Doris Williams Orphaned Swansea area

[KXL1973]

I'm going to have to buy the certificates for definate proof but Anna, thanks to your searching I think they have been found! I too checked the 1901 census with just V Williams thinking the name might have been spelt wrong but couldn't find anything. You are a super sleuth 

I took a look at the info you found and on ancestry is shows the name as Vala, not a name I have ever heard of. Checking the document there is definately an i in there so as you say it could be Viola or indeed Vida!

I've also checked the freeBMD for deaths between 1901 and 1911 and in 1903 there is a death of a Jane Williams in Gower aged 37 and the death of David Williams aged 52 in Gower in 1904. Which going by their ages in 1901 would be about right.......
Checked marriages too, and there is a marriage in Dec 1890 between David Williams and Jane Thomas. Checked births for Jane Thomas and there is one in Gower in 1865, which would also tie in with the age on 1901 census....

I hope I am not getting ahead of myself with excitement! lol


kelly

[avm228]

In case they are the right people, David and Jane are already married (and in Newton, Oystermouth) by the time of the 1891 census: RG12/4488/36/5.

With them, helpfully, is a "brother-in-law" William Thomas, 17 b Oystermouth - providing a rather helpful clue to Jane's maiden name...

Sure enough:

Marriage Dec qtr 1890   
 
Jane THOMAS   
David WILLIAMS

on same page: Gower 11a 1681

[KXL1973]

They must be one and the same.
I guess there is no knowing for sure until I get the certificates, but that's a brilliant start.
I also looked on ancestry at the 1891 census, took me a while as the surname is stated as William not Williams! Found it via the brother in law.

Thank you so much for your help, I wouldn't have got this far without it!

I'm going to order the certificates today so will let you know what they say!

Kelly

[avm228]

Hope the certificates come quickly!

For the future, the way to sidestep mistranscriptions in a particular provider's index is simply to use the full census reference with no names. That is why experienced Rootschatters will always give you the full reference on a lookup (e.g. RG12/[piece]4488/[folio]36/[page]5 for that 1891 family I gave you).

Obviously you can't do this when searching speculatively.  Thank goodness for wildcards!

Anna

[KXL1973]

Hi All

Have the certificates! birth certificate shows parents as David Williams & Jane Thomas & marriage certificate shows father as David Williams also. So the 1901 census with the mispelling of Vida was indeed spot on! 

What's making me giggle (on Doris' marriage certificate) as somehow from being a labourer on 1901 census & Doris' birth certificate, David Williams has somehow managed to have trained as a Master Baker in the 3 yrs before his death in 1904?? Maybe a little white lie on Doris' part to make her father seem grander as her husband's father was a 'locomotive engine driver'!

Thank you so much again for your help

Kelly

[halfasheep]

I see you mentioned Nazareth House - this is a place my mother always threatened to send me to when I was naughty - since I am only 30 at the moment, and this was about 20 years ago, I'm not sure if it's still around.

From memory, it was in the Cardiff area, and was run by nuns - I think it was an orphanage.

I should also point out that I think it may have been run by Roman Catholic nuns, so that may narrow it down further for you

[osprey]

The Swansea branch of Nazareth House is on Clyne Common and became a care home in the 1950s. There was also Killay House in Gower Road from 1929 which provided a new site for
Swansea Orphan Home for Girls. This home was around from the 1860s so could be a candidate for your orphanage. Can't find any reference to the records - possibly at West Glam Archives in Swansea?

http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=406/

or could be with the NCH as they took over Killay House?
http://www.theirhistory.co.uk/70001/info.php?p=9

 

[humptydumpty]

I remember" Cottage Homes" in Cocket, Swansea. Were they orphanages?

[osprey]

they were part of the workhouse and the records are in the archives in Swansea

www.swansea.gov.uk/media/pdf/8/3/Poor_Law_Union_records.pdf