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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Gloucestershire => England => Gloucestershire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: silverlining on Monday 15 April 13 20:27 BST (UK)

Title: William James 1785-1873, Wotton-under-Edge?
Post by: silverlining on Monday 15 April 13 20:27 BST (UK)

William James is a direct ancestor who married Elizabeth Watts in Leonard Stanley in 1805. Later census returns show his place of birth consistently as Wotton-under-Edge. Can anyone with the PRs for Wotton find a baptism and information about his parents?

Title: Re: William James 1785-1873, Wotton-under-Edge?
Post by: Victor Harvey on Tuesday 16 April 13 18:50 BST (UK)

Hi,
I've had a go at your data request, but must warn you that the microfiche was very hard to read in places.
Source: Glos Archives (GA) PFC 379 IN 1/4 1 & 2, St Mary the Virgin, Wotton-under-Edge, Glos, BMD Register, 1777-1794:-
28/01/1779, Mary JAMES buried
02/09/1779, Mary JAMES buried
04/07/1782, Betty JAMES buried
22/08/1786, Jeremiah JAMES buried
12/05/1788, William, son of William & Anne JAMES baptised.
I can only record what I see, and William's baptism, above, seems somewhat later than one would expect allowing for his marriage date?
Victor

Title: Re: William James 1785-1873, Wotton-under-Edge?
Post by: Victor Harvey on Tuesday 16 April 13 19:13 BST (UK)

Hi silverlining,
It's me again. I've checked the Gloucestershire Marriage Indexes and the ONLY marriage I can find that fits the above baptisms is as follows:-
William JAMES married Anne COPNER at Whitminster, August 20th, 1776.
Victor

Title: Re: William James 1785-1873, Wotton-under-Edge?
Post by: silverlining on Wednesday 17 April 13 09:20 BST (UK)

Thanks Victor. It is possible that William wasn't baptised until a year or two after his birth, unusual but not unheard of. It would be worth going back and looking at his marriage entry to see what it said about him. Being married in a different parish, maybe he could have lied about his age!

Title: Re: William James 1785-1873, Wotton-under-Edge?
Post by: Victor Harvey on Wednesday 17 April 13 09:45 BST (UK)

Hi,
I've just had a look at William's marriage on the Glos Marriage Indexes, and all that I can add to your post is that he was married on 15th April 1805 by Banns.
I will check the actual entry in the Leonard Stanley PRs, but I don't hold out much hope of finding any further data.
Victor

Title: Re: William James 1785-1873, Wotton-under-Edge?
Post by: Victor Harvey on Saturday 20 April 13 16:33 BST (UK)

Source: Glos Archives (GA) PFC 201 IN 1/7 2, Entry No 233, Leonard Stanley, Marriages:-
Banns of Marriage between William JAMES & Elizabeth WATTS were published on the 17th, 24th & 31st March, by me Thos. THOMAS. The said William JAMES, of this parish, Bachelor, and Elizabeth WATTS, of this parish, Spinster, were married in this Church, by Banns, this 15th day of April, 1805.
This marriage was solemnized between us William JAMES his X mark & Elizabeth WATTS her X mark in the presence of Maria PIGEON & Dan.l (Daniel) WATTS.
Victor