Pritchard family in shropshire

[bitzar]

Hi Garen

Just wondering if you can add any more from your post from October 2014.  The Sarah (who you thought could by Adey) on the 1851 census is still known as Sarah in 1871 living with John and Emma.  Presumeably the same John and Emma who were John Snr and Sarah's neighbours on the 1851 census.

Regards.

[Garen]

Hello bitzar

I haven't really looked further into Sarah Pritchard since my post, but here's what I have ...

Sarah appears on the 1841, 51, 61 and 71 census returns - widowed and with John and Emma in 61 and 71. Going by her census ages she seems to have been born Shifnal c.1795. (Adey was born c.1794, baptised in Wellington, about 7.5 mi from Shifnal).

A Sarah Pritchard died 30 Mar 1876, age 80, at Coal Pit Bank (aka Ketley Bank), so this is probably her.

A possible marriage:
John Pritchard (widower, collier, of Oaken Gates) marr. Sarah Fletcher (née Johnson), Shifnal, 1838. Oaken Gates is close to/part of Ketley Bank/Coal Pit Bank.

Or ... Adey and Sarah could be the same person (in which case marr. 1814, Wellington).

I think I'm favouring the theory that Sarah is Sarah Fletcher, a second marriage for John (b.1791) and John Pritchard's (b.1822) step-mother.

Would be interested in your thoughts - do you have a connection here?

Many thanks - Garen.

[bitzar]

Hello Garen

I've recently picked back up on 'The Pritchard's' after taking a few years off.  I believe we've been in contact before many years ago and I think we sit about the same generation from Benjamin Pritchard c.1852 - Walter Ebenezer being my gr grandfather.

From what I've looked at over the last few days I think I'm with you re John's remarriage to Sarah Fletcher.  I cant see Edy suddenly using the name Sarah.  Although, is Edy a name that is common in Salop?  Do you think it's pronounced like Eady or Eddie?!  Forget it, I'm Australian and wouldn't understand it anyway probably, lol.

Do you know which parish church they attended in Wellington or the area?  Thought maybe I could try to track a burial record for Edy through alternate means.

Regards,

Steven.
Melbourne, Australia

[Garen]

Hello Steven - yes, I think we were in touch a few years ago :-) I'm descended from Walter's sister, Alice Pritchard.

I think it's Eadie ("Eedie") - she's also recorded as Adelaide, Adey, Addey, Ady, Edy and Hadegum (!?).

There is a death for an Edey Pritchard at Coal Pit Bank in 1827 - but the age is recorded as 23 (so b. abt. 1804). But if this age is wrong, maybe exactly 10 years out, then that could be our Edy Aston (b. c.1794).

Interestingly, 7 days after the burial of Edey Pritchard, there is the burial of a Steven Pritchard, "infant". Edy Aston's father was Stephen Aston.

John Pritchard seems to have died Dec 1851, age 60.

All these baptisms, marriages and deaths seem to be recorded at All Saints, in the centre of Wellington. I've been accessing the parish records through FindMyPast.

[bitzar]

Interesting Garen

I would suppose that maybe the age 33 looked like a 23 on paper?  It must be her, surely, and most likely little Steven.  The year fits well with Harriett baptised 1826.

Have you found Salome Pritchard and Walter Walters arrival into Australia?  Prob between 1839-1842 and I would guess Sydney, but only a guess because they settled in Newcastle.  I haven't found it yet.

Regards, Steven.

[Garen]

Hello Steven

It does look very much like a 23 (attached). It's one of those things where she was also buried on the 23rd, and you wonder if brains weren't quite in gear that day. Having said that - the name Edey isn't at all common (even with its variations) and I see no similar name being baptised in Shropshire c.1803.

A Harriett Pritchard, infant of Coal Pit Bank, was buried 10 Jul 1826, but I can't tell if she was the daughter of John and Edey (bapt. 25 June 1826) or of Ann Pritchard (bapt 11 Jun 1826), both of Coal Pit Bank.

I didn't know Salome and Walter went to Australia! Intrigued ...

Best - Garen

[bitzar]

Well Garen, that would def read 23.  Maybe it was just one of those days!


I discovered by accident one day when I was on Trove (Old Australian Newspapers On-line) checking for Walter Ebenezer Pritchard, a match with WALTER, and EBENEZER, and also SALOMIE.  Of course this rang a bell.  Looking into it more it was a funeral notice in Newcastle, NSW for Salome Walters.  Salome had a son Ebenezer too.  I found her death which noted father as John and kind of worked backwards as you do and then the whole ASTON thing fell in front of me.  I never knew about the Aston's until very recently.

I'm currently doing some research on the Walters in Australia, a bit tricky as the surname changes a bit as does Salome.  I am yet to find their arrival though.  I do know though that Salome probably arrived about 75 years before our Pritchard's.

Until later

Steven.

[Garen]

Wow - that's really interesting to have Pritchards in Aus. so early (and not transported?). I found that Salome/Walter marriage, but wasn't sure if it was Salome from Wellington - one of the witnesses at the marriage was Isabella Pritchard, who I haven't yet placed, and there was also a Salome Pritchard who died in Dudley in 1850.

By the way (sorry if you already know this) - if that is John Pritchard's death in 1851, and I believe it is (age and residence matches the census records) - his death was not a natural one. There are two other names buried on the same day as him at All Saints, 54 year old Thomas Hayward and 14 year old Thomas Rigby. All three died when the rope holding the basket lowering them down the Cow Wood Pit at Red Lake snapped and they fell to the bottom. It was discovered that the rope had been partially cut with a sharp instrument of some kind.

If that is his second marriage to Sarah Fletcher/Johnson (it must be) then John Pritchard's father was Joseph Pritchard, who may have died in 1823. I think Sarah's first husband was George Fletcher.

How far did you get with the Astons? I have Stephen Aston b.abt. 1747, d. 1829, and he married Rosamond Holmes in Shifnal in 1774. She was b. 1752 to Robert Holmes and Anne (possibly Typton) and died in 1838.

All best - Garen

[bitzar]

Garen

Even though I'm researching Walter and Salome, I'm still sceptical.  Hence the research.  I'm going to ask Uncle Neil, if he remembers anything about family in Newcastle because Mum certainly doesn't know anything about it.  The Walter family here also don't know. Argh...  Garen , if you've been the marriage of Walter and Salome, does it mention the father of Salome?

My brain just had a spark... Did you know that Edith Salome Pritchard was known as 'Edy', Aunty Edy O'Brien.

Rgds, Steven.