George and Maria DAVIS of Highley, Shropshire

[M_ONeill]

Hello all,

I've been trying to find more information on my 3xgreat grandparents, George Davis and Maria Davis (maiden name unknown).

I have quite a lot of information about them, but I've as of yet been unable to piece it all together to get any further up the tree.

George Davis was born in Much Wenlock c1813. Maria is listed as having been born in Highley Shropshire. The couple have settled there as of the 1851 census (names transcribed as 'Dobis' on Ancestry).

I do not know when or where they were married but they had their first child, Sarah, c1847 so I assume it would have been not too long before that. Their second child, George, came c1848/9. George Jr is my 2xgreat-grandfather.

Maria died in 1858, in Highley. George does not appear to have remarried or had any more children.

In the 1851 there is a Thomas Morrey listed as living with them, age 75 also born in Much Wenlock. He is recorded as being George senior's uncle and a widower. I assume he would have been the husband of one of George's aunts. There is also an Eliza Walford, visitor, aged 25. I haven't been able to discover any family connection.

So as you can see, I have a fair number of clues, but as of yet I haven't been able to find a marriage record for George and Mary, nor a birth record for either of them. Any suggestions for things I may have overlooked or sources I may have missed would be most appreciated. 

[rosie99]

This could be their son George's birth registration which would give mothers maiden name
Birth December qtr 1849   
George Davis
Cleoby Mortr    18   40

Maybe the parents marriage
September qtr 1846 Cleobury Mortimer  18 /53  (Maria is transcribed wrongly as 18/55)
Maria Jackson   
George Davis

[M_ONeill]

Hello Rosie, 

I took a quick look at those two records via Family search. The first one lists the mother as Sarah, so I think it's likely an unrelated family. The second one is a possibility, but I'd need to find out more to confirm it. This is the trouble I've had so far - there are a lot of George Davies marrying a lot of Maria/Marys in Shropshire at the time!

Thank you for your help, Rosie, it's appreciated. 

[rosie99]

I took a quick look at those two records via Family search. The first one lists the mother as Sarah,

I can't see the baptism on familysearch for the birth I gave you.  The only baptism I can see is for George William Davis which was registered in the same qtr and has parents George & Sarah.

From freebmd
Births December qtr 1849   
DAVIS    George        Cleoby Mortr    18   40    
DAVIS    George William    Cleoby Mortr    18   42

[M_ONeill]

Ah okay, I see it now - the record is there on Findmypast.

I don't think it's the correct George Davis, though - I think I've just found the actual Parish record for the baptisms of the two children:

May 23rd 1847 - Sarah, daughter of George and Maria Davis - Highley.  Father's profession: Labourer.

June 3rd, 1849 - George, son of George and Maria Davis - Highley. Father's profession: Labourer.

Sadly neither record gives the mother's maiden name.

[rosie99]

Thomas Norry was buried in March 1854 at Highley age 79

Possibly his baptism
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBWQ-M9W

[rosie99]

There is always the possibility they are registered as Davies.
Birth June qtr 1847 
Davies    Sarah       
Cleobury M       

Birth June qtr 1849 
DAVIES    George       
Cleobury M

If it was me, I would be sending for this George's certificate and specifying parents George Davis & Maria. If it does not have these parents the GRO won't send it.   

[M_ONeill]

Ah, it's Thomas Norrey, not Morrey, that will be a big help! Thanks for that, Rosie!

I guess I should now be looking for a Thomas Norrey who married a Davis/Davies (assuming he is a 'proper' uncle). That would give me one of George the elder's aunts. There's a Thomas Norrey who marries a Sarah in Much Wenlock in 1795 - but her surname is Smallman, not Davies.

I've just sent off for George Jr's birth certificate. Hopefully it'll tell me Maria's maiden name.

Thank you for all the help so far, Rosie!

[M_ONeill]

So I've now obtained a copy of George Davis Jr's birth certificate - you had in fact found the right marriage, Rosie, George was the son of a George Davis and a Maria Jackson. He was born in Highley, Shropshire, and his mother is listed as 'Formerly Walford'. At first I thought this was a reference to Walford in Shropshire, but then I remembered the Eliza Walford who was staying with the family in 1851.

I am currently assuming that Maria Jackson was actually a widow when she married George Davis - originally being Maria Walford. I'm going to keep looking for her in the 1841 census, but if anyone finds any further information about her or her family, I'd be very glad to have it.