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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wiltshire => England => Wiltshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Nibea on Monday 25 September 06 07:08 BST (UK)
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I'm wondering if anyone can help me. I am searching for the marriage of Francis Mayell and Elizabeth Pearce. Francis was born about 1800 and Elizabeth about 1803. Their eldest daughter, Caroline Mayell, was born about 1826. Their youngest son, William Mayell, was born 29 Jul 1842 at Whitehill, Bradford. Francis was a stone mason. I think Francis died in the March Quarter, 1848, in Bradford, Wiltshire. I would be very grateful if someone can provide some information about Francis and Elizabeth.
Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Nibea
Welcome to RootsChat - the friendliest place on the internet.
There is an extracted record for your marriage on the IGI viz
ELIZABETH PEARCE Spouse: FRANCIS MEYAL
Marriage: 02 OCT 1820 Westwood, Wiltshire, England
If you are not familiar with the IGI you can access it here -
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true
It is the International Genealogical Index - a good starting point for pre 1837 birth and marriage data.
Trish
PS Extracted means it has been taken from parish records or BishopsTranscript. In this case it is batch M054811 film 0943589 and is from the parish register Church of England. Parish Church of Westwood-cum-Iford
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Dear Trish,
Thank you so much for your reply to my post. I have been looking for this for ages. No wonder I couldn't find it, with the spelling variation. Thanks, also, for the tips you have given me. Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Nibea
Sorry, I just noticed this and realised I had a microfiche copy of the parish records for Westwood.
In addition to what it says on the IGI, Francis is shown as a widower, whereas Elizabeth is a spinster. I know this seems to be extremely unlikely, given Francis's apparent age, but so it is. I couldn't find a previous marriage for him, going back to 1813, so this is a bit puzzling ::)
Witnesses to the marriage are John Pearce and Ruth something-unreadable-starting with B. Looks a bit like Byford
Regards
Angela
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Dear Angela,
Thank you for taking the trouble to look up the microfiche film for Francis Mayell and Elizabeth Pearce for me. I have a feeling that Francis could have been a bit older as Elizabeth was a widow in 1851. An earlier wife could have died quite young, perhaps in child birth. It was interesting to receive the extra information.
Thanks again. Best wishes, Judith.
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Hello again Nibea
Since the IGI doesn't do burials, would you like me to have a quick scan of the microfiche to see if I can find find a burial of wife no 1? I assume it's no good looking for Francis's burial if they'd moved into Bradford itself by then.....
Best wishes
Angela
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Hi Angela,
You are very kind. It would be great if you could look for the burial for wife no. 1. Can you do that without a Christian name? It would be interesting to find out more about Francis. I have searched for so long, but have had no success. I wondered if John Pearce, one of the witnesses at the marriage, could be Elizabeth Pearce's father. I would think it could be possible.
Many thanks. Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Nibea - I'll have a hunt and let you know. It relies on the idea that Francis was living in Westwood at the time, but it's worth a check.
Regarding the John Pearce witness, it's possible that it's Elizabeth's father but, for most of my relatives so far, witnesses tended to be siblings rather than parents. Still - might well be worth looking for John Pearce in case that gets you further than Elizabeth!
I had a quick look in 1841 and was very puzzled not to be able to find Elizabeth or any of her children. Wonder where she was ::)
Best wishes
Angela
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There is a family listed as Mail in 1841 - which may be yours. The ages are a little weird. Francis is listed as 35 (and transcribed as 55). Elizabeth is listed as 44
The children are
Caroline 20
Persilla 15
Ann 14
Samuel 12
Female name I can't read 8
Louisa 7
Could this be the family? Do you want the full details (I can't much read the occupation of Francis - Angela may be better at interpretation of enumerators writing :)
Trish
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Well done Trish - beat me to it!
I think the occupation is Mason-something, but can't work out what ???
Also think the 8-year old is Fanny.
Having had a quick look at the Westwood Burials, I found a Francis Mayell buried in what would be the March quarter of 1848 BUT the age is given as 4 months....... curiouser and curiouser......
The Mayells definitely had a connection with westwood as there are a few burials there where the residence is given as Westwood, so it looks like they went back to Westwood to be buried. I'm going to have a bit of a hunt in case I can find Francis's birth....
Angela
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Nope - can't find anything that looks like Francis's birth.
I wonder whether anyone is going to the Records Office and could have a fish around the Bradford parish registers
Angela
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Dear Angela,
Thank you so much for all your help. I was not able to find the family in the 1841 census either, but it was obviously because of the spelling. I can confirm the occupation - Francis was a stone mason, as was his son and grandson. I wonder if the 4 month old child who died in 1848 was another son. Maybe Francis snr died later. It would fit in because 1851 census shows another son born in 1850. It would be lovely if we could find a birth date for Francis, but only if it is convenient.
Best wishes, Nibea.
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Dear Trish,
It was wonderful news that you had been able to find Francis and Elizabeth in the 1841 census. I had looked, but the spelling had me confused. This family tallies with the 1851 census, except that Elizabeth was the head by then. Following are the 1851 results:
Elizabeth Mayell b. abt 1803 Bradford Head Pauper, formerly washerwoman.
Caroline Mayell b. abt 1836(???) Bradford Daughter Pauper, formerly washerwoman.
Ellen Mayell b. abt 1840 Bradford Daughter Scholar.
Hanny (Fanny?) Mayell b. abt 1832 Bradford Daughter House servant.
Hudrick Mayell b. abt 1850 Bradford Son. (What a name!!!)
John Mayell b. abt. 1843 Bradford Son.
Lousa Mayell b. abt 1836 Bradford Daughter House servant. (Probably Louisa)
William Mayell b. abt 1842 Bradford Son Scholar (my great grandfather)
Eventhough there are some differences with 1841, it seems to me that this is the same family. There have been age discrepancies all the way through. 1861 has Elizabeth born about 1793, which would really be impossible.
Thanks, Trish, for all your help. The jigsaw is coming together. I find it really exciting. Best wishes, Nibea.
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Dear Trish,
I just had a thought. I wonder if "Hudrick" should be "Hubert". That would fit because I had an uncle whose first name was "Hubert". I think that is quite likely.
Thanks again. Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Nibea
You seem to be realising that how names are spelt has little reality to how they sound & how they are written ;D ;D - this concept can be a great help in family research. I have also found that ages can vary greatly between census - with ancestors often getting younger in middle age, and seriously older in later years.
Hubert said with "accent 1" could certainly sound like Hudrick to a person with a different view of the language ;D
I would think Persilla may well be Priscilla - you may be able to find a suitable marriage for this one.
regards
Trish
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Hi Trish,
Thanks for your comments. They are very helpful. I want to do more research, looking for marriages, etc. I am also working on my mother's side of the family and plan to go to the library tomorrow to follow that up. So, Francis and Elizabeth will be on the back burner for a while. I'll let you know how I get on with it when I have done a bit of research.
Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi again Nibea
Don't know if you noticed, but there was a Francis Mayell died DEC 1850 Clifton 11 250. Seems to be the wrong area, but still, it's a possibility I suppose.
Good luck with your research on your mother's side :)
When you're ready to go back to Francis and Elizabeth, post again and if I'm going to the Wiltshire Record Office around then, I'll have another look for you
Best wishes
Angela
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Hi Angela,
The death you mention for Francis Mayell 1850 Clifton is interesting. The time fits in with the birth of Hubert. Where is Clifton? I could not find it on the map. I think it is a possibility as I have other ancestors who moved from Cambridgeshire to Somerset in the 1850s. Also, I found a birth for a Francis Mayell 1781 Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire on IGI. Steeple Ashton is not all that far from Westwood. It is difficult to know for sure. The only clue is his father's name, William, a name that was used again in the next generation.
Thank you for your offer of going to the Wiltshire Record Office. That would be wonderful, but there is no rush. As I said, I will be working on Mum's side for a while now. Thanks again. I am very grateful for all your help.
Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Nibea
I live opposit the cemetry in the village of Westwood Wilts, its only a small one but will go and have a scout around and see if I can see any head stones etc for you.
Will be in touch if successful
Have fun
Sue
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Hi Sue
What an amazing coincidence ;D I was in Westwood yesterday looking for graves for my own family.....
I'm not sure I was looking in the right place though as I couldn't believe that the people of Westwood could possibly all have been buried there. The church I found was beautiful (marvellous gargoyles ::) ) and right next to the manor house. Is that the only cemetery in Westwood?
Regards
Angela
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Hi Angela
No Westwood has a small cemetry away from the church, If you drive from the church back to the main road with pub opposit you turn left, carry on up the road, the road will narrow so you have to slow right down you will see on the right hand side a company called ALAMBA, the cemetry is opposit down a grassy lane.
what names are you looking for? i'm happy to go over and have a look for you?
Sue
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Hi Sue,
Thank you for offering to look around in the Westwood Cemetery for me. The names I would be looking for would be Francis and Elizabeth Mayell. Their children were Caroline, Priscilla, Ann, Samuel, Fanny, Louisa, Ellen, William, John and Hubert. I have looked in Free BMD and found some deaths, but none that are conclusive. It will be interesting to see if you come up anything.
Thanks again, best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Sue
Thanks for the information - it's very difficult to find these places ::) Yesterday's trip round various cemeteries was seriously unproductive. I shall know for another time....
Thanks also for your kind offer to look around. I'm looking for Sheppards. Almost any 18th or 19th Sheppard is likely to be one of mine ;D
Thanks again - it is really very kind of you.
Best wishes
Angela
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Hi
Went and had a walk aroung Westwood cemetery yesterday but nothing of great history came to light.
Sheppard
Winifred died 19-12-1956 age 73
Martha died 14-5-1973.
That was all I could see, lots of the headstones are missing so thats not to say there arnt more.
Mayell
Could not see any graves with this surname on at all.
Scaning the Westwood Book 2000 I see that in Bradford on Avon on the War memorial there is an entry to
Mayell F 1914-1919 War
Sorry that its not more, if you want me to look for any others etc just let me know.
Happy hunting
Sue
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Dear Sue,
Thanks for your efforts on my behalf. I don't think Mayell F 1914-1918 is part of my family. My immediate family emigrated from England to Australia in 1912 and I have tracked down most of the others. I really think the family of Francis Mayell and Elizabeth Pearce had moved to Bradford fairly soon after Francis and Elizabeth were married.
Thanks again for looking. Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Nibea,
There is an area in Bristol called Clifton. (The suspension bridge there is called Clifton Suspension Bridge.) If you Google a map you will see that it is not so very far from Bradford on Avon.
Beth
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Hi Beth,
Thanks for the information. I had found the Clifton area you mention. I think it's quite possible that my ancestor could have been in that area.
Thanks again. Best wishes, Nibea.
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Hi Sue
Thank you so much for that information. it looks likely that both of the Sheppards you found are part of my tree. Certainly one of my lot married a Martha. I shall hunt a bit further.
Thanks again ;D
Angela