What Happened to the Woods?

sr-famresearch

Hi all, sometime ago a forum member helped me find the grave of Rebecca Jane Hunt nee. Wood, widow to Richard Henry Hunt, a British Serjeant killed in 1914 of whom I have done extensive research on. Their two children entered the foster system when she died in 1921. I would love if someone could help me find out more about her family. Her oldest son's descendants told me a Chris Wood, married to an Alice then took them in at one point. Her father, listed on her marriage record, was George Wood. The more I learned about Rebecca's story (a very tragic one) the more I would like to know about her with the end goal finding relatives or even a photo.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

deirdremf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058287732/what-happened-to-the-woods

I wonder if she is the Rebecca in these two census returns, from 1901 and 1911? No sign of a husband or son in either, though.

1901 census

1911 census

sr-famresearch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120341417#Comment_120341417

Hi Deirdre, as far as I know she was born and lived in Dublin, although Richard was stationed in Cork circa 1911 where his brother met his wife from Kinsale. They lived together in Wellington Barracks which is now Griffith College Dublin and then I believe she lived on Marlborough Street. If I remember right she married Richard in 1913 and gave birth to their first son George (who I presume is named after her father) a few months later. I have just seen on my last post that she is buried with a Bridget Wood who died in 1922 but no idea what the connection is.

Hermy

Welcome back sr.

Is it Rebecca you want to find out more about or her children?

deirdremf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120341459#Comment_120341459

OK. That was the only Rebecca Jane I found on the census website, and only in the 1911 census. The 1901 census had a Rebecca who was in the same area, but 11 years younger. I have noticed a lot of minor differences like this between censuses.

Here is a list of the "George Wood"s in 1901 if it's of any help; of course her father could have already been dead by then.

deirdremf

I had a look at your previous post, and it is unclear what age she was when she died, although it looks more like 42 than 49. But if the latter was correct, she would be the right age for the Rebecca Jane in Cork. If 42 is the correct age then you would clearly be looking for someone else. However, transcription errors happened frequently enough; perhaps if you had access to the actual death cert. this would be easier to discover for sure.

sr-famresearch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120341614#Comment_120341614

Hi Hermy, just Rebecca, I know some things about both Laurence and George, both were in a boys home in Glasnevin and both served in WW2 with Laurence joining his fathers British Regiment and Richard in Ireland. A photo of Laurence in uniform was sold from a house clearance in the UK Midlands last year but I'm presuming this was a connection to his fathers side.

Hermy

Just doing a bit of digging on this one now...

You were wondering in the other thread about Bridget Wood buried in Kilbarrick.

The informant on Bridget Wood's death record, who died in 1922, is her husband Frederick Wood who is also named on both Bridget and Rebecca's burial records.

Frederick and Bridget Marley were married in the Pro Cathedral, Marlborough Street in 1914.

An Alice Wood is a witness to the marriage - could this be the Alice you mention above?

In 1901 Rebecca was living with Frederick and two other sisters in Upper Dorset Street.

In 1911 Frederick was living with the same two other sisters and a niece in Marlborough Street.

The niece could be this Christina born in 1906 to Georgina Woods.

Regarding Rebecca's age at death my reading of it on the death cert is 42 which tallies with the same figure on her burial record.

The only child I can find born to a Hunt-Wood couple is that of Richard born in 1913 to Richard (a solider) and Jane.

Is he one of yours?

EDIT: Just adding Rebecca and Richard's marriage in 1913 for reference.

Also just found Rebecca (spelt with two B's) on the 1911 census.

Interesting to note it gives her place of birth as Dundrum which has led me to her 1872 birth record!

And there are six baptism records at irishgenealogy.ie for children born to George Wood and Rebecca Porter.

One last addition - Alice living with her Porter relatives in 1901 and 1911.

Okay, one more edit - Rebecca's parents marriage in the Registry Office in 1864.

sr-famresearch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120343788#Comment_120343788

Hermy that is brilliant thank you! Hope for finding relatives maybe? So Bridget married in to the Woods via a Frederick and he's also in that grave? If so Rebecca lived with her brother and sister before marrying? That Alice sounds promising.

Yes sorry Richard was born first while she lived with Richard Snr in the Barracks, Laurence was born in Chertsey, her husbands home in the UK a few months after he died, I had presumed this was because Rebecca had no family at home and needed help from her mother-in-law Eleanor but now know of siblings. My grandmother once mentioned the Hunts did not like Richard marrying a Catholic girl so maybe Woods felt the same way especially given neither Hunt nor Woods took in the boys after their parents died.

From Dundrum to city centre to Kilbarrick, lots of travelling!

pinkypinky

Amazing work, @Hermy

Mick Tator

A very interesting read. Great work Hermy.

Dundrum to Kilbarrack - don't forget that the Harcourt Street line passed through Dundrum. No interconnector to Westland Row, but not a big walk for those days.

Hermy

Thanks for the positive feedback folks.

Funny thing is after a very productive few days with my own research I had brain fog on Friday (due to seasonal affective disorder) and even the most basic tasks were an effort.

But thankfully on Saturday morning the fog had cleared and I decided to have another go at the Wood family.

And I'm really glad that I did as it all came together rather well which was tremendously satisfying as I'm sure ye can appreciate.

Now enough about me...

No sr - Frederick isn't buried with Bridget and Rebecca but is named on the burial records of both ladies as the Person having management of the Interment.

It would appear that Frederick remarried in 1928 to Bridget O'Leary though it's worth noting he is described as a bachelor on the marriage record.

Frederick died in 1950, Bridget (his second wife) died in 1958, and both are buried in Mount Jerome cemetery as per their death notices in the Evening Herald.

sr-famresearch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348131#Comment_120348131

Funnily enough Rebecca's youngest son is also buried in Mount Jerome. Wondering what the best course of action would be now in terms of contacting descendents and searching for photos?

Hermy

Have you tried making contact with any Ancestry users who are researching the same tree?

sr-famresearch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350278#Comment_120350278

Most likely my best bet, I had already contacted those with Rebecca but may have better luck with her siblings/parents.