Masters Family in Dorset/S. Wilts

[tiny99tina]

The Parish Reg. I ordered from FHC was damaged and the Yrs[1786-1796] that I required were unreadable. I am hoping to locate the Family of Ann Masters, B c/1786; Died 1865 Tisbury R.D.. I have found a George & Mary in Tisbury Reg. Deaths. I found a Marriage in St Andrews Reg. William Masters & Mary Brockaway [also Mary Wyatt]. Also, there is an Ann Masters, Age 65[1786] listed as a Pauper in the 1851 Census for Semley. The Marriage Cert is interesting, 1820 at St. Martin, Salisbury & it states "of this Parish" for the bride, Ann Masters, She was able to sign her name on the reg, while the Groom, John Parret, signed his 'X' mark. Various Census give her pl. Of birth as Donhead, St Mary. Berwick St Leonard, Donhead St Andrew. Their children were named 1]Mary Jane, 2] George 3] Richard 4] Frances Jane.
I am at a block, and would really appreciate some help from the fine minds on this forum!

[birdlip]

Hi there,

I hope this will help, I had a look at the 1841 census for Masters, and there are some I can add to your list;

H0107/1190/2/11/38/ P9
Alms Houses, Bedwyn St, St Edmunds Salisbury
John Masters 70*Chair M, N (not born in county)

[There were others in Salisbury itself in 1841; Sarah Masters 30, George 20, and Jane 18, all living separately, I didn't know if they would be useful, as they are the next generation. Let me know if you'd like their details though.]

Ho107/1170/7/5/7/ P6
Semley
William Masters 85* Ag Lab Y
Ann do 55 Y ( this looks like the Ann you found in 1851, 65, pauper b Semley)
James do 30 Ag Lab Y
Harriott do 30 Y
Emy do 6 Y
James 5 Y

* ages were rounded down in 41, either of these two older men could be a possible candidate for Ann's father.

H0107/1175/5/8/20/P2
Pigs trough Lane, Donhead St Andrew
Silas Masters 50 Publican Y
Hariot do 50Y

...and on the opposite page;

George Masters 55 Ag Lab Y (the same George and Mary you found?)
Mary do 65
William do 20 Y

It's interesting Ann could sign her name. There weren't any witnesses recorded on the marriage entry?

[birdlip]

I'm fairly certain this is Silas Masters, the publican in Donhead St Andrew on IGI Family Search, a SLIGHTLY more unusual name makes it so much easier!

Silas MASTERS christened 20 Mar 1788 Semley Wilts. Parents William MASTERS and Amey.[ Batch C154622]

I found four other children christened in Semley with the same parents;

Thomas 04 Jun 1781
Elizabeth 04 Sep 1782
Ann 30 Oct 1785
John 15 Jan 1792

I think Wm living in Semley, aged 85 or older in 1841 is likely to be the father of these five. Ann, living with him in 41, and a pauper in 51 is probably either an unmarried daughter, or daughter in law. What was her status in 1851?

[birdlip]

Aha.. I just looked it up. In 1851, Ann Masters, pauper, 65, is living with her son James, 41 and his wife Harriett and family in Semley. She's described as mother, widow. James and Harriett's oldest daughter is Amey, 16...which is nice, because it confirms its the same family. She is presumably named after her Grandmother.

So if this Ann Masters was the daughter in law of old William, and NOT his daughter Ann, (christened in Semley in 1785), could this christening be the one you're looking for?

[tiny99tina]

Wow! You certainly went to a lot of work on my behalf! Thanks very much. I will work on this angle and see if it gets some results. She is a tough one !!!!!!
Thanks again, Much appreciated.

[birdlip]

You're welcome..let us know how it turns out

cheers birdlip

[Ffortune]

D St Mary has a number of Masters baptism's but no Ann's circa 1786.
D St Andrew has an Ann Master ch 15 oct 1780 bbd of Jane Masters
regards ffortune

[tiny99tina]

Thank-you for your reply. Every one is so helpful on this wonderful site!

[plumtreed]

We seem to have two threads for Masters on the go both from Canada and both have an interest in Donhead St Mary and Donhead St.Andrew. Is there a connection. These places are very small. I wrote quite a long reply on the other thread but it hasn't shown for some reason.

[Jan1954]

We seem to have two threads for Masters on the go both from Canada and both have an interest in Donhead St Mary and Donhead St.Andrew. Is there a connection. I think that this (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26354) is the other thread to which plumtreed refers.
I wrote quite a long reply on the other thread but it hasn't shown for some reason.
Unable to help you there, I'm afraid. Could you have been timed out for some reason? That has happened to me before now. If I am posting a long reply, I now write it in word first of all and then copy/paste over.

[plumtreed]

Thank you Jan- timing-out is probably the reason. I hadn't thought of that.