MATTHEWS family in Plymouth and West Country

[ali63]

Looking for help, ancestors and descendants of the following:
John Matthews (occupation Cooper) had 1 known child Matthew Matthews (born C1825/1826 in the workhouse Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire).  His mother was Phoebe Matthews.  he married Ann Nicholson (late McConnell) in 1848 East Stonehouse, Devonport, he was a seaman.  Ann's first husband had been William McConnell also a mariner, son of George McConnell.  He had married Ann in 1841 in Stoke Dameral and died in 1847 in Plymouth?Devonport.  They had 1 known child Elizabeth.
Phoebe married a John Ettry/Ettny/Ettings in 1831.
Matthew and Ann had 3 known children, Ann/Mary Ann (born 1854 Devonport), John (born C1859 Branscombe, Devon) and Matthew George (born C1861 Maryport, Cumberland).  The reason the children were born in different parts of the country was Matthew's occupation, he had left the Royal Navy and worked for the Coastguard.
by 1881 (and possibly 1871) they were living in Bristol and by then Matthew (senior) was a Naval Pensioner.  matthew George was still living with parents and working for a watchmakers.
Ann Matthews (my 3 x great grandmother) I believe was in Minehead, Somerset in 1871 but returned to Bristol by the the time she married in 1878 to Frederick John Ward.
I have found Matthew Matthews (senior) in the 1851 census Plymouth, 1861 in Maryport and 1881 in Bristol.
 

[nika]

Hi,
If it's any help, from the Branscombe parish registers:

There is a George baptised in St Winifred's Church in Branscombe, Devon on
14.04.1857. He was the son of Mathew and Anne Matthews, of Seaside (that's a place in Branscombe). His father is shown as a coastguard. George was buried aged 6 months on 05.05.1857

There are a further two entries: for a daughter, Anne, baptised 12.12.1858 and on the same day a son, John, was baptised. At the time of the baptism the family were living at the Coastguard Station in Branscombe and their father, Mathew Mathews, was a boatman.

Nika

[crimea1854]

Hi

Looking at the Coastguard records Matthew Matthews entered the CG Service on 11 November 1856, having been nominated from HMS Leander, with a first posting to Branscombe (ADM 175/7 pdf 411). On 24 May 1860 he was transferred to Maryport, then on 19 June 1863 to Minehead.

It would be possible to continue to trace his movements, however, I note that there are two service records available for him on the National Archives website, one pre and the other post 1873, on both he gives his date of birth as 12 February 1826.

Registers of Seamen's Services

Martin

[ali63]

Hi Nika and Martin,

Thankyou both for your help on this.  Some of it I already knew but I had not picked up that Matthew had 2 CG records, the name of his last RN ship or George's baptism details.

Alison

[crimea1854]

Alison

HMS Leander had only recently returned from the Crimea, so I was expecting to find MM on the medal roll, but he was not there. If, once you've downloaded his service record, you can let me know what ships, (and his ships nos.) he was on between 1854 and 1856, I will check to see if he qualified for either the Baltic or Crimea Medals.

Martin