POWELL from Hilperton, Wiltshire

[Axamfam]

Hi all

Can anyone help me trace the Powell family from Hilperton.  The census records for my G Granddad show his place of birth as Hilperton, but I am not sure about the year as some census records indicate 1851 and some 1854.  His name was William Thomas Powell and his father (from his marriage certificate) was also William Thomas Powell.
All the census records for my G Grandad are from Croydon, Surrey where he married my G Gran.

I have found several William Powells for the Wiltshire area around 1851-1854 and am struggling to find which one it is.  Unfortunately I do not know when he died, although he was still alive in 1911 as he appears on that census.

Any help would be appreciated.

Nina

[krisesjoint]

Hi Nina,

A big welcome to RootsChat 

This looks like William in 1861

RG9/1295 Folio 18 Page 29
Marsh
Hilperton

POWEL William Head 41 Mar b Hilperton Lab Coal Wharf
POWEL Mary Ann Wife 40 Mar b Hilperton
POWEL William Son 10 b Hilperton
POWEL Fred^k son 4 b Hilperton

1851....I wonder 

HO107/1840 Folio 266 Page 45;
Marsh
Hilperton

POWELL Mary Ann Head 31 b Hilperton Dress Maker
POWELL Charles Lodger 87 b Hilperton Pauper

Cheers Kris 

[Axamfam]

Hi Kris

Thank you for your kind welcome and your quick reply.   

He is one of the Williams I have been chasing, but I can't seem to find a marriage certificate for William and Mary Ann.
 I also found a 1841 census showing this william born 1821 with a father Charles and mother Elizabeth, but can't find either a marriage cert for them either or a birth cert for William Powell cica 1821.  I do think however that your possible 1851 record links them up, just wish I could find birth or marriage certs for any of them.

Nina 

[krisesjoint]

Hi Nina,

Yes I see what you mean - certainly not an easy one. I sat here with the 1841 entry ready to post while looking for Mary Ann and the marriage. Tried for hours last night (my time) and been back at it this morning. My thinking was that it shouldn't be hard to track Mary Ann and add her 1841 and marriage to Williams 1841, but alas I was oh so wrong. Both William and Mary Ann state they were born in Hilperton but I can't find a marriage. One would think it should be in Hilperton. I even checked all the possible Mary's from 1841 thinking something would turn up with one man short in the FreeBMD marriage transcripts but still couldn't find it. Regardless, I do think this is the family and would suggest a birth certificate or 2 would at least give Mary Ann's name. I note your William named a son Frederick.

William POWELL Sep 1/4 1851 Melksham 8 393
Fred POWELL Jun 1/4 1857 Melksham 5a 112

1841 census

HO107/1182/2 Folio 25 Page 11
Hilperton

POWELL Charles 68 Y Weaver
POWELL Elizabeth 65 Y
POWELL William 20 Y Ag Lab
POWELL Edmund 15 Y Ag Lab

What was dads occupation from the marriage cert?

There will not be a Birth Certificate for William, nor a marriage certificate for his parents as these events occurred before civil registration (July 1837) The best there will be are entries in the parish records. I have not been able to find them. Here is Edmund's baptism and marriage

Edmund Long POWELL was baptised Hilperton 14 Oct 1821 parents Charles (a weaver) and Elizabeth. He married Ellen WEBBLEY (Father James) 6 Sep 1847 Hilperton

I note William is a boatman in 1871 so that may explain his absence in 1851. If that is father in law Mary Ann is with, he has certainly aged.

Looks like some possible siblings (Baptisms Hilperton parents Charles and Elizabeth)

James POWL 8 Oct 1797
Eleanor POWEL 3 Apr 1803
Elizabeth POWELL 21 Sep 1806
Grace POWELL 28 Aug 1808
Mary POWEL 28 Jul 1811


I wonder what other entries may be in the Hilperton Parish Records. William is unaccounted for and one would think there would be more baptisms between 1811 and 1821. I have had no luck with a marriage of Charles and Elizabeth either. (Perhaps LONG is a clue- alas it hasn't helped me)

Sorry to say, all in all, I have achieved little.

Cheers Kris  

[Axamfam]

Hi Kris

Wow! I cannot thank you enough for the amount of effort you have put into trying to resolve my dilemma.  You certainly have provided me with far more than I have been able to figure out on my own.

I am on my way to Hilperton at the moment hoping at least to visit the addresses of where they stayed and try and familiarize myself with the area. 

Tracing ones ancestors is certainly a challenge and extremely fascinating.  I will let you know if I figure anything else out.

Thank you once again for your tremendous help

Cheers
Nina

[Axamfam]

Hi Kris

I think I managed to trace the marriage of Charles Powell and Elizabeth Richman in 1796 in Hilperton.  Unfortunately it doesn't give there ages at time of marriage or either of the fathers names?  Do you know was this the norm on all pre 1837 marriages?

I have also traced the baptism for William Thomas Powell which I found in Hilperton parish for 1853, it stated alongside that he was 2 years and 20 days old at the time, but I still can't find his birth cert or his parents marriage.   

Do you have any other methods you might suggest of obtaining his mothers maiden name?

Do you know are there school records that go back to the 1850-70s and if so do you know where I could access them?
Also any idea where they would likely to have been buried?

Don't know if you can help further?
Many thanks
Nina 

[krisesjoint]

Hi Nina,

Thats great - Lovely baptism entry to list his age so exactly. I posted the birth refs in reply 3 above.

William POWELL Sep 1/4 1851 Melksham 8 393
Fred POWELL Jun 1/4 1857 Melksham 5a 112

these can be ordered from GRO at 7 pound each.

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

These Certs will provide the mothers name.

As to pre civil registration. No sorry, fathers names and ages were not listed. 

School Records I would think if any exist the Records Office would be the people to ask. Some Schools do still hold some old records but these records will not list mothers maiden name (probably just a Father or guardian)

Cheers Kris 

[Axamfam]

Hi Kris

Just a quick update.
I have just received the birth certificate for William Thomas Powell, although certificate only has William Powell DOB 30 July 1851.  Parents are listed as William Powell occupation Boatman and Mary Ann Huntly.

I have tried searching for a marriage for these two but still have had no success, and can't find birth cert for Mary Ann Huntly either. So still haven't got much further.

Cheers
Nina

[Elainesch]

Nina & Kris,
William Powell and Mary Ann Huntley are my g/g/parents.
I've just started to research my mother's line - Powell & Huntley  +  Chapman & Pearce from Wiltshire.
I found William Powell and Mary Ann Huntley's marriage on ancestry.com - they were married in Apr-May-June 1849 at Bath  Avon  Somerset.

Their son Fred Huntley Powell b.c. 1857 is Mum's g/father - who married Agnes Pearl Chapman in Dec. 1886 and came out to Australia in 1887.
I haven't any certificates as yet. I found and printed out the above surnames from the North Wiltshire online Census 1861 - I haven't had time to go through it yet.

Nina - do you know of any other siblings or family connections?
Elaine