Hello everyone. I am not sure if this question is in the right section here so apologies if it is not.
I have come across a bit of a puzzle in my family history research; my ancestors were all very ordinary, very poor folk so apart from parish, census and BMD records there is very little information available on them. Most of my ancestors had children every year or every few years but in the case of my 5x great grandparents there are some strange gaps in the births of their children. Here are the details:
My 5 x great grandfather was Michael GRIFFITHS... as best I can tell he was probably born about 1741 in Mitchel Troy, near Monmouth, Wales. He married Elizabeth BROWN in Gloucester in 1768 and the family continued living in Gloucester from that point on, although I have been unable to identify a burial for Michael (bn 1741.. died ?). Their parish marriage record shows them as 'full age' and 'of this parish'.
In 1769 they had a daughter, Elizabeth, who became my 4 x great grandmother. In 1781 they had a son, Michael, who died in infancy, and in 1786 they had a daughter, Susannah, who also died in infancy.
That's a 12 year gap between their first child and their second, and a further 5 year gap between their second and third child.
I have trawled through all the various parish records and neighbouring parishes and can find no other children at all.
I was wondering whether Michael Griffiths (bn 1741) may have been serving in the army or navy during this period, which may account for the strange gaps in between the birth of his children?
Unfortunately I can't find any military records online or locally that answers my question.
Do any of you have any suggestions as to how I can further my research?
Thanks,
Bryan Griffiths.
