1851 census lookup Wiltshire

[Darcy]

If anyone has access to the 1851 census for Wiltshire I would appreciate a lookup for

                             John Shepherd

According to the 1871 census John was born at -           

                      Ebbesborne, Wilts in 1843.
 
Any help much appreciated.

Cheers,
Aaron

[Geoff]

Hi Aaron,

I've checked the 1851 census for Wiltshire & also Somerset, Gloucestershire, Bristol, Worcestershire, Devon, Norfolk & Warwickshire.

There are only a couple of John SHEPHERD'S in the age group your looking for, an 11 year old Scholar born in Thornbury, Gloucestershire and at the time of the census he is living in Dursley.

Two other's are around that age but born & living in Devon.

If you know that he was born in Wiltshire then he must have been living in places other than those above.

Cheers
Geoff

[Darcy]

Hi Geoff,
I really appreciate your time - the Shepherds are a particularly elusive bunch. Who knows where they have got to!

I notice from your profile that you are researching the Fisher name in Lincolnshire - got any ancestors in the Whaplode Drove area? My maternal great grandmother was a Fisher- originally from Kings Cliffe Northampton.

Cheers,
Aaron

[MB]

Hi Aaron

This might be your John Shepherd. Looks like his Mum might have married more than once.
The following is from a transcription of the 1851 Wiltshire census made by Gordon Beavington:

The Whole of the Parishes of Fifield Bavant and Ebbesbourne Wake, Little London
Page 18
Persons 174 Male 187 Female 361 Total
Enumerator Henry Bennett

27
May Lane
SHEPHERD ELIZABETH Widow/er 43 Pauper Brifford
CROUTER James Son 22 Ag. Lab. Ebbesbourne, Wilts.
Sarah 17 Pauper Ebbesbourne, Wilts.
Mary 15 Daughter Ebbesbourne, Wilts.
John 9 Scholar Ebbesbourne, Wilts.
Frederick 7 Scholar Ebbesbourne, Wilts.

You also mention Whaplode Drove. We live in South Lincs, not too far from there. We don't have any ancestors (yet!) from this area. If you would like any info about or photos of the area just ask.

Regards Mollie

[Darcy]

 Hello Mollie,

thanks a million for that info. John Shepherd has me nearly mad as I couldn't find him anywhere.

I eventually found his marriage in Gloucestershire and received the certificate this week. He gives his father's name as Elias Shepherd.

I found Elias on the IGI and a marriage for Elias to Emma Weeks - all at Ebbesborne and thought that was the right family - now I think that you have found him!!

The problem is that there is no baptism for John on the IGI so I don't know his mother's name. Back to the drawing board for me!!

About Whaplode Drove - I have been looking on the net for a photograph but can't find anything. My 2nd great grandparents lived at 15 Crowland Road. I would really appreciate a photo of the area - if it's no longer there a photo of St John the Baptist Church would be great.

Thanks again for your interest

Regards
Aaron

[MB]

Hi Aaron

Sorry I haven't got back to you before. We have been enjoying a typical English summer recently, rain every day. Thought it would be nicer to visit Whaplode Drove in the sunshine, but it doesn't look as though there will be a break in the weather for ages. This afternoon took a chance and went out in between the showers. Typically it waited for us to get there and the heavens opened!

Have got a few pics, but was not able to look at all the gravestones in the churchyard. The village is a long narrow one, mostly built along a road called Broadgate. (There are other roads in this area with the same name) They have a Post Office and a Rover Motor Vehicle dealership (which we thought out of place, they are mostly in towns of a reasonable size). There does not seem to be a Crowland Road. We believe it to be the B1166 which does go to Crowland (joining the A1073 for a bit) and then on to Deeping St James. At Whaplode Drove it is called Drove Road; there are no buildings along this stretch of the road.

The church is not imposing like some others in the area. Don't know if it is the original building. Could not find any Fisher's or Pitts on the War Memorial, although you could not read all the names. There is a large stone next to the memorial saying "National School 1842". Did that mean they had a school there? Maybe your ancestors attended it.

The churchyard is very orderly and well maintained. The grass has been cut and there are flowers on some of the graves. Where there are no gravestones there are marker pegs with letters and numbers on. There were three more recent Fisher gravestones. Frank Thomas Fisher died 16
August 1998 aged 93 years, Gordon Fisher died 1 April 1996 aged 55, and Denis E Fisher died 24 July 1974 aged 48. They might be related to you. There are no Fisher's or Pitts in the phone book for Whaplode Drove. We will go back to check on the older gravestones when the weather improves.

The size of the pic files are too big to attach, even when I sent it to a zip file. If you e-mail me directly I can then e-mail them directly to you. There is one of the church, one of the school sign and one of the church sign.

Regards Mollie

[MB]

Hi Aaron

If you have e-mailed me I have not received it. I think I have worked out how to downsize the files. Will try to attach one to this message.
Regards Mollie

[Darcy]

Hi Mollie

my apologies for not answering sooner - I must have missed the notification of your email and didn't realise you had posted.

I am thrilled to bits with all the info. I got goose bumps when you were describing the churchyard  - just thinking my people are probably buried there.

I will contact you by PM.
Cheers
Aaron

[MB]

The school sign and church sign