Hoskins / Higgs - Aberbargoed

[Welsh Girl]

This is driving me nuts - help please ?

OK ... I have a Doris Hoskins (b1914, Bedwellty) who was the Daughter of Lillian Jones & Arthur James Hoskins.  When Doris married my Great Uncle, Sid Evans, one of the witnesses was a J Higgs (the connection will become clear in a sec).  Arthur's Parents were James Hoskins & Margaret Meredith.

I have tried to follow her Dad back, and found him living at Elm Street, Aberbargoed on the 1911 census - this time his Mother is shown as Married (for 5 years) to John HIGGS.  Arthur and his siblings Florence (1896), Elsie (1904), Trevor (1905) and Step-Siblings John-Henry Higgs & Phyllis Higgs. (I know this is right, as the family stayed in Aberbargoed after that)

My problem is I can't find the death for James Hoskins, nor the Marriage for Margaret and John Higgs.  The first Higgs child was also born in Aberbargoed during the Sep Qtr 1908.

Any suggestions please ??

Thank you

[Welsh Girl]

** I should add - this confused me - on the 1911 census, it gives the total number of children as 6 being born alive, with 4 living and 2 died ...... there were actually 6 children alive and living on the 1911 census between the 2 families .... ***

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Bit of a long shot but could this be his death?

William James Hoskins
Date  Apr-May-Jun 1908
Age 41
Birth c1867
Bedwellty Vol 11a, page 48

Alternatively, given the lack of marriage, they split up and Margaret & John are living as married. Another possible death

James Hoskins
Date Jul-Aug-Sep 1941
Age at Death    74
Birth c 1867
Abergavenny Vol 11a page   36

or a little further afield

James Hoskins
Date Jul-Aug-Sep 1939
Age at Death    70
Born c 186
Gloucester City Vol 6a page 450

[Welsh Girl]

Thank You.  I only have the information on the 1901 census (even then, IF I have the right one) and it says he was born 1870 in Hereford
(I am sure I have seen a tree with Shropshire on it - I am loathed to simply copy info off trees - can't abide it)

Then again ..... I am hard pushed to find John HIGGS on the 1901 census too ... I only have him on the 1911 (it says he was born 1880 in Blaenavon)

 

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Think this is your man on 1891 -  RG12/ 4353/ 52/ 35. Lodging in Blaina with the Hale family. Aged 25. Gives his place of birth as Little Hereford, which is actually near the herefordshire/Worcestershire/Shropshire border rather than the county town

[Mabel Bagshawe]

The best match i can find for John Higgs is one born in Blaenavon in 1885, son of John and Frances Higgs

1891 -  RG12/ 4349/ 93/ 19, in Blaenavon

1901 - RG13/ 4945/ 46/ 37 in Wainfelin, Pontypool, with som eof his siblings, living with his aunt hannah Parry and her children

[Welsh Girl]

aww brilliant - thank you ....

for a small valley mining village, living over the brush was not the most common    nobody can find a Hoskins (nor Meredith) Hoskins Marriage .. maybe I should get the BC of one of the children to confirm what they were registered as .. that'd be interesting

[Welsh Girl]

I thought this might have been him - but on digging a bit more, I'm not too sure it is now ...
There are Pension Records available for the John Higgs born in 1885.  His attestation date is 1914, and the next of kin is shown as his Brother, Richard, who is living in Wainfelin.  ...but, he is living (shown as married) on the 1911 census, so that would (or should) be his next of kin - right?

now I'm confused even more ...

[Mabel Bagshawe]

If he wasn't with the wife (especially if she was the one to leave) he may not have put her as next of kin, as it could have given her a claim on any pension I suppose (had he served more than 3 months before being discharged with poor eyesight).