Find Ancestors

I am trying to locate any descendents of the WOOD family who lived at Westfield Farm, Wakefield, Yorkshire in and after 1881.The family originated from the Slaithwaite/Saddleworth area. Thank You. Helen Irving .

Hi Helen

I am sure lots of people would be more willing to help if you would post the information that you already have (e.g. all names and dates of birth from the 1881 census you mention). At the moment it looks a bit like you are expecting us to do ALL the work!!

Also, have you tried using the "search trees" facility at the top to see if anyone else has a tree that includes your family?

Chris x

best remove your email address - not allowed by GR and for your own security too

Thanks for the advice guys, I didn't know e-mail addresses weren't allowed so will try and remove it.

As for posting what i know - I could but it'll take time.and be lengthy. No work required by anyone else - frankly if the Woods of Westfield Farm (as opposed to other Wood families from Wakefield) appear on your tree you'll probably know that these are the folks that I'm referring to. I know that my great-grandma, Jennie Wood, was related to this family but I don't know how (she wasn't a daughter) and I would love to hear from anyone who may be connected to them and can hopefully fill me in.

Helen.

Even that is helpful, Helen - it means that people won't spend ages finding out stuff you already know. Perhaps you could post dob and place for Jennie so that anyone who fancies the challenge could try and work out the link? (There are some seriously good detectives on here!)

Have you also searched trees on here as suggested?

Chris x

Heckmondwike - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Like many of the towns in the West Yorkshire Heavy Woollen District, ... Heckmondwike derives its name from 'Heamunds Farm' in Old English. ... In summer 2007 a new housing development in the Westfield area of the town was named ... Arthur Wood - in 1924 Arthur Wood composed a maypole dance called Barwick Green. ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heckmondwike - 64k - Similar pages

Directory of Dog Boarding Kennels in West Yorkshire
Garforth Dog Boarding is a family run business that offers an alternative to dog kennels. .... 1 Hartley Wood Cottages Micklefield, Leeds West Yorkshire LS25 4AH ... ID: 78766, Westfield Farm Westfield Farm/Yorkgate Otley West Yorkshire LS21 3DQ ... Haigh Moor Farm/Haigh Moor Rd Tingley, Wakefield West Yorkshire ...

www.freedoglistings.co.uk/dog-boarding/west-york... - 37k - Similar pages

Thanks again - I'll definitely follow the leads suggested.

Jennie Wood was b. 1872 in Leeds, apparently an only child and orphan who was raised by an aunt. Unfortunately, I think a name change may have occurred somewhere along the way. I cannot find a birth certificate and she does not appear in the 1881 census. I'm trying to establish her parentage. Her marriage cert gives her father's name as John Wood, deceased and her address as Westfield Farm. The farm no longer exists, it was in Stanley -cum-Wrenthorpe and in 1891 Jennie is in service at a house near by. There is no mystery about her later life - she married George Atkinson Illingworth in Wakefield in 1892 and went to live in Hunslet.

The 1891 census shows the Wood family at Westfield Farm:
George Wood b. 1836 in Greetland
Sarah Jane W. (nee Aram) b. 1839. Leeds
Geo Frederick W. b.1865
Annie W. b.1869
Jane W. b.1876

I have trolled through many BMD and census records trying to establish how jennie was related to this family, with no luck.
Helen

A propos of nothing (but you might find it interesting if you don't already have it) here is the farm in 1911, still in the family:

Person: WOOD, George Frederick
Address: Westfield Farm Wakefield

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WOOD, George Frederick Head Married M 46 1865 Dairyman Cow Keeper Yorks Saddleworth VIEW
WOOD, Anne Magarey Wife Married
17 years F 44 1867 Yorks Sheffield VIEW
WOOD, Florence Mary Daughter Single F 16 1895 School Yorks Wakefield VIEW
WOOD, George Sidney Son M 13 1898 School Yorks Wakefield VIEW
WOOD, Rowland Son M 11 1900 School Yorks Wakefield VIEW
WOOD, Jessie Daughter F 9 1902 School Yorks Wakefield VIEW
WOOD, Marian Daughter F 6 1905 School Yorks Wakefield VIEW
WOOD, Harry Percival Son M 3 1908 School Yorks Wakefield VIEW
GUNSON, Mabel Servant Single F 16 1895 Servant Domestic Yorks Wakefield VIEW

And I'm certain you'll have this but will post it for reference anyway. Send me a pm with your email address if you would like the original image for either/both of these 1911 records.

Person: ILLINGWORTH, Jennie
Address: 18 Woodview Street Dewsbury Road Leeds



ILLINGWORTH, George Atkinson Head Married
20 years M 41 1870 Compositor Yorks Leeds VIEW
ILLINGWORTH, Jennie Wife Married
20 years F 38 1873 Yorks Leeds VIEW
ILLINGWORTH, George Son Single M 18 1893 Glazer Tanner Yorks Leeds VIEW
ILLINGWORTH, May Daughter Single F 16 1895 General Servant Domestic Yorks Leeds VIEW
ILLINGWORTH, Arthur Son M 14 1897 Builder's Joiner And Plumber Yorks Leeds VIEW
ILLINGWORTH, Jessie Daughter F 12 1899 School Yorks Leeds VIEW
ILLINGWORTH, Lizzie Daughter F 11 1900 School Yorks Leeds VIEW

Looking back over this, my first line of thought would be that John Wood was brother to George Wood and therefore Jessie was George's niece. I will look in again tomorrow and see if anyone else has taken it on, but need to go to bed now as it's late where I am!

Chris x

Chris - thank you for all this. I do have the later census info and I have checked out the theory that John Wood was George's brother but I haven't been able to establish that he was. There are any number of John Woods who, based on age and date of death, are contenders. It's unfortunate that the name is so common. I have followed other possibilities too with no luck. This is why I'm hoping that there may be some descendents out there who can offer clues. Perhaps I should just redo my research in case I've missed something.
Helen.

Do you have the EARLIER census info for the Woods? eg anything that might show a George and a John together as children - 1841/1851?

Yes, I've done all this and as I said, I haven't been able to link them, which is why I'm trying to widen my search. I think it's likely that I have actuall passed over the connection during my research but it's impossible to know because of the very common name.

This family are featured on a tree on Ancestry at this address:

http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/14387834/person/99338449

They do not have a John down as one of George's siblings (they list Humphrey, William, Jane, George, Elizabeth, Joseph, Sarah Ann, Frederick Rogers, Ephraim Alfred and Ann Jane). Unless of course this is your own tree, it might be worth contacting the owner to see if they can help you, although I haven't seen Jennie Wood in their tree.

If you do not have Ancestry membership, let me know and I can send them a message for you.

Interestingly, this tree on Ancestry:

http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/2210292/person/-1088407663

has Jennie's parents down as Henry and Emily. Definitely the same Jennie, or at least the same marriage for her to George Illingworth. I assume from your thread that you have a marriage certificate for her and therefore that you are right and they are wrong!