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Topic: Betsey Ross, born Whitchurch (Read 215 times)
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Carole A
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Posts: 136
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I am keen to find anything about this woman and her family. In the 1901 census she is married to Charles Griffiths, aged 40 and living in Featherstone, Yorkshire. They produced children in Harmerhill and further into Staffordhsire in the early 1890s but I have been unable to find out anything about her birth or family.
Carole
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Lloydy
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Posts: 3326
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Hi Carole
I have been trying to find Betsey in the 1881 census but I'm not having much luck.
From the 1901 census, can you tell me how old she is?
Also, the name Betsey was a common short version of Elizabeth. We could be trying to find an Elizabeth Ross 
Jan
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Carole A
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Posts: 136
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HI Jan
Thanks for thinking about this one.
Yes, she could well be an Elizabeth. The verbal record obtained from a now deceased relative gave her name as Bets(e)y, and the 1901 lists her as Betsey Griffiths, married, aged 40, born Whitchurch. That is the only record I have found of her - her husband, Charles, is equally elusive. One of their daughters, Ellen Maria, was born in 1893, in what is down as Harmhill, which I presume is Harmerhill, which seems to have a moveable location in either Shropshire or Staffordshire. They ended up in Featherstone, South Yorks. But as I say, I can't find any documentary evidence of her before marriage, and I am yet to order the daughter's birth certificate to see if that sheds any light.
Many thanks
Carole
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Lloydy
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Good Morning Carole
Firstly, Harmer Hill is a village 5 miles north of Shrewsbury. 5 miles from where I live too!!!!
You say that Betsey was 40 in the 1901 census, so obviously that makes her born in approximately 1861. A quick check on Free BMD for her birth shows nothing for the years 1860/61/62. Of course, the transcription of the index is not yet complete.
You could try and find her birth on http://www.1837online.com/Trace2web/ The Index is complete on here. It is free to search, but be prepared to spend a few pounds looking at the various results pages.
Another idea would be to ask for an 1861 Shropshire Look up for Whitchurch. Even though she may have been born after census night, you still may be able to find a Ross family.
Ellen Maria, her daughter, was born in 1893. It might be worth asking for an 1891 Shropshire look up in Harmer Hill in case the Griffiths family were living there then.
Have you actually seen the 1901 census image? Does it say Harmhill, Shropshire (or Salop)? I ask because sometimes the enumerators got it wrong!!!!! and we could be looking in completely the wrong place
Jan
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Carole A
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Posts: 136
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Dear Jan
Thank you for those thoughtful replies. I've tried Free BMD but haven't done the painstaking bit of the 1837 online at this point.
Yes, I have the image of the 1901 - it definitely says Betsey Griffiths, age 40, born Whitchurch, Shropshire, and her daughter Ellen age 8, born Harmhill 'do', ie ditto, as it is under Shropshire. Five years later by the birth of the next daughter, Mary, the family had moved as her birth is recorded as Chesterton, Staffs. Charles, Betsey's husband, was a general labourer and I suspect went where the work was - where they ended up, in Featherstone, is of course in the middle of the coalfields.
I think I have a birth for Ellen, altho it is in the registration district of Wolstanton, Staffs - from your local knowledge, you will know that this is further to the east.
I'll follow up the appropriate census requests, too - many thanks for suggesting that direction. I've not been particularly active in my searching and this is a good incentive. I'll start with the 1891 in Harmerhill, I think.
Many thanks for all those pointers
Carole
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Lloydy
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Hi Carole
Let me know how you get on with the census look up requests.
When you get a bit more information, perhaps I can get my thinking cap on again
Best of Luck
Jan
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Shropshire Lass
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Posts: 1125
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Hi Carole
I had a look earlier on today - with the same results as Jan. Where are they hiding?
I tried for Betsey and Charles under Griffiths in Shropshire in the 1891 - as the first child was born there it was possible they were married by the census, but nothing, not even Charles as a single man.
I also had a go with variations of the name Ross but still with no luck at all.
You have a really difficult one on your hands here.
Good luck
Monica
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Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukDALBY - Suffolk and, after 1860, Birmingham. EBENEZER - Cardiganshire & Glamorgan. GARVEY and GRAHAM - Mayo. HUBBARD - Birmingham. MAUND and LEWIS - Shropshire and Birmingham. MORGAN(S) - Cardiganshire. SLADE - Somerset and Worcester. |
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ger_g
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Posts: 211
S-Bend surfer... righteous.
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EVANS, SMART, PREECE, PARTRIDGE, SYKES (Ross-on-Wye and surrounds Herefordshire ENGLAND) LEWIS (Llangarren Herefordshire ENGLAND) ROBERTS (St Maughans Monmouth and Llangarron Herefs) POWELL (Monmouth and Herefordshire) WATKINS, JENKINS (Hentland Herefordshire) HAMILTON, McCUTCHEN (Urney Strabane Co. Tyrone IRELAND) McLAUGHLIN (Manorcunningham Co. Donegal IRELAND) http://evansinherefordshire.comCensus information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Carole A
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Posts: 136
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Thank you, Monica, for looking too. They are indeed a puzzle, I suspect that they were pretty itinerant, looking for work, and just may not have registered on the official radar. But it is strange as I can't find any link to his family either!
They are the most invisible family I've hunted!
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