Identifying my gt gt gt grandmother?

[Megan Roberts]

My great great grandmother was Elizabeth Williams born around 1843 around Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire.
You can see I know a lot about her!

She married George Cozens (he spells his surname many different ways) 23 Nov 1861 in Haverfordwest Registry Office, and they were both living at Dredgeman Hill, which is about 2 miles south of Haverfordwest, and both their father’s were called Thomas. They were both 19 years old, and there were no Williams’ witnesses.

Elizabeth & George had 14 children, and I have the censuses through to their deaths in the early 1900s. In those Elizabeth variously says that she is from Johnston (the parish), or Portfield Gate (about 3.5 miles from Dredgeman Hill and about 2.5 miles west of Haverfordwest), or simply Haverfordwest.

None of this has helped me identify her mother. There are 14 birth registrations in Haverfordwest for an Elizabeth Williams 1843 +/- 1 year, and I am sure that more than one of them would have Thomas as a father, but I admit that I have not tried the route of a GRO blind search yet.

If I search the 1851 Census for an Elizabeth Williams born 1843 +/- 1 year in the Haverfordwest Registration District I get 8 results, and filtering those down households with a Thomas in there are only 3. One of those is in the parish of Lambston, which is next to the parish of Johnston and about 1.5 miles from Portfield Gate. The mother is called Hannah, and she has brothers called Samuel and Benjamin. My Elizabeth had a daughter called Hannah / Anna (her name changed at different times), and sons called Samuel and Benjamin. As far as I have been able to determine these names did not come from their father’s side.

Do people think that I have identified my great great great grandmother, or do they think that I should take a punt and ask the GRO to do a blind search for the birth of and Elizabeth Williams born around 1843 in the Haverfordwest registration district whose father was Thomas Williams?

[Jomot1]

Rather than the GRO why not try the local registrar?

I did this to find my GG Grandmother, and like you I had only a father's name and occupation and a vague idea of when/where she was born, and they found her straight away, despite having a really common name. It may be slightly more expensive (£11) but the service tends to be better in my opinion.

[Megan Roberts]

I can't try the local registrar as I live in Lancashire.

[Jomot1]

You can ring them, or write (I wrote and enclosed a cheque)

[Megan Roberts]

Well I have rung them and placed and order and now I shall wait and see - and let you know what happens.

[emeltee]

The Elizabeth baptised Lamston with parents Thomas and Hannah was actually baptised Elizabeth Anne. Abode was Poorfield Gate and Thomas was a Labourer.

There is another baptism, this time in Wiston 2 April 1843 parents Thomas and Martha. Abode is Wiston Wood and Thomas is a Tea Dealer.

Images of both on fmp.

Emeltee

[Megan Roberts]

I've seen the two baptisms and I am very tempted by the former although I've never seen her use a middle name.

Oh why weren't they literate, why didn't leave a family bible? But then again where would the fun be ?

[Megan Roberts]

Well I thought that I would update everyone on the outcome of this.

Following Jomot1's suggestion I rang Pembrokeshire County Council and asked them to search out a birth certificate based on the information set out in my initial post. It arrived today. It took a little longer than the GRO. However, for me the advantage of using the local office was their knowledge of local place names, which the GRO cannot take account of.

My Elizabeth is indeed the daughter of Thomas and Hannah from Lambston. The next headache is that Hannah's maiden name was Jones!

[emeltee]

Thomas Williams married Hannah Jones 22 September 1839 in Ambleston (about 8 miles from Lambston according to Genuki) His father was James Williams, Labourer and her father was John Jones (can it get any worse!)also a labourer.

The basic marriage is on FreeReg and an image of the Register entry is on fmp.

Emeltee

[emeltee]

Hannah Jones baptised Ambleston 18 June 1815 parents John and Anne, occ Labourer, abode Woodstock

Again can be found on Freereg and image on fmp.

Emeltee