Thread: Emma Woods nee Costello Warner, Preston & Sheffield

I'm still pondering my elusive great grandmother. So the story I have now is as follows:

Emma Woods, nee Emma Costello (b Bolton 1848), with 3 children. Her husband is Joseph Woods (b Preston 1851, Married Ribchester 8/5/1871) BUT, Joseph isn't the father of her children. The 3 children are fathered by Henry Warner, onetime master at Rossall College, later married to Annie Lawlor.

I have birth certificates for 2 of the children, Edith, and Beatrice, but can't find Harry, although I have his death certificate. I can find no evidence that they ever married - is this because she was still married to Joseph? Did his wealthy parents disapprove of the hasty marriage by licence?

What I cannot find is what happened to Emma after 1881, when she's living with her step-father in the census in Preston. He died the following year, death registered by his wife, Emma's mother Frances Walton (nee Blakeborough widow of John Costello)was in Sheffield in 1881. In 1891 Emma's children are living with Frances in Sheffield, and in 1901 the 2 girls, Beatrice and Edith are living with their father's sister, Elizabeth Warner in Manchester. The children at some point stop using the surname Woods, and start to use Costello.

I cannot find Emma as Costello, Castella (the way she spells it), Woods or Warner after 1881. Perhaps she died or remarried (she was born in 1848, which makes her 33 in 1881, although she gave her age as 29)

(1911 census shows Henry stating he has had 3 children, but that they are all dead.)

I would really like to know what happened to Emma, she seems to have had a complicated life. I'm assuming anyone who's reading this can pick up the facts in my earlier post (called Costello or maybe Leon), but please reply if you need further information. I would be really grateful for any help! I have loads of certificates etc, just not the final pieces of the jigsaw

Thank you!

Hi,



I've found this death record-could it be a possibilty?





Mrsp2008



Name:Emma WoodsEstimated Birth Year:abt 1853Year of Registration:1890Quarter of Registration:Jul-Aug-SepAge at Death:37District:ChorltonCounty:LancashireVolume:8 cPage:517

It looks quite likely (not sure how I missed it!) Emma's daughter settled in Chorlton, and the next 2 generations were born there. I have sent for the death certificate hopefully that will confirm it if the person who registered the death is a connection I know. Thank you so much!!!