Maud was born 29 - 09 - 1878 in Cheetham Manchester her birth certificate gives he fathers name as George William Sykes and mother as Martha Ann Sykes nee Schofield Martha Ann's first marriage was to Edward Brook Sykes Jul - Sep - 1866 in Ashton Under Lyne Vol 8d Page 961.
Edward was born Apr - Jun - 1842 in Dewsbury Vol 22 Page 4 he died Apr - Jun - 1876 in Liverpool Vol 8b Page 177. I have search the Lancashire, Cheshire & Yorkshire BMD records for George William Sykes but I have drawn a blank.
also I have not found any record's to see if George and Edward where brothers or not.
My best wishes.
Fred Wheatcroft.
The 1881 census has Maud Sykes living at 35 Garnett St, Cheetham.
Her father George William was 36 years old, a commercial traveller, born Mirfield, Yorkshire.
I don't think its likely that George William Sykes and Edward Sykes would be brothers.
It only became legal to marry your dead brothers widow in 1921.
Use GRO Index. George William Sykes mmn Brook was born Dewsbury 1854. He was one of the many brothers of Edward Brook Sykes mmn Brook.
Technically he could have married her in the registry office. Prior to the 1921 law referred to by Heths the Anglican Church refused to perform marriages which were banned by the consanguinity rules of the Book of Common Prayer. That did not make it illegal, just very difficult as long as the only place you could marry was in the Anglican Church.
Dave