Hello,
My name is Gerald James and I live in Llantrisant, South Wales, UK. All of my family
originates from this area but my paternal grandmother, Lydia Beatrice Raison, arrived from
Somerset in about 1910. She married my grandfather, Abraham James, of Cowbridge. Beatrice
was born in 1885 and died in about 1964. My father Ronald was their son.
Beatrice's (she was known as Beattie) parents were George and Eliza Raison. The 1891
census for West Chinnock gave the following information:-
1, Little Silver Cottages
George Raison Head M 33 Farm labourer Hazelbury
Eliza Raison Wife 34 Middle Chinnock
George Raison Son 14 Farmer's boy ,, ,,
Sydney Son 12 Port errand boy ,, ,,
Ernest Son 10 Scholar ,, ,,
Elizabeth M Daug 7 Scholar ,, ,,
Letitia B Daug 6 Scholar ,, ,,
Archie Son 3 West Chinnock
I know that Letitia B was really Lydia Beatrice. Elizabeth M got married and lived in
Tonyrefail, South Wales. It was with her family that Beatrice came to live when she first
arrived in South Wales and before meeting her husband Abraham James.
I have many excellent photographs of all the above people including George and Eliza
Raison taken from this time. Also I have a wedding photograph and a group photograph taken
in a farmyard but I have no idea who they are of. I am positive, however, that they have
come from my grandmothers family and are more likely of the Chants than the Raisons.
Perhaps there's someone out there who could identify them.
The 1881census for Middle Chinnock gives the following information:-
2, Primrose Cottages
George Raison Head 23 Agricultural Haselbury Plucknett
Eliza Raison Wife 24 Glover sewer Middle Chinnock
George Raison Son 4 Middle Chinnock
Sydney Raison Son 1 Middle Chinnock
Skipping out the 1871 the 1861 census for Middle Chinnock is as follows:-
2, Haunts Cottage
Robert Chant Head 46 Thatcher Alderney
Mary Chant Wife 45 Leather Glover Middle Chinnock
Ishmael Chant Son 18 Agric. labourer ,, ,,
Ann Chant Daug 16 Leather glover ,, ,,
George Chant Son 10 Agric. labourer ,, ,,
Eliza Chant Daug 4 ,, ,,
The 1851 census gives similar information but shows a Joanna Fowler, mother in law living
with the family. The 1841 census shows Robert and Mary Chant living at the same abode as
in the 1851,61,71 and 81 censuses. Their ages are 25 and 20, notwithstanding the rounding
down. Thomas and Joanna Fowler, both paupers, live next door.
I realise that I will need to corroborate some of this by obtaining marriage and birth
certificates but I'd be very interested to know whether there is anybody out there who
could give me some idea of the origins of Robert Chant.
That's enough for.
All the best,
Gerald James