Emma (Wooton) South (abt. 1825 - 1888)

Descendants

Biography

Emma Wooton was born about 1825 in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. She was the daughter of Joseph Wooton and Elizabeth Wooton née Abbott.

Her siblings were:

• James Wootton (1817– )
• John Wootton (1823– )
• Jesse Wooton (1824– )
• Daniel Wootton (~1829–1888)
• Sarah Elizabeth Wootton (1831–1891)
• Marianne Wootton (1833– )
• Isaac Wootton (1836–1887)

In the 1841 census Emma (age 15) was living at Common Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom, in the household of Lydia Jackson.^[1]

Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Lydia Jackson	F	20
William Jackson	M	6		Hertfordshire
Catherine Jackson	F	4		Hertfordshire
George Jackson	M	2		Hertfordshire
Eliza Taylor	F	15
Mary Taylor	F	4/12		Hertfordshire
Emma Wotton	F	15		Hertfordshire

Emma (16) married Thomas Axtell (28) (born before 9 Jan 1814 in Redbourn, Hertfordshire) on 4 Sep 1842 in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.^[2][3]

The first daughter born to Emma was Sarah Ann Wootton (1849– ). However, Sarah Ann's birth and marriage certificates indicated "James Wooton" as her father, implying that she was born out of wedlock, and, raise questions about the circumstances. (These certificates are accessible on Sarah's profile.) The birth, taking place seven years after the marriage, leads to unsettling speculation about the relationship's dynamics. Was James Wooton her brother, cousin, or uncle? Did their connection involve abuse or incest, or was it merely a coincidence?

As the informant to the birth was Emma herself, we don't know for sure whether Thomas was made aware of the situation. Both the 1951 and 1961 census records list Sarah Ann's surname as Axtell. However she must have at some stage been told the truth as she used the name Wooton on her marriage certificate and signed it as such.

It would seem reasonable to hypothesise that Thomas's subsequent disappearance, plus admittance to workhouses (asylum), may have been triggered by a revelation or discovery like this, which would likely have been deemed scandalous and shameful in those times.

Subsequent daughters were all fathered by Axtell:

• Charlotte Axtell (1850–1906) .
• Maria Elizabeth Axtell (1852–1889) .
• Louisa Axtell (1859–1945) .
• Harriet Axtell (1861–1938)

In the 1851 census Emma (age 26) was the wife of Thomas Axtell, living at 2 White Lion Street, Two Waters, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.^[4]

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Thomas Axtell	Head	Married	M	37	Ag lab	Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England
Emma Axtell	Wife	Married	F	26		Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England
Sarah Ann Axtell	Daughter		F	2		Hertfordshire, England
Charlotte Axtell	Daughter		F	5/12		Hertfordshire, England
Mary Ann Bedford	Visitor		F	14	Straw plaiter	Hertfordshire, England

In the 1861 census Emma (age 36) was the head of household, living at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England.^[5]

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Emma Axtel	Head	Married	F	36	Straw plaiter	Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England
Charlotte Axtel	Daughter		F	16	Scholar	Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
Maria Axtel	Daughter		F	8	Scholar	Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
Louisa Axtel			F	2	Scholar	Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
Mary Axtel			F	4 days		Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England

Note: When Mary Axtel was only 4 days old her birth had not yet been registered. When it was, it seems that the name Harriet had been decided on instead.

Husband Thomas appears to have vanished shortly after Emma became pregnant with 4th daughter Harriet. This is evidenced by him being absent from the census record in 1861, where Emma was now head of household.

Under English Law, the Cestui que Vie Act 1666 presumed a person dead if, they had not been accounted for after seven years, and:

• There had been no more evidence of their existence,
• No contact with likely associates had been made,
• Unsuccessful inquiries had been made on their whereabouts.

This presumption was rebuttable; if the person reappeared, they were no longer considered legally dead.

It seems that this law is the reason that Emma was able to remarry; to Thomas South (1826-1878) on 15 January 1866 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. The couple were both listed as widowed on the marriage certificate.^[6]

In 1871, Emma (age 46) was the visitor of Mary A McKoy in Primrose Vale and Waterside, Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.^[7]

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Mary A McKoy	Wife		F	37	Straw Plaiter	Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England
Louisa McKoy	Daughter		F	13	Straw Plaiter	Holloway, London, England
Hariott McKoy	Daughter		F	10	Straw Plaiter	Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England
Ada McKoy	Daughter		F	8	Straw Plaiter	Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England
George McKoy	Son		M	4		Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England
Alice McKoy	Daughter		F	2		Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England
Emma South	Visitor		F	46	Straw Plaiter	Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England

Whilst Thomas Axtell's whereabouts have not been discovered in the 1861 census, it seems that he was in fact still alive. The 1871 and 1891 censuses show him as an inmate at two Lancashire workhouses, firstly shown as married, and then widowed. See his profile for more information.

In 1881 Emma (age 56), Straw Plaiter, was the widowed head of household at White Lion Street, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.^[8]

Name	Relation	Status	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Emma South	Head	Widowed	F	56	Straw Plaiter	Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England
Maria Axtell	Daughter		F	28	Straw Plaiter	Two Waters, Hertfordshire, England
Louisa Axtell	Daughter		F	22	Envelope Maker	Two Waters, Hertfordshire, England
Harriett Axtell	Daughter		F	20	Envelope Maker	Two Waters, Hertfordshire, England
Elizabeth Axtell	Granddaughter		F	7	Scholar	London, London, Middlesex, England

Emma died in Mar 1888 at 11 Catlin Street, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom, aged about 64.^[9] She was buried at Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom on 28 Mar 1888.^[10] View burial record here].

Sources

1. ↑ 1841 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1841"
   citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
   FamilySearch Record: MQY6-RG3 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   FindMyPast Image
   Emma Wootton (15) in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. Born in Hertfordshire.
2. ↑ Marriage: "England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1988"
   Place: Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England; Date Range: 1837 - 1876; Film Number: 1040816
   Ancestry Record 1352 #2273366 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma Wootton (18) marriage to Thomas Axtell on 4 Sep 1842 in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England.
3. ↑ Marriage: "FreeReg UK Parish Register database"
   Hertfordshire; Redbourn; St Mary; Parish Register; File line number: 120
   FreeReg Transcription (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma Wootton (18) marriage to Thomas Axtell (29) on 4 Sep 1842 in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England.
4. ↑ 1851 Census: "1851 England Census"
   Class: HO107; Piece: 1715; Folio: 322; Page: 23; GSU roll: 193623; ED, institution, or vessel: 1l; Household schedule number: 90
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8860 #6100803 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma Acktile (Axtell) (26), wife, in household of Thomas Acktile (37) in Hemel Hempstead registration district in Hertfordshire, England. Born in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England.
5. ↑ 1861 Census: "1861 England Census"
   Class: Rg 9; Piece: 839; Folio: 70; Page: 11; GSU roll: 542709; ED, institution, or vessel: 10; Household schedule number: 61
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8767 #11160822 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma Axtel (36) head of household in Hemel Hempstead registration district in Hertfordshire, England. Born in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England.
6. ↑ Marriage: "FreeReg UK Parish Register database"
   Hertfordshire; Hemel Hempstead; St Mary; Parish Register; File line number: 18
   FreeReg Transcription (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma Astell marriage to Thomas South on 15 Jan 1866 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England.
7. ↑ 1871 Census: "1871 England Census"
   The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1871 England Census; Class: RG10; Piece: 1384; Folio: 25; Page: 42; GSU roll: 828472; ED, institution, or vessel: 2; Household schedule number: 193
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7619 #6364095 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma South (46) visitor in household of Mary A McKoy (37) in Primrose Vale and Waterside, Abbots Langley in Watford registration district in Hertfordshire, England. Born in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England.
8. ↑ 1881 Census: "1881 England Census"
   Class: RG11; Piece: 1444; Folio: 103; Page: 7; GSU roll: 1341350; ED, institution, or vessel: 11
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7572 #7411464 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma South (56), widowed, Straw Plaiter, head of household on White Lion Street in Hemel Hempstead registration district in Hertfordshire, England. Born in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England.
9. ↑ Death Registration: "England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915"
   Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office; Volume: 3a; Page: 405
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8914 #31633552 (accessed 30 October 2023)
   Emma South death registered Jan-Feb-Mar 1888 in Hemel Hempstead (age 64).
10. ↑ Burial: "Web: UK, Burial and Cremation Index, 1576-2014"
    Deceased Online; United Kingdom; Deceased Online Burial Indexes; URL: https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch?DetsView=Summary&src=ext&fileid=1933284
    Ancestry Record 70845 #4433235 (accessed 30 October 2023)
    Emma South burial (died in about 1888) on 28 Mar 1888 in Hertfordshire, England.