John & Jane THOMAS

[MissyJ137]

Hi All,

I've been tracing my ancestors back into Wales and need a little help from some amazing Rootschatter researchers.

My great grandmother Charlotte THOMAS was born in Cardigan and immigrated to Australia in 1869. I just found out that her parents were Evan and Jane THOMAS.

What I know so far is that Evan was listed on her death certificate as Marine Master. I've had a look at the information in the occupations section of R'chat, but realise that I can't find his certificate of competency as I don't know where he was born (as the search result for his name came up with multiple people). I'm guessing he was born in around 1815? as his first child was born in 1840. He doesn't appear on any census records that I've found.

I don't know Jane's surname before she got married, however can see her in the census records living in Cardigan, St Mary's Parish, in 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871. Her occupation on these is listed as Mariners wife. She disappears from the census data after this and I think that the death I found in 1872 (vol.11b, p.2) is hers.

They had 6 children:
Evan (1840 - ?) - worked as a mariner 1861 census on "Glenroy"
Charlotte (1843-1903)
Jane (1846 - ?) - milliner
Margaret (1849 - ?) milliner
John (1855 - ?)
Marianna (1857 - ?) - milliner

So my big task is to try find:

1. Where and when was Evan born
2. What was Jane's surname before she was married so I can try to find their marriage certificate
3. What was Evan's certificate of compency number so I can find more about the ships he worked on
4. When and where did he die?
5. Their parents names (very unlikely to find it but thought I'd add it as a wish  )

Any help will be appreciated as to where I might be able to find this information about Evan and Jane.

Many thanks,
Mel 

[osprey]

Charlotte's birth cert would give you Jane's maiden name. Her age on the 2 census entries suggests her birth was a bit before 1843, given that she is enumerated as 9 in 1851 & 19 in 1861. Perhaps this registration?

Charlotte Thomas sept qtr 1841 Cardigan vol 27 pg 37

There's a good site for Welsh mariners

http://www.welshmariners.org.uk/index.php

There's an entry for her brother Evan cc no. 93696, gives his last address as 9 William St. Number 10 is now a holiday let
http://westwalesholidaycottages.co.uk/number-10

I can't see an obvious marriage after civil registration in 1837, nor in the last few years of parish marriages.

 

[MissyJ137]

Thanks Osprey. I've just applied to get a copy and also of her marriage certificate to see if it helps me out with her husband parents details.

Mel

[osprey]

best & cheapest way if you're ordering from overseas is to order from the GRO which you can do online, assuming you have a credit card of some sort. Cost is £9.25 and includes postage. You'll need the registration district and vol & page numbers I gave you.

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

In the UK, it's possible to order from the registrars who now hold the registers. Last time I ordered from Cardigan, they needed an sae which would be difficult from abroad.

It's always a good idea to ask. A poster asked me the same question a few weeks ago and ordered from a commercial site before I'd replied, so paid nearly 3 times the amount! 

 
 

[MissyJ137]

Thanks. I ordered them both from GRO and have to wait for them to be posted to Australia. According to their website it should take about 7 days...I'll need to be patient! The conversion from GBP into Australian dollars is similar to what we pay here, so £9.25 isn't too bad.

Charlotte's husband was David Davies. On his death certificate it listed his father John Davies (occupation: miner) and mother unknown. I thought as it's such a common name that I might struggle a bit more about him, hence trying to find Charlotte's family first 

David was born in Aberayron in 1836.

Mel

[osprey]

that's not going to be easy! Aberaeron doesn't appear as that on early census records. Think it's covered by Llanddewi Aberarth & Henfynyw. But it's coastal and not really a mining area, although there's mining elsewhere in the county - plenty of lead mining in the Cwmrheidol area

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CGN/Henfynyw/

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CGN/LlanddewiAber-Arth/

It's a really pretty place, lots of Georgian buildings painted with strong colours. Think there must be meetings with shade cards as neighbours never have the same colour!

http://www.aberaeron.info/

 

[MissyJ137]

Update...

The birth certificate I ordered for Charlotte THOMAS finally arrived today (still waiting on the marriage certificate). It lists the father as John not Evan, occupation sailor  . So I'm not sure if it's the correct Charlotte or if her father was a "Evan John" or "John Evan" THOMAS?

If it is the correct certificate, the positive is Jane's maiden name is included...but it's DAVIES, so will not be easy to get any more info. Fingers crossed that the marriage certificate might hold the answers of her father's name.

[osprey]

think the John is correct. Have a look at the mariners' site and there's an entry for John Thomas born 1810. He died in 1867 , of William Street, Cardigan and probate granted to his widow, Jane.

CC number for him = 47682

His death reg
John Thomas 56 june qtr 1867 Scilly vol 5c pg 225

possible marriage
John Thomas sept qtr 1837 Cardigan vol 26 pg 35 with Jane Davies on the same page

bit more maritime info
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CGN/MaritimeHeritage.html

 

[MissyJ137]

Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at the mariners site and see what I can learn about him