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We have a Master Brushmaker in our family tree.  His name was David John Davis b.1823 he married Ann Fry and they had many children (many died).   They were initially from Creech St Michael.   We think the picture we have below is of David John and his 2nd wife Mary (m. abt 1860).   We now have found the attched second picture below with writing on the back in ballpoint pen saying that it might be David John Davis.   This second picture looks much more modern although we think it may be a photo of an older photograph the resolution seems much much better some have said post 1900s which would most likely make it a picture of an american 'cousin'; he has an interesting tunic.
In a nutshell we are now having difficulties dating these two photos.   Is it possible that the lower res one is a picture of David John's father James Davis and his wife Elizabeth from Stogumber?   We think that James died or separated from Elizabeth (after David John was born) because by the 1851 Census she is a W (for Widow).   We do not know her maiden name (we think it is Handsworth of Stogumber and Clerkenwell who were brushmakers (Fancy and Ivory).   We cannot locate an 1841 census for Elizabeth either....).

We have hit a brick wall on our Davis line who were centred around Taunton, Somerset  (e.g. Creech, Stogumber...) from abt. 1820.  Before then, we think they were in London and were Watermen, Lightermen, Werry operators etc on the Thames.  Unfortunately, we cannot locate an Apprenticeship record for any of them only Baptism records where the father is listed as a Waterman etc.     Before then, they disappear but we think we have found records relating to Bridgwater and later Slimbridge (both wooden boat building communities).   So; we think they were possibly Shipwrights etc (one of them is listed as a Mariner) but at a time when the wooden boat building is in decline and giving way to the 'Iron Boats' and we also think the lack of records may indicate that they may have been one of the 1-2 thousand souls who returned to England about the time of the Revolutionary war in Salem.    We are completely unclear and unaware of this in our family history (although there are pictures of 'American Cousins' in the family 'album' c. 1880 although we do not know who they are).   
We have tried looking at the National Archive records specifically, AO 13 (which has a name index) but no luck there.   We have not had much success with records.  We know they were religious, had strong religious convictions and were later part of the Plymouth and Exclusive Plymouth Brethren movement in Taunton/Bristol which is an area considered as non conformist religiously and was an area of resistance to WWI (on conciencious grounds) later on.   I have contacted many academics concerning this area.  Where, I, personally could not resolve Bristol which is firmly associated with 'Slave and Rum' running being a 'resitant' community on religious based conciencious grounds but it may be that the connection is communities established as a result of returning, highly religious, whole communities from Salem at the time of the Revolutionary war.....
Does anybody know about this historical family history enough to comment? 

Festive greetings,
Please find the attached for your attention any of those who may be interested.

I think so far I got (I will put ? for words I cannot decipher)
William Davis ? to the late deceased John Davis a brewer  -  serbant dwelling in Swan aley being in the libery of west smithfield road buried age ? ? (off page) day of februarie ano 1593 being in ? and halfe ?

There is another bit a the bottom but its not clear to me whether it is connected to the entry or not..

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These are sheets from the induction forms for my Grandfather Reginald John into the NCC.

There are key words we are unable to make out. 

On Paper 1 it is the main word under the table sub heading 'Call up for Service' Parlia, Partia??

On Paper 2 it is most of the what it says after 'Yes from Combatant Service only Cert: no 12..' to ' tribunal 23.2.16']
Medical Classification: i Genrl Service ??

On Paper 3 'Home ?f to 28.4.16 EF France 29.4.16'
This was the 1st Southern NCC who went to France on 28.4.16 (no real records of what they did out there; mostly stretcher bearing I think).  I do not quite fully comprehend why they put EF France.  The Eastern Front, correct me if I am wrong was not in France?

Sorry I've had to put them all on one attachment 3,2 and 1

We are having trouble deciphering the document detailing an Indenture concerning Francis Hildesley (Knt), Willium Turner and John Reeves.  We think it may be to do with Bulmer Hall, Langton Leeds but we are having trouble locating key words.

The original is 15MB and can be blown up quite considerably but only when downloaded.

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