that name a bit later in life. I just don’t know how on earth I figure out who, when and why?!    And who is this Thomas Woodhouse who is named as Francis’s father on the marriage certificate…?

I think you’ve found the right Ellen there - her maiden name was Britton.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Hi Emma,

We've been corresponding about this on The Genealogist forum.

Have you seen that the army lists have a different birthdate for him - 30 April 1877: https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/89294649?mode=transcription

Hi Shaun,

Yes, we have! I’m trying all avenues that crop up as I’m trying to break down this apparent brick wall!

I had noted that date of birth. Which is just even more confusing now as I have multiple different ones: 21st April 1875, 21st April 1877, 21st April 1887 and 30th April 1877. I keep coming up with more questions than answers!

I am probably very ‘wet behind the ears’ when it comes to this family tree malarkey, but I just don’t understand how I can find quite a few records for him (or, at least I think they are for him!) from 1901 onwards, but not before!

Kind regards,

Emma

1887 seems fairly unlikely given he married in 1901 - Age would have been 14!

[Flemming]

And who is this Thomas Woodhouse who is named as Francis’s father on the marriage certificate…?

Well, Thomas could be made up, or he could be the husband of Francis’ mother (i.e. either his mother married Thomas Woodhouse after Francis was born, or his mother was called Woodhouse and married Thomas ’Somebody’ and the clerk completing the marriage entry just assumed the father’s surname was Woodhouse).

There is Frank Woodhouse birth registered Q4 1874 Foleshill in Warwickshire, and then a possible bp 12.1.1876 to Thomas (a miner) and Sarah Jane - but the Q4 birth registration wouldn’t tie in with the April birth date. EDIT Selina Woodhouse bp the same date, place, parents; but Frank is accounted for in future censuses.

Are you able to upload the groom’s father’s details from the marriage entry?

[Flemming]

Have you considered a DNA test?

[ShaunJ]

Are you able to upload the groom’s father’s details from the marriage entry?

It's not easy to do that on a lookup request board. There is no facility to add an attachment.

[Flemming]

Are you able to upload the groom’s father’s details from the marriage entry?

It's not easy to do that on a lookup request board. There is no facility to add an attachment.

Are you sure? I can see an 'Attachments and other options' as I type.

[ShaunJ]

Are you sure?

Yes. The attachment function is disabled on all lookup boards.

[Flemming]

Could Emma ask mods to move the thread to the main Devon board?