Doris Williams Orphaned Swansea area

[KXL1973]

Thank you for the warm welcome and replies, I wasn't expecting anyone to search for me!

I also saw the Pontardawe family and wondered if it could be the same. There is a death of a Mary Williams, aged 25, Pontardawe in Dec 1902, also a baby called Mary. Possibly if it is the same family she died in childbirth?? Gosh, I'm clutching at straws now! lol

I'm thinking the Abergavenny family but be a bit too out of the Swansea area, but will not rule it out just yet!

The Gower Doris & Vida does sound promising though, will have a look myself and see if I can find anymore out.
In the research for my own family I have come across many different name spellings, age differences and also slightly different places of birth, though all in the same area. I guess this one could be a guessing game!

Totally shocked at husband's families lack of knowledge tho, which reminds me I need to make a post in the Bristol area too! lol

THanks again for your help and if anyone comes across anything please let me know!

KXL

[avm228]

I also saw the Pontardawe family and wondered if it could be the same. There is a death of a Mary Williams, aged 25, Pontardawe in Dec 1902, also a baby called Mary. Possibly if it is the same family she died in childbirth?? Gosh, I'm clutching at straws now! lol

Hi again - this isn't the death of the Mary H. Williams whom lizdb found in 1901, because Mary H. Williams was still alive in 1911 (see my reply #6 above).

Do you know anything at all about Vida (likely birthdate, or even whether older or younger than Doris - and/or whom she married (if anyone) - and/or where & when she died/surname at death)?  Any of this could help to lead us to the "right" Vida in the censuses, which in turn might lead us to Doris!

Anna

[KXL1973]

Hi Anna

I'm told that Vida married a 'Jones'...don't laugh! Needle in haystack comes to mind

I've found a marriage in Dec 1919 where a Vida M Williams married a Henry J Jones in Swansea, this of course could be the Vida May Williams of the Gower born Vida & Doris.

That is all I have to go on I'm afraid, as I said the inlaws aren't very forthcoming with info, my theory is there are skeletons in closets... 

kelly

[avm228]

OK then - here's a possible death for Doris which fits in nicely (as to given names and birthdate) with the Gower birth:

Doris Edith FRASER

Born Aug 1901
Death registered Sep 1989

Swansea 27 2086

Does this fit with what you know?

Anna

[avm228]

Having looked at this further, I now think that the Pontardawe/Ystalyfera/Llangnicke family of David H, Mary H and Vida Williams (from 1901/1911) is likely to be a red herring.

Their daughter Vida is likely to be this one (as to birth reg):

Vida WILLIAMS Jun qtr 1897 Pontardawe 11a 918

as opposed to the Gower registration of Vida May WILLIAMS in the same quarter.

So - where was Vida May WILLIAMS in 1901

Anna

[Fue]

Hi KXL and welcome to Rootschat 

The orphanage bit caught my eye because some very helpful people on this website  helped me find  information on my grandmother. Like you I just had info that she had been in an orphanage somewhere in Swansea.

Anyway, around 1900 my grandmother was in the 'Industrial Home for Orphan Girls, Northampton Lane, Swansea.' Maybe  your ggrandmother was here also?

Fue

[KXL1973]

Anna, have asked hubby if he knows when Doris died and he says can't remember. He would have been 11 in 1989 and says that's about right!  He has some memories of her and I have seen picture of him as a child with her so I think you have probably hit the jackpot!! Thank you 

I'm really thinking that Vida & Doris are the Gower born pair now, it would make sense.  Still doesn't explain why Vida is not on the 1901 census! I guess they must have been out! lol

Fue, thank you for the orphanage info, somewhere to start!

[lizdb]

It does seem this is beginnig to get somewhere.
Evidence so far does seem to indicate that the Gower birth for Doris Edith is looking like a likely birth.
That means that Doris's mother was pregnant with her at the time of the 1901 census, and IF the Vida MAy birth in Gower is her sister, then she should be somewhere in 1901.

And I agree that the Pontadawe couple with young Vida are a red herring (sorry, folks, it was me that introduced them as a possibility)

Personally my next move would be to get the Doris Edith in Gower birth cert. That will give her parents names and hopefully lead to finding this family in 1901, and then maybe to the parents deaths.
An alternative option would be to get her marriage cert to Mr Fraser, on the basis that there is probably more certainty that this is her, and see what that gives about father. Of course, if her natural father dies when she was very young and she never knew him, the information she gives about him on her marriage cert if any might not be reliable.

[avm228]

I agree wholeheartedly with what lizdb says about the need for one or more certificates to take this further.

In the meantime, here's something from the 1901 Wales census which might be worth keeping a note of:

10, New Chapel St, Oystermouth, Glamorgan [in Gower RD]
RG13/5083/46/44

David WILLIAMS Head M 47 Dock labourer Oystermouth
Jane do Wife M 36 Oystermouth
Viola* do Daur 4 Oystermouth

*This is my reading of the name from the enumerator's schedule.  However, FreeBMD shows no Viola (as first or middle name) WILLIAMS being registered at birth in Gower RD for the relevant period.  So I wonder whether the household schedule might in fact have said Vida...?


Anna