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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Staffordshire => Topic started by: Faysie on Thursday 06 September 12 02:37 BST (UK)
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I am in need of help in finding the Birthplace of a Hugh Fraser/Frazer/Fraiser who married Mary Ferguson (aka Fargason on IGI Records) perhaps she had an accent??- they married @ Wednesbury, Staffordshire in May 1831.
They had a son named Alexander who ws Baptised @ High Offley, Staffordshire.... and on the Parish Register Alexander's parents were named Hugh Fraiser and Mary Fargason/Ferguson- hence the assumption of an accent.
It is really Alexander's father Hugh that I am trying to find out where he was born?.. either Scotland or Ireland or perhaps somewhere else in England.. I wonder if someone has access to the Parish Marriage Transcripts of Wednesbury, Staffordshire they could assist me. as I live in Australia and cannot find out this information.
it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You for your patience.
Faysie.
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The Parish Registers will not give any parents names for the Marriage in 1831 only Witnesses and the place of abode is often not precise. Your best hope is finding them on the Census. Or you could try finding them in a Trade Directory, what was their Occupation?
HTH Linell.
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Dear HTH Linell,
Thank you for your reply. I know in the UK Census Hugh was listed as a Mechanic,Oil Driller etc, but they would ot be in a Census either in 1831..
Would there be a way of finding out who the Witness's were at their Marriage?
Thank
Faysie
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Hi Faysie, can you post what Census info you have, that will give a place of birth. If you give me the date of the marriage for Hugh and Mary I can look it up for you I am going to Stafford Archives next week.
Linell.
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Thanks Linell I will send you the information after Dinner.
Cheers for now
Faysie
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Dear Linell,
Hugh Fraiser/Frazer/Fraser ( name changes all the time) married Mary Ferguson @ Wednesbury Staffordshire 25May, 1831. the Witness's were Hugh' sister Emily Frazer (name change again) & Peter Forrest... I do not know if they married by Licence or Banns.
Hugh's occupation was either Mechanic, Iron/Boiler- Engineer- along those lines.
Should you be lucky enough to find a copy of their Marriage, would it be possible to either take a Digital Camera or a USB stick and take a copy of their Marriage Certificate, no matter what's on it... I know in my Local Histroy Society they all this to be done...
As I mentioned I'm desperate to find out (a) Hugh's Fathers name and (b) where Hugh was born.
Thanks so much for your patience and I look forward to hearing from you.
With Much appreciation for your kindness,
Faysie
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ooops... Just remembered, Hugh & Mary had a son names Alexander who was born in a house called " Slymonsdale" which is near Baldwin's Gate. , and Alexander was Baptised @ High Offlley,,
Cheers for Now
Faysie
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Hi Faysie, will see what I can do, you seem to already have the details, the Witnesses etc. Is it just a copy you want? Where are the family in 1841 and 1851? That will give Hugh's place of birth. Baldwins Gate is near Newcastle no where near High Offley, where did you get this information from. Slymondsdale is on my Map it looks like the name of a Wood not a house?
Linell.
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Morning Linell,
Methinks I have given you a " Bum Steer" with the Witness's.Sorry about that... I have spent the last 5 hours going through all my paperwork. As I mentioned I am trying to find out where Hugh Frazer/Fraiser/Fraser was born.. so here are the facts.
Hugh Fraiser married Mary Fargason (Ferguson 26 May 1831 @ St. Bartholomew, Wednesbury, Staffordshire ( Source IGI Batch # MO5520-2). I would love a copy of their Marriage Certificate/ Parish Registery. as this hopefully will tell me where both he & Mary were born., and Married either by Licence or after Banns.
they had the following children.
Alexander Frazer Baptised @ High Offley 1832
Anne " " 1834
William Fraser " @ Maer 1836
Elizabeth Ferguson Fraser @ Maer 1837..... Source IGI,... Note the change of names on the IGI Records.
so it's a fact they definately lived in Staffordshire from 1831 through to at least 1837...
On the UK Census Alexander ( the son) always said he was born in Manchester from 1851 up until 1891 when on that UK Census he said he was born in Slymonsdale, Gloucest ( now the Enumerator could easily have got tis wrong, as it turns out it was Staffordshire...Now I have proof that it was Staffordshire where he was Baptised.
According to the Staffordshire records Office. the 1889 Ordanance Survey May 1889 of Baldwin's Gate area- shows that Slymonsdale was a house on the road to Baldwin's Gate to Camp Hall. on a road that is now called Camp Hill... In the Parish of Maer.
Hugh seems to have died october 1837 @ Maer, Staffordshire. ????? ( I searched the NBI records for this.)
Perhaps the Marriage of Hugh & Mary may solve the problem for me and I would be grateful for any information and a copy of the said Marriage Cert or Parish Register.. could also show the Witness's... I could not find any Ferguson's living in or around Wednesbury either.... seems strange as usually Marriage take place around where the bride lives.
Again my Thanks and appreciation.. if anyone reading this message can help me that would be fantasic.
Cheers from a very Frustrated Researcher... LOL
Faysie
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Ok Faysie, will see what I can find, will get back to you. Mary probably Married again then after the death of Hugh, have you found her on the 1841 Census? Best wishes from Linell.
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Hello Faysie
It appears children William and Elizabeth Ferguson died in infancy; both are both registered Q4 1837 Stone, staffordshire.
Also, the IGI has a further child Elizabeth baptised 6 Oct 1839 Norbury, which is just a couple of miles from High Offley.
The Gloucestershire angle is interesting because in 1841 Alexander Frazer 12 (may have exaggerated his age or enumerator's or beadle's guess?), Ann Frazer 6 and Elizabeth Frazer 3 are recorded at Dursley Union Workhouse, Gloucestershire, neither born in county. Class: HO107; Piece: 347; Book: 16; Civil Parish: Dursley; County: Gloucestershire; Enumeration District: Dursley Union Workhouse; Folio: 36; Page: 1; Line: 14; GSU roll: 288761. Or just search for Elizabeth Frazer 1839 Gloucestershire. This also finds Elizabeth 1851 servant at Dursley.
Too much of a coincidence to be wrong?
Dion
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Hi there
Had a look through 1841 census for Mier,page by page and no luck not there.
Got a death for Hugh Fraser Dec 1837 Newcastle under Lyme 17 55.It might be worth buying that death cert as it will give his age.
Possible death for Mary Frazer Mar 1839 Stoke on Trent 17 130.,or she could've remarried Dec 1846 Newcastly under Lyme 17 468 as Mary Rhodes Fraser or Mary Frazer Sep 1854 same place 10b 152.(IGI rules out 1846)
No admission to Stoke workhouse for Fraser/frazer which is good but doesn't explain where they are in 1841 does it.
Wednesbury earlier census 1831/1811/1801 have survived but I'm afraid won't show birthplace,only head of the house,number of female,male,address and catagory of occupation.
Ciderdrinker
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Thank you Dionysus& Ciderdrinker for your response.
I too saw Elizabeth Frazer born Norbury born 1839.. I dismissed her as it appears Hugh died in Dec 1837- so methinks that throws that one out the window..
I think I should look fo Hugh's Death Cert, although they are never accurate, at least it could be a guide... I still feel that a copy of Hugh & Mary Ferguson's Marriage from the Parish registry will give me a better picture...
Like you, I too have wondered why I can't find them in 1841- perhaps they moved ??.. There were a couple of "Frazer's-Faiser's " living in Staffordshire so I tread very warily.- My Cousin & I have been searching for almost 20 years now and they are not going anywhere soon, so I will also check out the Theory of looking at the Workhouse although I have my doubts... as Hugh was an listed as an Engineer/ etc; so one would imagine that he would be able to find work even in dire circumstances..
Again my sincere appreciation for yur response and I shall check it all out.
Have a wonderful Day]
Faysie
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An hypothesis: Frazer (and variants) is not especially common in England around 1840. Elizabeth Ferguson Frazer is unigue. Hugh & Mary had 5 children; 2 died late 1837 (disease?); the remaining 3 ended up somehow in Dursley, Gloucestershire, abandoned or orphaned. When old enough they were sent to work - Elizabeth with a local dressmaker and Alexander, like thousands of others from all over England, sent to Manchester to work in the textile mills - he pops up in the 1851 census at Manchester, born Dursley, cotton piercer. Once there the head of household tells the enumerator that Alexander came from Dursley (Alexander, who has had little or no schooling, has no say and, anyway, thinks he was born in Gloucestershire). In 1891 he gets to tell the enumerator his own version - he remembers that when he was a boy he lived at Slymansdale, but didn't really know where it was; all he remembered was being told was that he arrived in a group of orphans or poor children from Gloucestershire.
An engineer could simply be an ordinary bloke driving an engine at a coal mine or a factory or on the railway (a train driver was known as an engineer even in my time).
If I'm wrong, so be it. But it might explain why it is so hard to track down the parents.
Dion
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Wow !!! Dion,
You sure have opened up a can of worms for me and yes you are right it is certainy worth investigating that's for sure... I will do some hard yakka on this one and see where it may lead... but I would also still like a copy of Hugh & Mary's Marriage details.. you never know your luck there sometimes
Thank You... sometimes it take another pair of eyes to see outside a square...
Very much appreciated your response.
Cheers for Now
Faysie
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Hiya
I thought someone was going to Stafford Record Office for you and I don't want to step on their toes but I have had a sneeaky peek.
They where married by banns ,both of this parish.Hugh Fraser signed and Mary Ferguson made her mark.
Sorry but the witnesses are Henry Matthews and it looks like Gle Court,definately not Ferguson or Fraser.
Can't do a print or scan because it's out of toner and on a microfilm viewer.
Really sorry
Ciderdrinker
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Yes Cider, I had a very kind offer of a person going to the Staffordshire Records Office and I'm hoping that they still are and perhaps could obtain a copy for me still.. perhaps it states about Hugh's father?.
At least now I know that they married after Banns, which usually means that they must have resided in or around the area of Wednesbury for three weeks or more....
Methinks I should start looking at the Parish Register for Wednesbury and see if any Ferguson's lived there...
Thank you so very much for your kindness and quelling a little bit of the Mystery for me.
With Much Appreciation.
Faysie
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Dear Linell,
I was wondering if you had a chance to have a peek at my request for a Marriage between Hugh Frazer & Mary Ferguson...if so were you able to obtain a copy ( digital or USB)...???
I have been searching through various Census and information that others have suggested and to be honest I'm almost going blind looking..I have had to leave it for a couple of days as I have Glaucoma and it is difficult for me to look at a lot of ( unfortunately faded copies) that are on line.
I also went right through the 1841 UK Census in the Village of High Offley and found nothing there.... Now I'm starting to look at the Village of Wednesbury..My reason for doing so is Hugh & Mary married there and usually they marry in the Parish of the Bride... I'm looking for any " Ferguson's" etc;.
Also I have lost quite a lot of websites that I have managed to save over the years.. as I recently had my computer upgraded from XP to Windows 7... and lost a lot of stuff in the change over.. so I'm virtually starting from Scratch again and trying to remember any of the websites again..
If anyone can advise me of good websites to search in the UK I would be grateful... I have Ancestry and have been using that also FreeReg and FreeBDM's...
Looking forward to hearing from you gain or anyone else who may be able to assist me in my quest.
Thanks in Advance andalso for your patience.
Faysie
Queensland- Australia.
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ooops !!! I forgot to ask. Hugh Frazer seems to have died in the Dec Quarter in Maer in 1837... Can some one please tell me how I go about ordering his Death Record...I don't think you can get a Death Certificate for that period.
Thanks'
Faysie
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http://www.staffordshirebmd.org.uk/cgi/deathind.cgi
Hi Faysie, you can order Hugh's death certificate from the above link, just click on the Ref No and Print the form off, fill it in and post it.
I am booked into the Record Office today, you have to book in you cannot just turn up. I see that Cider drinker has already done the look up for you, will see if there is anymore information available in the Parish Register.
I think Dion is correct, Hugh and maybe Mary died before 1841 and the children are in the Gloucester Workhouse, there would not have been any or many Alexander Frazer's in 1841. Gloucestershire could be where Hugh came from? I would post on the Gloucester Forum see if anyone who knows the area well can find any Frazer's for you. Will be in touch later today, from Linell.
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Thanks Linell,
I am not familiar with the bookings etc over in England, so I appreciate you looking further for me even more. I will also look at the Gloucestrshire List and see what happens as you suggest.
I'm just so sorry that I lost all the websites that I had saved over the years, not only Staffordshire but also Essex and Lincolnshire where my lot came from... the "Fraser/Frazer" side is my hubby's and as he turns 84 years old next week I'm hoping that I can shed some more light on his Ancestors...
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cheers for now
Faysie
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Hi Faysie, got a print out of your Marriage, if you PM me your address I will post it to you. Details are much the same as Cider Drinker found. I thought the date was the 26th of May 1831 at St Bartholomew Wednesbury, see what you think?
Also found the burial for Hugh:-
St Peter's Mear 16.10. 1837. You can order his death certificate from the General Register Office. Details as follows:-
Hugh Frazer Slymendale. Aged 37. Entry 227.
Also William Frazer Slymendale Buried St Peter's Mear 19.9.1837 aged 16 months. A month before his father, wonder if they both died of some nasty disease?
The baptism for Elizabeth, her surname could be either Ferguson or Frazer, difficult to read. Baptised St Peter Norbury 6.10.1839 da of Hugh and Mary Ferguson or Frazer (she must have been illegitimate hence her baptism was at Norbury not at Mear or High Offley.) The address was Sutton in the Parish of Forton - Father a Navigator (probably a Navi, may have worked laying the Train Lines which were being laid around that time?)
Baptism for Alexander Frazer St Mary High Offley 20.5.1832 son of Hugh and Mary Frazer High Offley Labourer.
If Hugh was working laying the Train Lines, this could explain why they were moving around. I would think that Hugh must have previously lived in Gloucestershire as apparently the children were sent back there to be kept by the Parish in the Workhouse. I would presume that Mary also died before 1841.
Anyway will leave this for you to take in, best wishes from Linell.
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Nice work Linell.
The deaths of Hugh and two children so close together suggests some sort of illness or tragic accident. Cause of death would be instructive.
I've found a few bits of jigsaw puzzle, but not sure how or whether they connect.
First, though, it is clear that Mary Frazer / Ferguson was widowed in 1837, just 4 weeks or so after losing 9 month old William. But what of the Elizabeth Frazer or Ferguson baptised in 1839, Norbury? Thinking through the dates it seems inconceivable that Hugh was the father, but by naming him as the father perhaps Mary was protecting her integrity?
As Linell says, there must have been some connection to Dursley for the children to have been admitted to the workhouse there. I think I am inching towards a connection.
A Mary Ferguson was baptised 14 Jul 1811 at Lydney, Glos. This is just across the River Severn from Dursley, but may have seemed a long way at the time. Her parents were Alexander and Elizabeth.
In the 1851 census there is a Sarah Ferguson, born Uley about 1816, married, visiting with William and Hester Robbins at Minchinhampton. Uley is very near to Dursley. These were Sarah's parents - baptism Sarah Robbins 18 Feb 1816 Uley. Apparently, she married a man named Ferguson, in fact 19 Dec 1840 King's Stanley, Glos to James Ferguson. A James Ferguson was living at Clifton in 1837 - today a suburb of Bristol. There is a death of Mary Ferguson 1839 Oct Bristol 11 151.
So, is this the story? Mary has a further child baptised in 1839. Widowed, with a babe in arms and two other children, she is destitute and heads for relatives in Gloucestershire - James and Sarah Ferguson. Sadly, Mary dies soon after and the children become the responsibility of James (Mary's brother?) and Sarah, who is unable or unwilling to care for them and places them in the workhouse.
This could be a classic example of the type of difficulty that beset familes who fell on hard times in mid-nineteenth century England.
Good hunting,
Dion
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Dear Linell, Cider & Dion,
This is the 3rd time that I have tried to reply this morning.. for some reason I cannot post so am trying once again.
Thank you Linell, you are a treasure... is it possible for you to scan the information to me? if not let me know and I will respond privately... my email address is (*) ... this is not my main private email address.
I will follow through with all the information that you allhave given to me. but there is one correction and that is... Elizabeth Ferguson Fraser was Baptised 26 November 1837 @ Maer.....
It seems so sad this family has had such tragedy..
Hope this post goes through..
Thanks you all again..
Faysie
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Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.
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Nice work Linell.
Hello Faysie - I also had problems posting earlier. There were two Elizabeths. Elizabeth Ferguson Frazer bp 1837, died 1837 and Elizabeth bp 6 Oct 1839, Norbury (apparently half-sister to Alexander and Anne). It was fairly common practice to re-use names of deceased children.
The deaths of Hugh and two children so close together suggests some sort of illness or tragic accident. Cause of death would be instructive.
I've found a few bits of jigsaw puzzle, but not sure how or whether they connect.
First, though, it is clear that Mary Frazer / Ferguson was widowed in 1837, just a few weeks or days after losing two children. But what of the Elizabeth Frazer or Ferguson baptised in 1839, Norbury? Thinking through the dates it seems inconceivable that Hugh was the father, but by naming him as such Mary may have been protecting her integrity.
As Linell says, there must have been some connection to Dursley for the children to have been admitted to the workhouse there. I think I am inching towards a connection.
A Mary Ferguson was baptised 14 Jul 1811 at Lydney, Glos. This is just across the River Severn from Dursley, but may have seemed a long way at the time. Her parents were Alexander and Elizabeth.
In the 1851 census there is a Sarah Ferguson, born Uley about 1816, married, visiting with William and Hester Robbins at Minchinhampton. Uley is very near to Dursley. These were Sarah's parents - baptism Sarah Robbins 18 Feb 1816 Uley. Apparently, she married a man named Ferguson, in fact 19 Dec 1840 King's Stanley, Glos to James Ferguson. A James Ferguson was living at Clifton in 1837 - today a suburb of Bristol. There is a death of Mary Ferguson 1839 Oct Bristol 11 151.
So, is this the story? Mary has a further child baptised in 1839. Widowed, with a babe in arms and two other children, she is destitute and heads for relatives in Gloucestershire - James and Sarah Ferguson. Sadly, Mary dies soon after and the children become the responsibility of James (Mary's brother?) and Sarah, who are unable or unwilling to care for them and place them in the workhouse. There had been a workhouse at Uley, but this closed when Dursley opened in 1839.
This could be a classic example of the difficulty that beset familes who fell on hard times in mid-nineteenth century England.
Good hunting,
Dion
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Hi Faysie, yes will scan the Print Out and send it to you. What a tragic family, would love to know what they all died of maybe Cholera or the like? I would get in touch with Gloucester County Record Office and see if there are any records on Dursley Workhouse. I would also order as many of the death certificates you can too.
That's brilliant Dion, so it was probably the Ferguson's who were from Gloucester, the find of a baptism for Mary Ferguson to an Alexander and Elizabeth, I am a great believer in family names, especially as the Elizabeth was used twice. Think you have a very good find there.
This is a very interesting line of research, Norbury and High Offley are not far from me, will have to go and have a look. Norbury is a large Canal Junction, which is another possible line of research, I know that a lot of Gloucester families came to the Midlands up the Canal Network.
Great to see all of this coming together.
Linell.
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Just a thought if we are going down the line of family names, wonder if Hugh's father was a William Frazer??
Linell.
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Dear Linell, Dion & Cider.
I would appreciate any advice given... Yes the names have continued on to the present day, my late father in-law's name was William Alexander and our grandson ( aged 10 years ) has William as his middle name and other grandson( now aged 8 years ) has Hugh as his middle name.
I will purchase as many Certificates as I can afford and yes I'm also curious about Elizabeth Baptised @ Norbury... We do not know if the Fraser/Frazer/ family came from Scotland or ireland and Hugh is as far as we have got, hence my search for his Birthplace or his parents name.. at least now I have a rough idea that he was born somewhere around 1800. if he died aged 37 years... I have a lot of information about Alexander right up to the present day...which is our direct line.
Linell... if you email * - mark the subject line " Fraser Family" I will then reply and give you my private email address where you can scan & send direct to me.
Yes my mob are an interesting lot.. seems they came from a poor background, but were " Workers" . The Engineer" bit seems to have carried on to present day also, as my late father in-law was am Engineer in Weights & Measures with Avery Scales. my hubby was 3rd Generation also to work for them... the company like a lot of them have now vanished...
Looking forward to hearing from you all again.
Have a wonderful week-end
Faysie
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Just an after thought.!!!
Does anyone know if the old Hugh Wallis's website is still available.. I know that Ancestry has taken over most everything now, but Hugh's website was almost a " Bible " to me for research.
I have lost a lot of websites that I have saved over the years as I recently upgraded my PC from XP to Win 7 and am slowly working my way around it aafter leaving my " XP" comfort Zone... ;D
Cheers
Faysie
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It is part of Ancestry, but still available - http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hughwallis/
Dion
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Good to know that the family names have been passed right down the family line, that is very positive news. I have emailed you Faysie, will wait to hear back from you. Linell.
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For Linell, Dionysus & ciderdrinker...
I have made further progress but again am in need of advice or guidance and I'm hoping that you may be able to assist me Please.
My elusive Hugh Fraser/Frazer/ Frasier died 14 Oct 1837 in Madeley STS. Whilst working on the Railway as a Labourer. I have a Coroner's Inquest Report which states that he was tragically killed run over by a Wagon Wheel whilst employed on the Railway...Hugh was buried @ St.Peters Maer 16 Oct 1837 aged Circa 37 yrs...His wife Mary Fraser(nee Ferguson) was 8 months pregnant with their 4th Child Elizabeth Ferguson Fraser Bapt 26 Nov 1837 @ St. Peter's Church Maer. STS... On the 6th December 1837, Mary Registered both the Birth of Elizabeth and the Death of her son William aged 16 months & 4 days... so she was still in the Maer area in December 1837....I have looked at a couple of things (1) Mary returning to her mother/family in Wednesfied STS, no results... (2) a Re-Marriage in the Free Reg BDM- Can't find anything (3) Mary's Death (there was a possible Mary Frazer died 1839 @ Stoke on Trent Reg Jan-Feb-March Qtr...but unable to validate that... she seems to have disappeared or I'm doing something wrong.??
In 1841 Alexander aged 12 (eldest child) his sisters Anne aged 6 and 3 yrs are in Gloucestershire Dursley Union Workhouse...this is too much of a coincidence not to be them...I have learned perhaps the reason the children were sent so far away was due to the Parish Finances at the time and with no mother around... the 3 children were listen as "Paupers" and Not of this County...
I found in 1851 UK Census Elizabeth in Dursely working for Amelia Bendall a Dress Maker as a Public Servant aged 14 years. say's she was born Dursley, but methinks that can be explained as she was only 3 years old in the Workhouse.
I don't know what happened to either Alexander or Ann in 1851, but in 1861 UK Census I found an Alex Frazer as a Border/Lodger in Ancoats Manchester..Head of the house was a James Bramall and James's wife Martha was born in Madeley STS where Alexzander's father was accidentally killed...
My question is... am I grasping at straws? and where or what can I do to further my research on either Hugh the father or Mary (the Mother)...I eventually know about Alexander marrying in Manchester Cathedral to a Sarah Berry in1868...
Just one note about all of this... there was a Farmhouse called Slimersdale/Slymansdale near Camp Hill not far from the Manor in Maer...I think this is where Hugh Fraser ( the father was born) but that's only a theory...
So looking forward to tour comments, and again my sincere Appreciation for any hep or advice.
Faysie
Queensland. Australia.
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Hello Faysie
Linell says that Hugh was a navigator or navvy. This would explain why the family moved about a lot. That time, and the previous 50 years or so, was one of great social upheaval, with employment in agriculture in steep decline and the rapid growth of cities like Manchester, where Alexander ended up.
Hugh's age at burial in 1837 is given as 37, which implies birth about 1800. But Maer? The only association with the place appears to be in 1836 to 1839: baptism of Elizabeth Ferguson and another Elizabeth Fraser and burials of William and Hugh. There was no one named Fraser at Maer in 1841. Alexander and Ann baptised 1832 and 1834 High Offley, quite a step from Maer, but near the Shropshire Union Canal, which was not completed until 1835, so Hugh could have been employed there.
I still think I am right about the Dursley connection for Mary Ferguson. If she died in the workhouse she may have been given a pauper's burial in an unmarked grave, which would prevent age at death being linked to the 1811 baptism (but there would have been a record of it somewhere). However, if the death registered in 1839 Oct Bristol 11 151 is correct this may provide the link and will show how and where she died. In an earlier post I mentioned a James Ferguson living at Clifton; in 1841 his wife was Lucy, so the 1839 record is still a goer.
The fly in the ointment is that Lydney was included in the Chepstow Union, which is on the wrong side of the River Severn. On the other hand, if it is true that Mary had family in Uley, then Dursley Union would have been right.
The parents for the 1811 baptism at Lydney of Mary were Alexander and Elizabeth Ferguson - only one child baptised Lydney. Can't find any other record of them. However, at Norbury, an Alexander Ferguson, of this parish, widower, and a Mary Greenfield had banns read on 9, 16 and 23 July 1837 (Findmypast). This seems too much of a coincidence to be wrong. Perhaps Alexander was living with or near his daughter and grandchildren?
There is also a record of Alexander Ferguson of Sutton buried at Forton, both near to Norbury, 19 May 1840, aged 65, therefore born around 1775. Lots of possible baptisms in Scotland. There seems to be no record of Alexander and Elizabeth marrying in Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, or even England, that looks at all likely, so Scotland may be the origin.
At first Lydney seemed an odd place for an outsider to turn up. Having read up a little of the history it seems the harbour was important in the ealier stages of the Industrial Revolution and in 1810-1813 a canal and railway were contructed to ease transport of coal and products from an ironworks. Therefore, it appears there was plenty of employment in the area.
Although the marriage at Wednesbury records that both Hugh and Mary were of the parish, this would only have been their residence and may have no connection to their place of birth. Note that what I read as J W Court is a witness to other marriages and may be a church official, such as a verger, sexton, warden or usher - a George W Court lived two doors from the vicar in 1841. A Henry Malband died 1838 registered West Bromwich and a Henry Malbond buried May 1838 at Wednesbury. I was hoping he would be a navvy, but I guess we'll never know.
It seems not unreasonable to suppose that both Hugh and Mary moved to Wednesbury in the Black Country as booming industries sucked in more and more labour. In the early nineteenth century there was considerable poverty in rural parts and they may have been forced to move to avoid starvation. A lot of canal building was going on in the 1820s, including the Birmingham Canal Navigation's New Main Line. Therefore, I suspect your search for Hugh will take you elsewhere, very likely, given the name, to Scotland.
Dion
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Good Morning Dion,
Thank you so very much for your reply... it is a lot to absorb and also for me to learn about and not having information close at hand and also not knowing about the Towns and Villages in STS..I do have a UK Map, but of course it does not show all the places that you have mentioned....
The one fact that I do know is that Mary Fraser (Nee Ferguson) was the daughter of a Phoebe Ferguson, and Phoebe went on to have two more children that I found albeit a few years apart (1) Daughter named Ann Ferguson Baptised 22 May 1808 @ Wednesfield STS. & (2) a son Thomas Ferguson Baptised 24 April 1814 again @ Wednesfield STS... Mother Phoebe and no mention of a father...(Source) England Births and Christenings. 1538-1975 Family Search .Org..... So Wednesfield is a starting point as well.
Methinks both you and Linell are right about Hugh being a Navvy...as the Coroners Report shows that he was a Labourer and accidentally killed whilst employed at the Railway in Madeley STS...
I have a lot of work ahead of me for sure, so please know that I welcome your information and will pursue it further- minus a few headache's and mind searching along this journey...LOL..... again my Sincere Appreciation...
Cheers for now.
Faysie
Queensland.