STIFFE ~ LOOK UP SWANSEA 1841 - 51 & 61

[clares]

I have found some ancestors mysteriously on the Glamorgan 1841 Census. I'm sure they were born in England somewhere (perhaps Gloucestershire) and have no idea what they were doing in Swansea.

The census info is: Glamorgan 1841 Census, Place Swansea Town, Area S, Number 33, Piece 1426/03, Folio 044.
The surname is STIFFE, Arthur William, Age 10, Occupation - independent
                                     Florence Anne, Age 9,  Occupation  - independent
                                     Sydney Burrows, Age 7
                                     Madeline Rose, Age 5

My question is - As they are all children, who were they living with at the time? Any clues as to why they were in Swansea?

I have found Sydney Burrows (my GGG Grandfather) travelling from England to Australia in 1852, then to NZ in 1854.  This was, until now, the earliest record I have of him.
I'd be greatful of any help.

[Welsh Jen]

Hello Claire, Welcome to Rootschat! 

I have found the entry (set below), It seems that the whole family are classed as INDEPENDENT. They do have a William Stiffe aged 50 with them born c.1791 & an Elizabeth Stiffe born c. 1806 ~ the No means none were born in Glamorgan

Glamorgan Family History Society 1841 Census CD
District Name: Swansea             Enumeration District:  6 Swansea Town Piece: 1426/03      Folio: 043     Schedule: 138
Address: PICTON PLACE           

S 33 043 138  PICTON PLACE           
STIFFE WILLIAM             50   (c1791)
                                     INDEPENDENT                     NO 
S 33                                 STIFFE ELIZABETH EVERITT   35   (c1806)
                                     INDEPENDENT                     NO 
S 33                                 STIFFE FRANCIS W.E.        11   (c1830)
                                     INDEPENDENT                     NO 
S 33 044                             STIFFE ARTHUR WILLIAM      10   (c1831)
                                     INDEPENDENT                     NO 
S 33                                 STIFFE FLORENCE ANNE        9   (c1832)
                                     INDEPENDENT                     NO 
S 33                                 STIFFE SYDNEY BURROWS       7   (c1834)
                                     -                               NO 
S 33                                 STIFFE MADELINE ROSE        5   (c1836)
                                     -                               NO 

Many people moved to Swansea simply for employment, Swansea had booming industries many people came from Bristol, Devon & Ireland to live in Swansea.

The only Stiff family (no Stiffe) listed in 1861 are these in Cardiff, I have listed them simply due to the fact that they are from Gloucestershire:

Glamorgan Family History Society 1861 Census CD
4101 1861 CENSUS OF SWANSEA LOWER. REF.R.G.9/4101, E.D.2.                                                                           
Piece: 4101      Folio: 047     Schedule: 226
Address: FROG STREET 4         
STIFF EDWARD               LG U  24   SEAMAN MERCHANT SERVICE   
                                      GLS IRON ACTON                   (c1837)
The year on this entry above should be c.1813 not c.1837 (probably a census error???)

I also found a death of an Edward Stiff in Swansea on the Free BMD website:

Surname  First name(s)  Age  District  Vol  Page 
Deaths Dec 1867
Stiff  Edward  32  Swansea  11a 331  this one would have been born around 1835

Glamorgan Family History Society 1861 Census CD
4035 1861 CENSUS OF CARDIFF ST.MARY. REF.R.G.9/4035, E.D.14.Piece: 4035      Folio: 105     Schedule: 300
Address: AUGUSTA STREET 50     
STIFF JOHN                 HD M  44   BLACKSMITH               
                                      GLS IRON ACTON                   (c1817)
STIFF CAROLINE             WI M  40   -                         
                                      GLS IRON ACTON                   (c1821)
STIFF JULIA L.             DA U    9M -                         
                                      GLA CARDIFF                      (c1860)
PURNELL LEONARD            LG U  24   CARPENTER                 
                                      SOM CHILCOMPTON                  (c1837)
Both John and Caroline are still living in Cardiff in 1881:
   Dwelling:   10 Silver St
   Census Place:   Roath, Glamorgan, Wales
   Source:   FHL Film 1342271     PRO Ref RG11    Piece 5285    Folio 104    Page 45
   Marr   Age   Sex   Birthplace
John STIFF   M   65    M   Ironacton, Gloucester, England
   Rel:   Head
   Occ:   Smiths Helper
Caroline STIFF   M   60    F   Ironacton, Gloucester, England
   Rel:   Wife
   Occ:   Smiths Helper Wife

[clares]

Hi Jen,

Thankyou for the information. I will have to keep looking for them after 1841. I have found one of the sons, Francis, in the Bristol 1851 Census -
STIFFE Francis Lodger 21 Solicitors Clerk Somerset St Georges / Clifton
but don't know where the rest of the family was.

As I said earlier, Sydney (My GGG Grandfather) came to Australia (I'm in Melbourne) then to New Zealand in 1852 / 1854.
The parents William STIFFE and Elizabeth Everitt EVERITT married in Clifton, GLS 19 OCT 1827 ( British Vital Records) and the eldest son Francis was born Clifton 22 DEC 1829 (BVR). Can't find any records of the rest though.

The mother Elizabeth E STIFFE is on the 1881 Census in London and died Mar Q 1889, Paddington London aged 82. She was born Cheshunt, Hertford. I'd love to find out where the father William was born. Any ideas?

Regards,
Clare

[Welsh Jen]

Hello again, from the information you have It seems difficult to locate the place of birth for William, however as a starting point I would look for William in the Clifton Bristol region. He may not be born there, but this seems the most probable place of his birth with the information you have.

It may be worth your while in contacting these places to see what publications they hold:

Gloucestershire County County Archives:
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=3956

Bristol Reference Library:
http://www.bopcris.ac.uk/colldesc/coll770.html

Genuki Bristol:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/Bristol/

Genuki Bristol Parishes:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/Bristol/Parishes.html

You could also try to subscribe for a short time to the Stiff mailing list, you may find others researching this name or they may be aware of others with the same names:

STIFF. A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Stiff surname and variations in any place and at any time. To subscribe send "subscribe" to stiff-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or stiff-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).


All the very best in your research
Jen 




 

[clares]

Thanks Jen,
Clare

[Welsh Jen]

I have since looked for your Stiffe ancestors in the 1851 Glamorganshire census and they are not listed at all.

[DLee2012]

Hi Clare -  your post is from a few years ago, so I'm not sure if you will see this in 2012 
We are also direct descendants of the S B Stiffe who emigrated to Sydney and New Zealand.
I have researched the line a fair bit i.e. back through the Everetts. If you would like to share information -