Hello everyone. I wonder if anyone can help with an elusive ancestor, Matilda SHAYLER, later known as SHELLEY, born around 1865 in Bampton, Oxfordshire.
Matilda was the daughter of William Shayler (of Langford) and Jane Herbert (of Coln St. Aldwyns, Glous.), who settled in Chipping Norton some time in or before 1869. William and Jane married in Coln in 1855 (Sept qtr Northleach 6a 553) and are listed in Harnhill in the 1861 census. Matilda's birth in Bampton suggests they travelled around before settling in Chipping Norton. Matilda had four brothers: Albert, Shadrack, William and Arthur George.
For some unknown reason William changed the family name from SHAYLER to SHELLEY in or before 1869 (the Shelley name is first used with the birth of son William in that year), mother Jane died under the name Shelley in 1870 and it's remained with descendants since (including me!). William Shelley remarried Jane Empson of Chipping Norton in 1871 and went on to have five more children.
So, regarding Matilda, she appears in the 1871 and 1881 censuses as Matilda Shelley, aged 6 and 16 respectively, indicating a birth around 1865, in Bampton. I've not found any likely birth record in Free BMD for Matilda SHAYLER or SHELLEY in Bampton or any other similar name in Oxfordshire or anywhere else. The censuses list Bampton in Gloucestershire, but this must be an error? The 1881 census lists step-mother Jane as born Bampton, Matilda on next line as "Gloucestershire", but this is mistranscribed, as Jane Empson was from Chipping Norton, it should be Matilda from Bampton, which is in Oxfordshire!
After 1881 I've found no records of Matilda at all. Did she die young? (can't find a death record on Free BMD). More likely she married before 1891, but I've not been able to identify a definite marriage record, or find a likely figure in subsequent censuses.
Free BMD lists a marriage for a Matilda Shelley in Aston (Birmingham) for 1884 June qtr Aston 6d 384, but in this reference the same groom is listed for two marriages, Charles Parrish and Charles Parish. Later censuses show this Charles actually married the other listed bride Emily Cope. If the 1884 marriage is indeed my Matilda it could make sense, as her elder brother Albert later moved to Aston in the late 1890's. But in that case who is her husband?
I notice that the 1901 census lists several more married Matildas in Birmingham than the 1891 census, so I wonder if some entries from 1891 may be missing?
Any help very much appreciated!
