Hi,
I believe I've found the correct family of my great x 3 grandfather David Thomas, but think I need some proof.
David Thomas married Mary Ann Pierce (or Pearce) in 1864 in Tipton, Staffordshire. His marriage certificate gives his fathers name and profession as David Thomas, Labourer. Their ages are a little out, David's age is given as 22 (I think he was born in 1839, so 24/25), Mary Ann's as 20 (I have her birth certificate, she was actually 18 at the time).
They can be found on the census records from 1871 to 1891:
- 1871 Oldbury Road, West Bromwich. David, 31, born "Shropshire Ougistree". Maryan, 25, born Worcestershire Dudley.
- 1881 Edge Street, Sedgley (Dudley reg. district). Their ages are very inaccurate here as David is said to be 50 and born in Wales, Mary Ann 30 born in Dudley (and their oldest child is 18).
- 1891 Chell Street, Sedgley David, 52, Mary Ann 46. Their places of birth are the wrong way around, David is said to have been born in Dudley and Mary Ann in "Shropshire Salop".
I'm thinking they gave ages that were closer together when they got married as there was a difference of around 6 years. Their ages on the 1871 and 1891 census records are similar so they're most likely to be accurate.
It looks like "Ougistree" on the 1871 census is actually Oswestry. I can't find a David Thomas son of a David Thomas on the earlier censuses in Oswestry, so I think this was given as the nearest town.
There is a David Thomas son of David Thomas on the 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses living and born in Llanyblodwel (or Blodwel) born in 1839/1840. It looks like David senior died sometime after 1861. There's a few possibilities for Jane on later censuses.
There is also a baptism in Llanyblodwel that can be found on FamilySearch, and I now have a scan of the image after requesting it through the photo duplication service. David Thomas was born 30th July 1839 and baptised 6th August 1839, son of David (labourer) and Jane Thomas.
Looking up Llanyblodwel it's in Oswestry registration district and very close to the Welsh border. The name also sounds like it's in Wales. This probably explains why on the 1881 census David's place of birth was given as "Wales".
I can rule out the David Thomas living in Church Stretton district in 1851 with parents David (a Blacksmith) and Jane as they can all be found living together on the 1881 census in Church Pulverbatch, Atcham district.
I've also searched for a will on Ancestry.co.uk relating to either of his parents. The only David or Jane I could see from Llanyblodwel was a Jane Thomas that died on 13 April 1881 at "Blodwel Vicarage", but the index says she was a spinster.
Everything fits but I'm not sure there's any real proof that this is the correct family, other than perhaps the fact that there is nothing I can see that suggests they are not the correct family. I suppose an expensive option would be to purchase deaths certifcates for all David Thomas' in Oswestry between 1861 and 1871, of course the earlier ones don't include an age in the index.
