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Thanks Heather & Gwyneth! That makes why they weren't married a lot clearer!

Alice and Arthur's marriage would show his father's name then you could track forward from that person and see if he also had a son John. The trouble is that with a fairly common surname of WOODS, this wouldn't be too easy. Who was a witness at the above wedding, was it John?....any clues with occupations? Often brothers followed a similar trade. Marriage to a dead spouse's sibling was not legal, but I have come across it happening (1869) and by a businessman in a town, so I don't know how they got round that one, when everyone in the town would know the family!

Hi Amy, It was against the law for a man to marry his brother's widow or for a woman to marry her dead sister's husband.The law was changed after 1900 for men first 1907ish later for women. Heather

Thanks Sandra, at least I'm not the only one!! Thought it was just me being daft not being able to work it out!

Hello Amy, Just thought I should let you know I have the same with my Gmothers parents. My Gmother was a posthumous baby (her father died whilst her mother was still pregnant). Her mother, Sarah Ryder, then teamed up with her late husband's brother and went on to have more children, but they never married. Whether he took over the household to help care and raise the children of his brother I cannot be certain, but these things obviously did take place. Sandra

Thanks Amanda!!

Thanks Amanda that could be the right time frame for John. Not completely sure when he was born but that's quite likely. Alice Robinson was born in Leeds around 1880 I think.

Not sure?! I know this is a bit dumb but is Brentford anywhere near Hounslow, Middlesex? There is an Arthur Ernest FW Woods born there in 1875 which would be around the time he was born

What about this birth, on freebmd WOOD Arthur John Shoreditch 1c 131 Gen

Think Arthur Ernest and John must be related in some way!

Thanks Janice!

Don't think they could be the same person John as John Woods was my grandmother's father and he was never married to Alice Robinson. But she was married to an Arthur Ernest Woods. Also on my grandmothers half sisters birth certificate Arthur Ernest Woods is given as the father so they muct be two different people. Also my grandmother knew that her parents weren't married so think they must definately be different. Just think it's too much of a coincidence for her to have had children with two men whose surname is Woods and them not to be linked in any way. I know it's quite a common surname but still!! Very odd, it's so annoying not being able to work the link out!!

Amy could Arthur and John be the same person maybe he was Arthur John or John Arthur I have several ancestors who were baptised one name, usually after their parent but who to avoid confusion were called by their second. Gen

Sounds like the birth certificate you have is the short version. If you buy the full version you'll get the parents. Janice

Hi Amy, on 1881 census there is an Arthur J. Wood(s) age 6 born Notting Hill,Middlesex,could Arthur and John be same person.

I've got a bit of an odd scenario with my grandmothers parents. Her mother and father Alice Robinson and John Woods were never married. Alice had been married before though. When looking up the marriage I found that Alice had been married to a Arthur Woods. Seems like abit of a strange coincidence. I was thinking that maybe John and Arthur were brothers. Would it be likely that in the event of one brother dying another brother would then get together with the wife? Don't know how i'd check if they were brothers as can't find any info on John Woods and the copy of my grandmothers birth certificate I have doesn't have information on her parents on it (not sure why). I looked on the 1901 census and found them on it but the only information I have from that is that Arthur was born in Middlesex c.1875. Have tried to look for his birth but can't find anything that fits.