The Hadwen Family of Lancashire

The 1911 census shows that Margaret was already married (presumably after her 16th birthday in October 1910) to an unknown man with the surname New. As there is no record in the England & Wales registers, then it seems most likely this marriage took place on the Isle of Man, where Margaret and her father were living. Without access to the Isle of Man registers we can not confirm this, or any death record for her husband.

However, in the autumn of 1912, Margaret then married William Pettit in Barrow in Furness; this may be a bigamous marriage. Margaret had three sons and a daughter by William; James in 1913, born in Barrow in Furness, Robert in 1914, born in Tynemouth, Margaret in 1915, born in Tynemouth, and Thomas in 1918, born in Lancaster. Assuming that Thomas is William's biological son, then Thomas must have been conceived during William's home leave from military service. All four children died as infants.

William appears to have served in the First World War. This appears to be supported by his children's birth dates, and there is a William Pettit who signed up in September 1914 in Wallsend (in the Tynemouth district). Assuming this is the right William Pettit then he was born late 1891 in Middlesborouh, and livesd at 26, East Terrace, Walker, Wallsend, working as a labourer. The unit he joined is unclear, being designated "Pen Rec" on his attestation form, which does not correspond to any listed unit. There is a casualty listed in September 1918, a private in the Cheshire Regiment, who is the only one who would fit this William Pettit. It is also possible that William survived and separated from Margaret, in which case he may be either of the William Pettit's born about 1892 who lived until the 1960s in Yorkshire.

Margaret married for a third time in 1923, to Samuel McNae. Samuel subsequently remarried in 1930 to Annie Willcock in Lancaster, and lived until 1979. There is no record of a divorce, and it is highly unlikely that people of their social status would have been able to afford one. Margaret married again in 1928 to Charles Michael Willey. She did so under the assumed name of Margaret Evelyn Richardson, adding weight to the supposition that she had not divorced Samuel, and that this was a bigamous marriage (possibly her second). It would be interesting to know if Charles knew that! We can be certain that Mrs Willey is her, as she appears under the name Margaret Evelyn Daisy Willey (wife of Charles Michael Willey) in the National Probate Calendar for her father's estate. This time she appears to have remained married to Charles, or, at least, kept his name until her death!

She also "married" a Richard Blundell 1895-1969, went to Canada in 1920, with son Richard John Walter 1919-1999, had a daughter Margaret Daisy 1921-1921. Returned to England in Sep 1921 and had Thomas Robert Stanley Blundell 1922-1922, & James Robert Richardson Blundell
1923–1989