Although, as followers of the Glamorgan list know, I am supposed to be
trying to wean myself off mailing lists (because I really must do some
work, to
earn my living), I couldn't help but be interested by Melissa's
posting of 24th. I have drafted some suggestions as to how
more might be learnt about her family, OR A SIMILAR FAMILY AT A
SIMILAR PERIOD. This article might therefore be of interest to others
fairly new to our sources and procedures.
A Census was taken on the night of 3/4 April 1881, so James W DAVIES &
Dinah WEBB, having just married (on 21 March 1881), should appear
together on that, at the matrimonial home - unless of course they were
away on honeymoon! And that Census (but no other) has a Name Index to
the whole country, by county. So it should be quite straightforward
to find the couple there.
It should also be possible to find Fanny Webb and Thomas Veater in
that same 1881 Census Index, but presumably separate, as it was 7
years before their marriage. Hopefully they would be living with
their respective parents, which would give name, occupation, age, and
birthplace details of the parents too.
The 1871 Census is unindexed, except for some street indexes, which
(if available) could provide an 1871 reference for Thomas & Fanny's
1881 addresses.
James & Dinah emigrated in 1888, so none of their children - known or
unknown - will figure on any Census (our Censuses are taken in years
ending in 1, from 1841 onwards). And the couple were married at
Bethel Baptist Chapel, Blaina, the registers of which are not in Gwent
Record Office. I have no information at home as to whether they are
still in
existence anywhere; nor whether the Chapel had its own burial ground.
For the period in question, the burials might have taken place at
the established Church, or at the then new Blaina (Civil) Cemetery,
which opened in December 1885, and records of which are kept at the
Cemetery itself. Gwent FHS have listed Memorial Inscriptions of
Blaina St Peter, and of Blaina Berea Chapel. You may have birth dates
of the known children, gaps between which could indicate births of the
two unknown children who died.
If you are interested in Death Certificates, standard practice would
be to check the GRO Index of Deaths for whichever quarter-years might
apply. However, in Wales, with Davies as the surname, and with
unknown forenames, that could be somewhat futile. When you have a
narrower span of dates during which these missing births & deaths may
have taken place, you could send an sae, and a cheque for £13 (for 2 x
£6.50), to the Superintendent Registrar (Blaenau Gwent Register
Office, The Grove, Church St, Tredegar, NP2 3DS), asking very nicely
whether Certificates can be produced for the two children of James W
Davies and his wife Dinah Webb. The same would apply if you want
Birth Certificates for any of the children. (Similarly Marriage
Certificates of the couples, as you know the Chapel concerned - though
you may already have these).
Thomas VEATER & Fanny WEBB, having married in 1888, might figure on
the 1891 Census; although that is not indexed, except some areas by
street, and some farms & pubs. It might well be the case that neither
was at the same address as in 1881; so it may be necessary to trawl
through whichever tracts of the Census film or fiche cover Blaina -
although the name Veater is surely very rare, so I imagine there would
be only one such pairing of Thomas & Fanny VEATER.
The 1861 Census of Monmouthshire, though, IS indexed by name, thanks
to Gwent Family History Society. Sadly, some Census books, and pages
from others, have not survived; but it may well be possible to find
James W Davies, and Dinah Webb, each aged 1, with their respective
families, in that Census. Identification of Dinah's parents might be
aided by the earlier findings re Fanny's, IF the two girls were
sisters (I may have misconstrued that).
The parents, then, could perhaps be found on the earlier Censuses,
1851 (for which a Gwent FHS Name Index will hopefully soon be
published) and 1841, which is not indexed.
As regards relatives still alive, with names like Davies and Webb,
there seems little point in writing to addresses from the local phone
book or Electoral Register. Your best move, if you get no response
from this list, would probably be to try Gwent FHS, who keep an index
of Members' Interests (on sale, on fiche). Failing that, write to the
local newspaper, tell an interesting tale (such as you submitted to
the list), and hope it gets printed and relatives see it.
There have been enquiries about a WEBB family on the Glamorgan Mailing
List, but they concern the Ferndale area (CHEZCHAT1(a)aol.com).
Good luck in your quest!
Anne Scales
AncestralRoots(a)annescales.freeserve.co.uk