William Ralph of Bilston

[Willow 4873]

Hiya Rachel

There is every chance you are right about our Letitia's being connected. I did come across Joseph Kendrick and thought they might be the right couple but there are so may Letitia's in the Ralph family it could be I have got them mixed up with the wrong ones somewhere along the line.

My uncle said that her husband was a William Timmins and I also have another Letitia b 1865 who married a John William Foster in 1888. He did say that Letitia had a daughter called Letitia who also had a daughter called Letitia so it can all get a bit muddled.

BTW that last Letitia was an international ice skating star when she was a child and she died in Bridgnorth about 5 years ago he says

Mary Ann Mears was definitely my Great Grandmother although she was listed as Mary Ann Ralph on Williams birth certificate

So YAY!! - I think we're related!

Willow x

[Charlieralph]

Letitia`s name will run in a few family lines, as it was the
custom to give offspring the parents,grand parents, brothers and sisters names. So don't make a connection until you can prove it.
The earliest record we have of a Letitia:-
Mathew Ralph Married Lettice Bate 5th Oct 1819 at Tipton Staffordshire, so any offspring off above will probably have a Lettice/ Letitia (spell it any way, as this family are mostly illiterate up to 1860`s +) in each of the male descendent's of Thomas all born within 10/15 year span of each other in each family.
Once again the only sure way is to get a copy of Wedding and Birth certs to give names of parents and go back a generation and start again. Only then can you g`tee you have it right on you family, otherwise it is unproved and may be wrong.

[Willow 4873]

Don't worry Charlie we will not start planning the family reunion until were sure of the facts

and yes you will get an invite  

Willow x

[Charlieralph]

Funny you should say that. One allready takes place in the US over the Thanks Giving Weekend with over 2000
Ralph's and descendants present.
At the moment we would be lucky to get a table with 6 round it. We could always get a flight and gate crash next years reunion in the States.LOL
One thing, it is nice to see the interest growing in the Ralph(s) research around the Midlands area and sooner or later a link will be made by a few families.
 It is also possible that we have a link to the "Penn. Ralphs"(Litchfield) who go back to the 1600s which I'm presently researching for any links. (None so far.)
Maybe its time to open a new Topic headed
"Ralph(s) Family of the Midlands"and see how many more we can attract in to the fold.

Charlie

[Willow 4873]

Good idea!

Its nice to know that we're decended from one of the founding families (thought in my case its only by marriage)

Willow x

[RachelK]

Hi again!

Willow have e-mailed you and thanks for your message Charlie.

Letitia Ralph c.1880 first married Joseph Kendrick (the line I come from) and later she married William Timmins and they had a daughter Letitia Timmins.

Letitia Timmins had 3 daughters, Letitia, Sylvia and Wendy, this last Letitia being the figure skater you mention Willow. So your Uncle was right about her marrying a Timmins, he was her second husband.

[Willow 4873]

Hey I worked it out Rachel

I'm your 1/2 2nd cousin once removed!!

Wow what a mouthful lol

Willow x

[Charlieralph]

Ive done a little research on Letitia and can now confirm what I think is your direct descendants as follows

Francis Ralph unknown
                          Elizabeth Westwood  Uknown
Francis Ralph married Elizabeth Westwood 29th May 1769 at St Peters Wolverhampton  offspring Christened as Ralph and  Ralphs)
Offspring :-
William Christened St. Leonard’s Bilston 29nd April 1780
Thomas Christened St. Leonard’s Bilston 2nd April 1785
Sarah Christened St. Leonard’s Bilston  21 Aug 1774 Buried St. Leonard’s Bilston  18th Nov  1774
 Nancy Christened St. Leonard’s Bilston  21 Aug   1774 Buried St. Leonard’s Bilston 19th Oct 776
Francis Christened St. Leonard’s Bilston  22nd Oct 1775 may have married Mary Jukes 1797?
 Francis Ralph Christened St. Leonard’s Bilston  10th Oct 1782   

From LDS on line
Thomas Ralph Married Lettice Bate 5th Oct 1819 at Tipton Staffordshire
Offspring:-
Elizabeth Ralph 21st March 1820 St Leonard, Bilston. Parents Thomas and Lettice
Sarah Ralph 21st April 1822 St Leonard, Bilston. Parents Thomas and Lettice
Mathew Ralph Christening 12th Sept 1824 St Leonard, Bilston. Parents Thomas and Lettice

(Possible Letitia Bates born 1799 St Philips Birmingham)

From 1871 census No 2 Court Pountney St Wolverhampton

Mathew Ralph Head age 47 Wolverhampton
Elizabeth        Wife          44 Walsall
Ellen                               18 Bilston Christened 11th May 1851 St Mary Bilston
John                               15 Bilston
Thomas                         13 Bilston
Ann                                11 Wolverhampton Christened 18 Oct 1860 St Mary Bilston
Leteice                             5 Wolverhampton
Harriet                            1 Wolverhampton

Letita Ralph Christened 3rd Feb 1850 St Mary Bilston of Mathew/ Elizabeth


From 1881 census No 6  Court Pountney St Wolverhampton

Thomas Ralph Head age 23 Bilston
Mary Ann(Mears) Wife      23
James                                   2 Wolverhampton
Letitia                                 6 months Wolverhampton

Thomas married Mary Ann Mears 1877
Taken from Wolverhampton records Volume 6b Page 660.

Now lets see if anybody can find Francis Ralph(s) c1749
or the marriage of Mathew Ralph and Elizabeth 1845/50

[RachelK]

Ok just having a total brain bleed over the Ralphs right now, I think too many people with too similar names!

Was Mathew Ralph c1824's wife's name Elizabeth or Eliza? (1871 census, 2 court pountney/prunkney/whatever it says street) her name is written Eliza.

Willow I think you have the wrong Mathew and Eliza in the doc you sent me because the dates appear too late? Also their son John who you have as marrying Eliza Brown Geary in 1880, appears to still be living with his mother on 1881 so maybe this isn't right either?

Eliza Ralph abt 1821  Bilston, Staffordshire, England Head  Wolverhampton   
Harriet Ralph abt 1870  Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England Daughter  Wolverhampton   
John Ralph abt 1854  Bilston, Staffordshire, England Son  Wolverhampton   
Letticia Ralph abt 1865  Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England Daughter 

Sorry to be a pain but I'm just really getting myself confused. They seem to name their children all the same names, so it's quite easy for us to get mixed up! Tell me what you think, thanks.

Rachel xx