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[groom]

Possible, it just seems odd as Matthew (senior) obviously accepted him as his child as his name appears on the baptism, and unless his mother chose to tell him for some reason, there is no way he could know. It also means that the marriage took place very quickly after the liaison.  It's annoying that we may never know the truth.

[topas37]

I have sent for the Civil Service Evidence of age in the hope that this might shed some light on it and have today tried to contact my IOW cousins who knew him better than me as they all lived a couple of miles from my Grandparents, waiting for one of them to ring me back, and if as previous posts say his death was registered in both names obviously my Nan must have known about it and perhaps the IOW cousins might have my grandparents paper work tucked away somewhere

[groom]

Fingers crossed that they can throw some light on it. Let us know if you discover anything.

[topas37]

Will do just watch this space you never know it might hold all the answers

[Wendy111]

Hi & thanks for the welcome.

I haven't had time yet to absorb all that's been added here about the name-change but the details make more sense than they did at first glance.

My hunch is that Matthew Snr WAS the father of the Matt Willm and his 2 brothers because there's nothing about this family to suggest he wasn't.  I can also see MW adopting the name of someone who became a father-figure because he'd have barely remembered his own father and I suspect the mge to her husband's uncle - 12 years older than Helena Amelia - was more of convenience than a love match...but calling yourself Alfred when your name is Matthew has me stumped!  Likewise, can't be for criminal intent because he'd have dropped his original name altogether if so...

Not sure where an inheritance could have come from either - Helena Amelia was working as a charlady in 1911 and although I think it conceivable that she found another bread-winner (hence the move to Wandsworth?) she was no spring chicken to be showered with riches at age 45. 

Will go back & read some more about this name-change. Does someone have MW's death cert?  Is that registered as AMWHM or are there two certs? Wendy

[topas37]

Apparently his death was registered as Alfred May and M.W. Hedges a link to the IOW historical society amongst the posts somewhere

[Wendy111]

but has anyone actually obtained a copy of the entry from the IoW Register office?  I'm wondering how his 'other surname' of Hedges is defined - 'also known as' or 'formerly known as'? 

[topas37]

I can send for death cert on the IOW historical website it just  says had Hedges as another surname, I am waiting for phone calls from IOW cousins haven't been in touch with for years, so I might have to keep phoning until I find them in

[groom]

According to Freebmd there two registrations, one in each name, but with the same registration number - see post 53.

If nothing else, topas it will put you back in touch with your cousins.