Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

George James Costley Vol 08b p183
dob 25.1.1908 at 70 Wellington Road Liverpool
Father James Costley Waterman
Mother Frances Costley late Woodhouse formerly Johnson
Birth registered 18 March 1908

When Amelia Johnson Woodhouse's birth was registered in 1905, Frances Mary used the surname Woodhouse and gave John woodhouse as the father.
In the 1911 census Amelia is listed as Amelia Costley daughter of James Costley.
At some stage Amelia Johnson Costley became Dorothy Costley. Dorothy always said she was born in 1909, coincidentally listing the same day and month
as Amelia. However, family memory says she was some years older than she said she was.

I would like to know if there are school pupil listings available for schools in the Toxteth area.

Dorothy also worked at Lewis department store in Liverpool in the 1920's
as Amelia

for the record
William Raymond Woodhouse GRO reference 1902 Vol 08b p336

There is no obligation for a school to deposit records with the Record Office, however there may be some there, more often there are photographs and minutes of school meetings, not so much anything to do with the pupils.

A search of the archives http://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries-and-a ... y-history/ produced a list of such items, however it might be easier if you searched after perhaps making a short list of schools in the area, and if no luck them perhaps contacting them direct.

You might find the Liverpool History Projects site useful for locating schools in the area http://www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk/liverpoolaz/

Hi folks 1 Chester St Tockie Park
According to the last census Frances married 7yrs.
Stepsons of James Costley 37, Sydney & Wm Woodhouse 11 & 9.
Both born Blackburn.
Amelia 6, George 3 both bn Lpool.
Note: No Dorothy bn 1909

A tree in Anc has her marrying John Sidney Mason and dying in Leeds 1969.
Birth 21.7.1909 (mother also died in Leeds 1965)
Mother Mary Frances nee Johnson, married John Woodhouse in Blackburn 1.5.1899 aged 21yrs.
Married James Costley about 1904.

Possible death for James Costley 1913 Tox Park aged 39yrs.

thanks Tina

She was actually still married to John Woodhouse 7 years prior to the 1911 census and we have never found a divorce or John Woodhouse's death. He was paid off on 8 March 1904 - he was in the Portsmouth Division at the time. His next of kin was Frances Mary at 10 (or 16) Starfield Street, West Derby Road, Everton, Liverpool.

We calculated that Amelia was conceived in Oct/Nov 1904. She was registered as Amelia Johnson Woodhouse, which makes you think John Woodhouse was possibly around between 1904/1905 at the time of her birth. She was born on 26 July but the birth wasn't registered until October. Her father is given as John Woodhouse, retired Sergeant, Royal Marines.

Her brother George was born in 1909 and his parents are given as James Costley and Frances Costley, late Woodhouse, formerly Johnson. So John Woodhouse was gone by then.

Have you actually found a marriage for James Costley and Frances? They may well have lived together as man and wife if Frances wasn't free to marry, possibly the reason for registering the child in the husband's name. By the time George came along it may have become accepted that they were married, especially if they were living in an area where nobody knew their history.

That's what we have assumed - there's no record of a marriage that we can find.

We are interested in finding out how Amelia Johnson Woodhouse became Dorothy Costley. Apparently her sister went to Blackburne House School, Hope Street so they may have gone togther and be on some pupil records.

Amelia/Dorothy may have changed her name by Deed Poll. We know she went abroad in 1948 for a holiday and again to Madeira in the mid 60s so she must have produced a birth certificate to get a passport. Are passport records available on-line? Similarly would she have needed a birth certificate to get married? Do Registrars keep more information than that on a Marriage Certificate?

All this help is very much appreciated

brisam

There is a guide about what is available for passport applications on the National Archives site http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... ssport.htm I hesitate to sound negative but I don't think you will have a lot of luck, but if you do please let us know, it's all good information to keep.

Nowadays you do apparently need a birth certificate to get married, however it used to be that the age was just asked and noted, often just "full" or "minor" being put on the certificate.

I remember in 1972 the certificate required, in an RC church, was the baptismal certificate, not the birth certificate.

As far as her changing her name is concerned, even now anybody can call themselves whatever they wish to, especially if everybody uses the stepfather's name, it becomes accepted. If indeed it was changed by deed poll, then the National Archives again would be the place to check. Again a guide for this http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... f-name.htm

From: http://www.genealogy.com/00000622.html

Passport applications from 1791 to 1925 are available through the National Archives. However, applications less than 75 years old may have viewing restrictions. The National Archives has indexes for many applications from 1834-1923.

What surname did Dorothy travel under when she left the UK on those 2 occasions you know about?

She may not have needed a full passport or an entry visa for a short holiday trip abroad. If travel was within the EU it was possible to obtain a temporary single-use 'travel' document from Post Office which lasted for 1 year I believe. My mother went to Spain in the late 60s and had one of these 'temp' documents which she got from the Llandudno main Post Office. It was a pale cream/buff coloured folded card about 4 inches x 3 inches, like the old driving licence, with her photo inside. We still have it!

Dorothy's married name was Mason.

The trip to Holland was just after the war so no EU in those days.

I have traced the John woodhouse maried to Adelaid Tucker. He had previously been married to someone called Elizabeth Ford and had had three children with her.

However, the Naval Medals and Honours reference may prove something as there is a Marine service number.

Many thanks

brisam

For the crew..
John S Mason married Dorothy Costley
Registration district: Islington, London
Year of registration: 1935 / Mar qtr
Volume no: 1B; Page no: 400

Brisam, do you have the cert for the above marriage confirming ages and fathers' names?

And are you aware that there may have been children to the marriage?
MASON, Henry B - Bromley, Kent - 1936. [maiden name: Costley]
MASON, John D S - Leeds North, Yorkshire - 1939. [maiden name: Costley]
MASON, Peter K G - Leeds, Yorkshire - 1944. [maiden name: Costley]

Was looking to see whether the marriage was on the LMA but unfortunately they don't go that recent.
There is an Electoral Register up to 1936 for a Dorothy Margaret and Thomas Henry Costley of Twining Avenue, Twickenham, Richmond Upon Thames.
Rw Dw and R O are the abbreviations next to them, as they relate to "husband's occupation" then I don't think this would have anything to do with our Dorothy.

John Sydney and Dorothy Mason of Manormead, Woolwich, Newnham are listed in the Electoral Registers for 1935, by right of residency and husband's occupation.
This was in Avery Hill Ward, High Road, Mottingham S.E.9.

MaryA wrote:Was looking to see whether the marriage was on the LMA but unfortunately they don't go that recent.
There is an Electoral Register up to 1936 for a Dorothy Margaret and Thomas Henry Costley of Twining Avenue, Twickenham, Richmond Upon Thames.
Rw Dw and R O are the abbreviations next to them, as they relate to "husband's occupation" then I don't think this would have anything to do with our Dorothy.

From http://www.electoralregisters.org.uk/codes.htm
See:
R = Residence qualification (man)
Rw = Residence qualification (woman)
B = Business premises qualification (man)
Bw = Business premises qualification (woman)
O = Occupational qualification (man)
Ow = Occupational qualification (woman)
D = Qualification through husband's occupation
Dw = Qualification through wife's occupation
NM = Naval or military voter
Against names, the following extra codes can sometimes be seen

J = Eligible to serve as juror
SJ = Eligible to serve as special juror
a = Absent voter

From 1945...
BP = Business premises register
CI = Civilian residence register
SE = Service register
RR = Ratepayers register

And I wasn't going to post all that detail but it does confirm that it was the wrong couple, however, I think my second post has the right ones.

MaryA wrote:And I wasn't going to post all that detail but it does confirm that it was the wrong couple, however, I think my second post has the right ones.

Ooops! I thought was being helpful....

That second couple looks the right one, but if those births are correct they moved about a bit.

I suspect that's why they are listed for only the one year in Kent.

Sidney worked for Holloways the civil engineers and was working on a power station. They then moved to Chislehurst where my husband, Henry Brian Louis Mason was born.

brisam

brisam wrote:We know she went abroad in 1948 for a holiday and again to Madeira in the mid 60s so she must have produced a birth certificate to get a passport.

So she would have been already married then, perhaps a marriage certificate would have been all that was required at that date, I must admit I don't know the requirements but they certainly wouldn't have been as stringent as they are nowadays.