Dear Geraint,
Is it James or John the father? Anyway, I would suggest a number of
avenues. Land Tax, if you haven't already (for parishes in and around
Llaniestyn). However, only owners of land and not tenants were included.
Gwynedd Archives search engine for "smith" or "blacksmith". Of
course, the
former will throw up lots of Smiths as surname but I would plough through!
Note that occupations were almost given as surnames in some instances so
James (or John) Williams Smith can look like a name, not an occupation!
Visit the National Library search engine and do a similar search. You may
find tenancy records for the father or other mentions like bills for work to
landed estates. Even such a small reference can be invaluable.
Bangor Archives has a name index, subject index (blacksmiths? - worth asking
anyway), and place index. If you know the name of the farm or house the
family later lived in, it is worth asking all 3 repositories whether they
know which estate it belonged to as you can then narrow down a search for
small mentions to that estate.
You are in a position that many of us have found ourselves in - often at the
"end of civil registration", or should that be "before the
beginning"?
You have checked MIs in and around Llaniestyn? And been on the IGI online
in case the family were Chapel goers? And got all your wills &c? Have you
checked to see if the father died prior to 1858 and had a will in Bangor
probate? Again, the National Library is the place to try and will answer
your enquiry on holi(a)llgc.org.uk. Give all the info you can!
Yours,
Ian
London SW9
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This is my brick wall.
I have William Jones on the 1841,51,61,71 and 1881 census. They state he
was
either born in Nefyn of Llanfair.
I have looked born around 1811 - father was James Williams Blacksmith
All census .co.uk