James 'Giles' LONG born circa 1813 in Newbury

[Martinfd]

I have been trying for a long time to find the parents of James 'Giles' LONG born in about 1813 in Newbury, Berks which is the place of birth given in all the census returns from 1851-1891. He had children with Susanna Smart (I have daughter Mary Ann Long's birth cert)and they may have married in Oxford in 1833 but the marriage is for a Giles Long to Susanna Smart. In the 1891 census, James is called James Giles Long hence the suspicion that the 1833 marriage is his. There are other Long children born in Newbury around the time of James' birth and these children who may be his siblings were all christened and meticulously recorded at the Newbury Lower Meeting House. They all gave 'Newbury' as their place of birth on census returns.

There is no record of a christening for James in Newbury or anywhere else. I have looked for a James Giles but,again,there is no suitable potential baptism. The only potential parents that I can find are Richard Long and Jane Smith who are the parents of the other Long children born in Newbury at the time but there is nothing to link James to any of them. Just lumping James with these people because they are the only option doesn't sit well with me. Has anyone any helpful suggestions please?

Many thanks.

[Jomot1]

No helpful suggestions I'm afraid, except to say that I agree that James Giles 1833 marriage is the right man - and its interesting that he signed his name as such so its not simply an error on the part of the clergy. I also think that assuming Richard & Jane are his parents would be a mistake.

The most logical assumption would be that he was born under the surname Giles but that his natural or step parent was Long, but I can't see any evidence of that either. Quite a puzzle!

[Martinfd]

Thanks for this and a second opinion does at least help firm up my own views so your comments are much appreciated.

[christanel]

I have been looking at this over the last couple of days and noted that you do not say you have the 1841 census for James 'Gile' Long and neither do the trees I have looked at on ancestry. So this is Susan(nah) I think in the 1841 census but no James with her. She says she is of Independant means. The reason I think it is her is because I looked at all the births of Long children on the GRO index from Sept 1837 onwards with the mother's maiden name Smart and there is a Samuel Long birth registered Faringdon Sept 1/4 1839.
There is also the birth registered June 1/4 1840 for a Thomas Long mmn Smart in the Cheltenham reg dist but he isn't with Susan in the 1841 census. I can't see a death for him up to March 1/4 1841.

1841 HO107 Piece 3537 Book 7 Folio 49 page 3
Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Susan Long 30 Independant
William Long 6
Elizh Long 4
Saml Long 2

None of them born in the county.

Christina

[Jomot1]

Nice find! Familysearch also has a matching baptism for William - 8 Oct 1834 at Great Faringdon (Film No. 1279457, Items 13 - 18)William s/o James & Susanna Long

[Jomot1]

In 1851 William is an apprentice in Witney, Oxfordshire the home of Noble & Ann Long - HO107 Piece 1731 Folio 534 Page 29.

Could this be a lead at last?

I think this is the birth of their youngest daughter:
LONG, ELLEN mmn GREENAWAY GRO Reference: 1839 J Quarter in WITNEY UNION Volume 16 Page 123

[Jomot1]

In 1851 William is an apprentice in Witney, Oxfordshire the home of Noble & Ann Long - HO107 Piece 1731 Folio 534 Page 29.

Could this be a lead at last?

Although maybe not, as there is another William Long in 1841 at Coxwell Street, Faringdon, in the home of Maria Long aged 30 and with an assumed brother named Stephen, aged 5.

There is a baptism 6 Apr 1834 William Long s/o Stephen & Maria, and another 9 Jun 1836 Stephen s/o Maria Long.

[helachau]

FMP baptisms
Eliza Long, bap 6 Aug 1837, place Chipping Norton, parents James and Susanna (transcript only)
Susanna Long, born 6 Jan 1843, bap 3 Feb 1843, Swansea, parents James and Susanna, father Victualler (image/transcript)

Is this them in 1851 - ref HO107 1728 187 46
FMP has transcribed head of Household as "Tim" - should be "Jim"?

[christanel]

FMP baptisms
Eliza Long, bap 6 Aug 1837, place Chipping Norton, parents James and Susanna (transcript only)
Susanna Long, born 6 Jan 1843, bap 3 Feb 1843, Swansea, parents James and Susanna, father Victualler (image/transcript)

Is this them in 1851 - ref HO107 1728 187 46
FMP has transcribed head of Household as "Tim" - should be "Jim"?

This is the child I can't find a birth registration for on the GRO index with mmn Smart.

Is this them in 1851 - ref HO107 1728 187 46
FMP has transcribed head of Household as "Tim" - should be "Jim"?

Yes that is them.

James 'Giles' is on every census 1851 to 1891 but I haven't found him in 1841 as yet. Not with his wife as per my last post

Christina

[Martinfd]

Many thanks for all the thought and effort that has gone into these replies.

I have the 1841 census detail for James who is a waiter in Glamorgan aged 27 Piece1426Book1Folio34Page number16 . Susannah is in Cheltenham in 1841 Piece353Book7Folio49Page number2.

With regard to their children, I think they had William in 5 Oct 1834 Berks, Eliza 1837 Chipping Norton, Ox, Samuel 1839 Faringdon, Ox, Susannah 1842 Swansea, Mary Ann 1844 Weston Super Mare where James' occupation is butcher but likely because he is working with a brother in law, Harriet 1845 Weston Super Mare, and James and Emma c 1851 Oxford.

James was a waiter and all this moving around the south west does seem odd. He seems to have some connection with Swansea. The name 'Giles' only appears on the one census in 1891 and the potential marriage detail in 1833. If born in 1813, it seems too early for him to have already married and thus hiding his Long identity. His first child is born in 1834 and has the surname Long which contradicts the marriage detail.