Jones nightmare - advice please.

[busyglen]

Can anyone give me some advice please on trying to locate my Edward JONES? I feel that I have got as far as I will ever get, unless I can find another trail to follow.

Edward Jones b.c.1805 in Denbighshire according to the 1861 Census when he was living in Chelsea. So far I have the following information:

He married: Eliza BERMINGHAM on 8th Aug. 1830 in Hackney, Middx. This info gleaned from Pallots, and kindly copied by a forum member for me. The two witnesses look like the Groom for the next wedding, and another who witnessed several other weddings that day, so no clues here.

In 1841 he is found in Mddx. with wife Eliza, son Thomas, and daughters Eliza and Maria. Edward is shown as a Scale Maker.

1851 he is at St. Geo Han. Sq., with the same family as above with the addition of Elizabeth aged 5, who is my gt. grandmother.

1861 finds them in Chelsea, and Thomas is married and living in the same house with his wife Hannah, and children Thomas & George.

Elizabeth married Alfred Strong Jarvis in Chelsea in 1864, and I think I have found Edward's death the same year. I'm just awaiting cert. for proof.
Eliza is to be found in 1871 with daughter Maria, who is married.

Cont..

[busyglen]

I have Elizabeth & Alfred from then on, but it is Edward that I need to concentrate on.

I have searched IGI and came across quite a load of Edward Jones (of course) but one sticks out more than the others, although the birth is a couple of years out.

I found Edward Jones birth 2nd Oct. 1803, Ruabon, Denbigh, Wales,
Father: Thomas Jones, Mother: Elizabeth Jones.

Because Edward named his son Thomas, I feel this could be after his father, and although their firstborn daughter was named Eliza after his wife, there was a daughter named Elizabeth, which `could' be after his mother.

Do you think this is reason enough to try and get info from the PRs for Ruabon? I really don't have any more clues, especially as he married out of his birth area, and parents not mentioned.

I should be grateful for any advice.

Glenys

[Peter Goodey]

"Do you think this is reason enough to try and get info from the PRs for Ruabon?"

I don't want to be a wet blanket but (1) it's a patron submission and (2) the IGI coverage of Wales is so poor that I would have thought it's dangerous to draw any conclusions from it.

If it were me, and I'm glad it's not, I'd check the Society of Genealogists' library catalogue and if it looks worthwhile, arrange to spend a day in the library ploughing through what they've got.

[busyglen]

Thanks Peter...you have only confirmed what I actually thought. :(

I was wary of pursuing the PRs based on the IGI reference, and my `guessing' that it could be the right one, which is why I posted this for someone else's observations.

Thanks for the idea of the Soc. of Genealogists' library catalogue, I guess anything is worth a try.

Glenys

[busyglen]

As an afterthought....there's no way I can `prove' that a specific `Mr. Jones or Mrs Jones' is actually his parents is there? I know I am a bit `thick' but this is the first time I have come across a line, that has moved away from a place of birth, without parents, and no link to a Census. It was most inconsiderate of Edward to die just after the 1861 Census...as he might have given more info on the 1871!

I can't see that I will ever find or know who his parents were .....there's just not enough to go on. Unless I am missing something.

Wouldn't you know that both sides of this saga are looking to be unsolved?!! :(

Glenys

[janbooth]

Would he have had to serve an apprenticeship to become a Scale Maker and then a Master Scale Maker (1851 census)?? You might find a clue in apprenticeship records - you never know your luck!!

Janet

[busyglen]

Would he have had to serve an apprenticeship to become a Scale Maker and then a Master Scale Maker (1851 census)?? You might find a clue in apprenticeship records - you never know your luck!!

Janet

Hallo Janet, that is a very good point and one that I am going to look at.

It's surprising what an afternoons ironing has achieved, as I was feeling a bit depressed at the thought of never finding out where Edward was born. I got to thinking about his occupation (although I hadn't got as far as thinking apprenticeship records) and remembered that son Thomas was also a weights and scale maker as well. This led me to thinking that I should try to come forward from Thomas and the other children, to see if I could link up with some `cousins' who `may' have gleaned where Edward came from.

I have most of the information down from my gt. grandmother Elizabeth Jones/Jarvis, but I think Thomas is a more likely candidate to follow. He was obviously a fairly intelligent fellow, and followed his father in the occupation, so it's quite possible that he `talked' with his father about his early life. I'm banking on the fact that anything that was said, was passed on to Thomas' children etc. So...it's worth a try! But first, I will follow your suggestion, thank you for reminding me. :)

Glenys

[Wirral]

Have you tried the trade directories to see if there are any other scalemakers with the name of Jones at that time? If there aren't too many scalemakers in the directory you could cross-check them all against the census to see where they came from.
PS What is "ironing"? ;)

[tommy166]

ironing noun
1 clothes and household linen, etc which need to be or have just been ironed.
2 the act or process of ironing.

:rolleyes:
HTH
Tom

[Mythology]

Ironing: noun

Pointless ritual involving the rhythmic use of an iron (q.v.) which does not make clothes any cleaner.

Notes:
1) May result in backache.
2) May result in serious burns to both clothing and skin.
3) May result in injury to feet if the iron is dropped.
4) Complete waste of time.
5) Complete waste of physical energy.
6) Expensive, and environmentally unfriendly - a complete waste of electricity.

;)

[busyglen]

Hi Wirral....No, I haven't tried the trade directories, to be honest it's the first time that I have come across the necessity to look at any. My lot were mostly, ag. labs or glaziers etc. (so far that is). Am I right in thinking that, the directories cover all areas so it would be a case of me looking for one that was in Wales, as a possible for Edward? I am `assuming' that he learnt his trade in Wales, and then came to London, but, of course, he could have come to London as a young apprentice, in which case I imagine he would have been about 16? It's also possible that he came with his parents, but with no details of them, I can't tell.

A kind forum member looked up several London PO directories and came across Edward over a few years, which gave me some areas to look at for the Censuses. They then stopped, which gave me a starting point to look for his death, which I found and am awaiting the cert. Thanks for your idea...they all help!

I don't think I need to explain the ironing now do I? :)

Glenys

[busyglen]

|biggrin| Oh dear Myth! I now have a picture of a man in slippers, wrinkly trousers, crinkly shirt, and a crumpled cardy for when it is cold. ;)

Although tiring, I do find that ironing gives me space to think. I don't really have to concentrate too much, as so much is done automatically, but I have solved many a problem during this `pastime'.

Perhaps you should try....you might come up with a wonderful idea for your `man of God' saga! ;)

Glenys

[busyglen]

Well, I have just received Edward Jones death certificate, which was in 1864, so I now have a bit more information.

He is shown as a (Master) Scale Maker, aged 60, and his daughter Maria was present at his death. I wonder where his wife Eliza was?

Oh well, back to the drawing board!

Glenys

[Mythology]

"I wonder where his wife Eliza was?"

Downstairs doing the ironing I expect, so not actually present!

Seriously, it's nothing unusual to find that the informant is a son or daughter rather than the partner of the deceased, so don't read anything into her "absence" - I have a good few of these myself. The whole darned family could have been at his bedside, it's just a case of whoever volunteered to trot down the register office and deal with the paperwork - in one case with mine, the twelve year-old daughter is the informant when my lady fell over, but hubby is still around.

So, I'd still go for that marriage that looks like your Maria - the Eliza with her on the census is quite likely to be your one even though she's not the informant on this death cert.

[busyglen]

Thanks for your advice Myth. I am going to pursue two lines at the moment...Maria's marriage, which I have details of, and also Thomas' marriage which I am going to do a search for tomorrow when I have a bit more time. I'm also going to have a look for Eliza's death when I have time.

I think my Elizabeth was somewhat separated from the family after the marriage. She was younger than Maria or her sister Eliza, but I think there could have been repercussions because of her marriage to Alfred whilst they were both underage. The parents didn't attend her wedding, so obviously not a `joyful' occasion!

Thanks again for the observations, they all help. :)

Glenys