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Good Morning

I wonder if anyone can help me solve this puzzle. This is the 1881 census of Robson Wood and his wife Frances Little. They have children with the surname Wood and the surname Graham. I can't work out why these children would have a different surname .
Any help would be very much appreciated




Robson Wood
in the 1881 England Census
Name:
Robson Wood
Age:
38
Estimated birth year:
abt 1843
Relationship to Head:
Head
Spouse:
Frances Wood
Gender:
Male
Where born:
Wigton, Cumberland, England
Civil Parish:
Caldewgate
County/Island:
Cumberland
Country:
England
Street address:
5 Denton Hill
Marital status:
Married
Education:
Employment status:

View image
Occupation:
Carter For Cotton Manufactory
Registration district:
Carlisle
ED, institution, or vessel:
15
Neighbors:
View others on page
Piece:
5159
Folio:
75
Page Number:
45
Household Members:
Name
Age
Robson Wood
38
Frances Wood
35
Jane Wood
12
Richard Graham
11
Hannah Wood
8
Thomas F. Graham
6
William R. Wood

Source Citation

I would suspect that they have only been married a short time and the children are from their previous marriages.


Marriages Dec 1876 (>99%)

GRAHAM Frances Carlisle 10b 724a
Wood Robson Carlisle 10b 724a

The Graham boys are STEPSONS.

But what I cant understand is the ages . If they were to a previous marriage they would have been older.
The order that the children are in seems strange

Jane WOOD age 12
Richard GRAHAM age 11
Hannah WOOD age 8
Thomas F GRAHAM age 6
William r WOOD newborn

Why have the alternated their surnames

This looks like Frances (Fanny) in1871 with son Richard. She's listed as a widow which begs the question who's the father of Thomas F. born later,

Fanny Graham

in the 1871 England Census
View 1871 England Census

Name: Fanny Graham
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: 1844
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Female
Where born: Carlisle Cumberland England
Civil Parish: St Cuthbert Within
Ecclesiastical parish: St Cuthbert
County/Island: Cumberland
Country: England
Registration district: Carlisle
Sub-registration district: St Cuthbert
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Household schedule number: 137
Piece: 5217
Folio: 16
Page Number: 25
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Nicholson 45
Maggie Nicholson 8
John J Nicholson 6
Richard Johnston 29
Isaac Atkinson 16
Fanny Graham 27
Richard Graham 1
Ann Campbell 14

Name:
Robson Wood
Registration Year:
1864
Registration Quarter:
Apr-May-Jun
Registration district:
Wigton
Parishes for this Registration District:
View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County:
Cumberland
Volume:
10b
Page:
716
Records on Page:
Name
Frances LITTLE
Margaret Patterson Maxwell
John Morley
Robson WOOD

Robson & Frances have only been married 5 years in 1881. The children are a combined family and are listed according to ages.

This is the 1871 census
I cant read if it says Robson is married or widowed
Wood


Aspatria Cumberland England
Civil Parish:
St Kentigern
Ecclesiastical parish:
Carlisle
Town:
Aspatria
County/Island:
Cumberland
Country:
England
Registration district:
Wigton
Sub-registration district:
Abbey Holme
ED, institution, or vessel:
10
Household schedule number:
142
Piece:
5231
Folio:
16
Page Number:
25
Household Members:
Name
Age
Robson Wood
28
Isaac Wood
5
Sarah J Wood
2
Mary A Little

Robson is listed as married in 1871. Note that Mary A Little, 13 is listed as stepdaughter.

WOOD, ISAAC LITTLE
GRO Reference: 1866 M Quarter in WIGTON Volume 10B Page 490

GRAHAM, THOMAS FERGUSON FERGUSON
GRO Reference: 1874 J Quarter in CARLISLE Volume 10B Page 515

GRAHAM, RICHARD FERGUSON
GRO Reference: 1869 D Quarter in CARLISLE Volume 10B Page 434

Name: Thos Ferguson Graham
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: abt 1874
Relation to Head: Stepson
Gender: Male
Mother: Frances Wood
Birth Place: Carlisle, Cumberland, England
Civil Parish: Wetheral
Ecclesiastical parish: Wetheral Holy Trinity
County/Island: Cumberland
Country: England

Registration district: Carlisle
Sub-registration district: Wetheral
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4863
Folio: 17
Page Number: 26
Household schedule number: 156
Household Members:
Name Age
Robson Wood 58
Frances Wood 56
Thos Ferguson Graham 27
Wm Robson Graham 20

Illegitimate

LITTLE, MARY ANN -
GRO Reference: 1858 S Quarter in PENRITH Volume 10B Page 328


Name: Mary A Little
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: 1859
Relation: Granddaughter
Gender: Female
Where born: Penrith, Cumberland, England
Civil Parish: Penrith
Town: Penrith
County/Island: Cumberland
Country: England
Registration district: Penrith
Sub-registration district: Penrith
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 159
Piece: 3899
Folio: 102
Page Number: 27
Household Members:
Name Age
John Little 70
Grace Little 70
Christiana Little 27
Sarah Little 8
Mary A Little 2

I think I may have got this but not sure

Robson Wood marries Frances Little in 1864 the have 3 children - Isaac, Sarah and Hannah

Hannah is born in 1872 and Frances must die but not got any date for that and Robson marries another Frances this time its Frances Graham in 1876

Frances Graham has 2 children Richard born 1870 and Thomas born 1875

Robson Wood and Frances Graham then go on to have a child William Robson Wood born 1881

So is Graham Frances's maiden name or her married name ???

Thank you everyone

Check all the births on the GRO index........................

Like this.......................and the others I posted

WOOD, WILLIAM ROBSON FERGUSON
GRO Reference: 1881 M Quarter in CARLISLE Volume 10B Page 472

1891

Name: Thomas F Graham
Gender: Male
Age: 16
Relationship: Stepson
Birth Year: 1875
Mother: Frances Wood
Birth Place: Carlisle, Cumberland, England
Civil Parish: Rockcliffe
Ecclesiastical parish: Blackford
Residence Place: Todhills, Rockcliffe, Cumberland, England
Registration district: Carlisle
Sub registration district: Stanwix
ED, Institution or Vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4292
Folio: 88
Household Members:
Name Age
Robson Wood 48
Frances Wood 45
Richard Graham 21
Thomas F Graham 16
William R Wood 10
Frances A Wood 8



WOOD, FRANCES ANN FERGUSON
GRO Reference: 1882 D Quarter in CARLISLE Volume 10B Page 481

Birthplace matches that for Frances Wood in later censuses - and note father's first name

Name: Frances Ferguson
Age: 17
Estimated birth year: 1844
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: Richard Ferguson
Gender: Female
Where born: Kirklinton, Cumberland, England
Civil Parish: Kirklinton and West Linton
County/Island: Cumberland
Country: England
Registration district: Longtown
Sub-registration district: Low Longtown
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 21
Piece: 3912
Folio: 68
Page Number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
Richard Ferguson 49
William Ferguson 22
John Ferguson 20
Frances Ferguson 17
Richard Ferguson 14
Margaret Ferguson 3
Nancy Bell 48

brilliant thank you so much xx

??????????????

Deaths Jun 1873 (>99%)
WOOD Frances 37 Wigton 10b 344

My 'take' on this is that Frances Ferguson had children with Mr Graham, but didn't marry him, althugh she took on his surname

She then married widower Robson Wood, but you must buy certs for proof

Unfortunately, only the Banns are online

Name: Richard Graham
Gender: Male
Event Type: Banns
Event Date: 5 Apr 1896
Parish: Blackpool, Christ Church, Lancashire, England
Spouse: Jane Tinling
Register Type: Parish Register