William TOWNSEND(s) and two JELLEYs

[Newfloridian]

I have a conundrum from the Foxton / Gumley area of Leicestershire.
My search began trying to trace the ancestry of John Thomas TOWNSEND who married Anne JACKSON in Cottingham on March 27th 1881. John Thomas was 21, born in Foxton and his father was William TOWNSEND (a jpourneyman miller and baker).
He is present in the 1861 census in Gumley where  William's wife is Esther. Marriage index (AMJ 1859 Mkt Harboroough) shows her to be Esther JELLEY from Gumley.
Come the 1871 census William is now living in Saddington with wife Emma. Marriage index (AMJ 1866 Mkt Harborough). John T is still with them.

On on line parrish register for Gumley shows that Esther's father was Samuel JELLEY. I have been been unable to confirm Emma's parentage. There do appear to be a number of JELLEY babies in Gumley - but were Emma and Esther sisters? Otherwise were they related?

Many thanks

Alan

[KGarrad]

On the 1851 census, Esther is enumerated as Hester Gelley, a House Servant - so no help there.

1841 census:
HO107, Piece: 590, Folio: 6, Page: 20
Gumley, Leicestershire

Jelley, Samuel  M  35
Jelley, Ann  F  35
Jelley, Ester  F  15
Jelley, Sarah  F  13
Jelley, Mary  F  10
Jelley, Eliza  F  5
Jelley, Eli  M  2              all born in county

[KGarrad]

Meanwhile, also 1841 census:

HO107, Piece: 590, Folio: 5, Page: 18
Gumley, Leicestershire

Jelley, Samuel M  35
Jelley, Mary  F  35
Jelley, George  M  10
Jelley, Elizabeth  F  8
Jelley, Emma  F  6
Jelley, John  M  5
Jelley, James  M  1


So, different families
Maybe cousins, though?

[Annette7]

You've got the wrong Emma, KGarrad - the Emma Jelly(Jelley) who married William Townsend was b.1845, not 1835.

Emma Jelly   birth Sept.qtr.1845 Market Harborough - mmn Smeeton.

George Jelley of Smeeton, married Maria Smeeton of Fleckney on 12/12/1836.

In 1861 Emma working as a servant and states birthplace as Mowsley but 1851 census shows she was born in Smeeton.

Census shows George was bc.1807 Gumley and familysearch shows he was bp.10/7/1807, son of James and Elizabeth.

It would seem logical that Esther and Emma were probably cousins and there was indeed a Samuel Jelley bp.13/5/1804 Gumley, also son of James and Elizabeth.

However, just to confuse the issue there was also another Samuel Jelley bp.6/5/1804 Gumley, son of a Thomas and Elizabeth!

My gut instinct is that the girls were indeed cousins and that their fathers Samuel and George were brothers.

Annette 

[Newfloridian]

Many thanks Annette.

Late last night I did stumble across the Smeeton marriage register for William Townsend and Emma Jelley. However not before I came across an even more confusing register record from Gumley. On December 17th 1864, Eli Jelley (of full age), son of Samuel Jelley married Emma Jelley (of full age), daughter of Samuel Jelley.

Now my particular fascination in my research is the incidence of consanguineous (cousin) marriages or marriages between brothers and sisters of one family and sisters and brothers of another. Although I haven't lived in the East Midlands for over 40 years I am still aware of how 'huge' Gumley is (**) It was only when Eli's father was noted to be a shepherd and Emma's father, a labourer that indicated they were not brother and sister!. Then if I'm not mistaken, three Samuel Jelley's were baptised in the village between 1801 and 1810! I would agree with your presumption that my William Townsend's two wives were cousins. 

Why was I interested in all this? Well, one of William and Emma's sons, Charles, married Margaret Townsend (her mother was from my family line) in Leicester in December 1871. I'm still assessing any links there

Cheers Alan

(**: Back in 1970 when I was working in Leicester I arranged a car treasure hunt around the countryside. I still remember one of the clues was "What time is it in Gumley?". For years before, the church clock had not functioned and was stuck at half past (something). I wonder if they ever got it working again!!) 

   

[BumbleB]

Regarding the Gumley marriage entry for Eli and Emma - at least the entry gives two different occupations for Samuel, Eli's father being a Shepherd, and Emma's a Labourer.