alexander family in ystradgynlais

[welshjo]

Lets start with what we know.

Henry Alexander married Jennet Brown in 1896 and in 1901 they are living in Ystradgynlais with 2 young sons.

He states his fathers name is John - this may or may not ne true.

Is there any other info on the marriage certificates.
- Did he sign his own name or make a mark
- Who are the witnesses
- Where did the wedding take place

[pompey welsh]

oh my god, I'm so grateful!!!!.
henry and jennett married on 28.11.1896
henry age 26, jennett age 22
henry coalminer address as ynisforch farm crynant, jennet no profession address as gelli farm crynant.
henry fathers name-john Alexander (deceased), jennett fathers name William brown, both farm labourers.
the cert says mark of henry witnessed by William brown. (jennett father and brother have this name).
jennett is mark of jennett brown witnessed by Margaret evens.

i have a book about crynant and the upper dulais Vally and there was a picture of a picture Margaret evens doing a stage shoe and next to her name in brackets its says gelli farm. thanks.

[pompey welsh]

sorry the wedding took place at reg office in the district of neath. ta

[GeoffP]

You see pompey welsh, never give up. There are often odd clues which with a bit of persistance give results. Good luck as it stll seems complicated.
                                             Geoff

[welshjo]

Ok - next step would seem to be to try and obtain a copy of the 1901 census image for Henry and his wife to see if we can improve on his place of birth.
Once we know this we can try and find him (or options) in earlier census returns.
It may then become a case of trying to find all other options in 1901 census to see which ones its not!

Just a note, looking at 1881 census, there are only 4 Henry Alexanders in England and Wales with a father John who are born between 1869 - 1873 (to be approx 30 in 1901)
So assuming he did not lie about fathers name there are not many options to trace - unless of course his father died pre 1881.
Also of the four - 2 are born in Wiltshire.
Could Wilts (said with an accent) sound like Weels to the person collecting census info.

(as he signed his marriage certificate with a mark - unlikely to read and write and therefore wouldn't know if someone made a mistake on anything)

[welshjo]

Also you could try locating electoral registers for period after 1901 at the address you know. I have found some of my relatives in registers - and they give an additional middle name or initial - which nevers appears on marriage certificates or in the census - may help.

[pompey welsh]

thanks , how do go about finding the electoral registers?, i have acopy of the 1901 census with henry and jennet and 2 sons,living at 2 railway terrace stradgynlais, it clearly says weels england, but in the column next it has some writting which i cant read, i think it starts with an s, the column is deaf blind etc.

i also have a copy of census 1891, which shows that living on ynisforch fach? there are some alexananders this is put as number 34, in number 37 gellidochlithe are the browns which is were jennet lived although at time of census she was not there, she was a servant for the williams. when henry and jennet married in 1896 henry states that he is living at ynisforch farm, do you think this is the same place? if it is then the alexanders there must of been relatives?

[welshjo]

Electoral registers are usually held in the county record offices.

Who are the Alexanders living at Ynisforch in 1891? Names, ages, relationships and occupations.

[pompey welsh]

the alexanders at ynisforch in 1891 are
thomas head age33 aprx
mary wife age 26
annie dau age 9
sarah dau age 6 mths
hopkin son age 2.

ive just got up the census for 1861 when this thomas would of been 3 and he appears to be here with brothers and sisters but no head of house there is a daniel alexander marked as grandson
hopkin son 10
rachel dau 8
annie dau 6 and
rees son ?months, it doesnt help when they all have the same names does it, it gets so confussing.