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Mary Jane Drake and Albert Dawson had a daughter b.1868 named Mary A Dawson in Aberystwyth.
1886 Mary Jane and Albert have a child named John Austin Dawson, born, baptised and died same year, Aberystwyth.

1888 Mary A Dawson had a son named John Austin Dawson. I can’t find birth records, but can find a baptism record where it names Mary Ann and says she is a single woman. JA was baptised in Aberystwyth.

John Austin was raised by his grandparents according to the 1891 and 1901 census and letters sent to my Grandfather where he calls him brother, not Uncle.
John Austin died in WW1, and I have many  sources regarding him.

I can’t find any details of Mary A Dawson after the baptism, and I’m not sure where to go from here.
She was listed as a servant age 12 in Aberystwyth in the 1881 census, and also listed in her parents census form in Aberystwyth.

I am very very taken with this particular cluster of my family and I would really like to be able to find as much as possible that might give an idea why Mary A didn’t raise John, especially as she had him baptised. Assume if it was a big secret that Mary Jane and Albert would have named themselves had this been a plan from the start (although I may be wrong)
Perhaps she died? It would explain how the situation arose and why I can’t find her, BUT I also can’t find a death record. Could she have decided against registering the birth and just named him John Austin after her deceased brother?

Mary had an older sister who moved to Lancashire and became Martha J Constantine, as far as I can tell the other siblings stayed in Aberystwyth.
Any help gratefully received!

Hi,
I am transcribing the will (in the form of a letter) of my GG Uncle, and I have some parts that I just cant decipher.

Here is what I have transcribed. The xxx are where I am stuck, and also would the word for leave be hass? fass? lass? Attached is PDF copy (Will also happily accept where I have messed up!)

Transcription
INFORMAL WILL
W.O. No. E/254621
Record No. 187/353029/16/17
DOMICILE – England
The enclosed document – undated
Name – John Austin Dawson
And signed – J.A Dawson
Regtl. No. and rank – 3664 Private
Regt -2nd Royal Warwickshires
Died at
Date of death – 25 9 15
Appears to have been written or executed by the person named in the marginwhhile he was “in actual military service” within the meaning of the Wills act, 1837, and has been recognised by the War Department as constituting a valid will.

WAR OFFICE
Date – 3/2/17
W.Devine
For the assistant Financial secretary

Page 1 – Handwritten
Pte. J. A. Dawson
No.3664 B Camp
No. 10 Hut. 4th R. War. R
Golden Hill Camp
Isle of Wight 
Freshwater

Dear Brother and sister I now take the pleasure of writing you these few lines hoping you will excuse me for leaving so long in writing I am very sorry I couldn’t come down on hass I should have very much like to have come down to see you all at home. I had one

Page 2 – Handwritten
of those  White shirts packed up ready to come down with me I had my hass made out to catch the four o clock boat and then a order came from the war office to make a draft of another 100 men well I should very much like to see you and Albert and the children before I go out xx go xxxxxx I try to come for 48 hours but they wont grant me one but it cant be help I might have luck to go

Page 3 Handwritten
through when you received this letter I will be on the way out to the front this is the last draft of our regiment they have all gone out to the front [they give us a small book with a will to make out I have nobody to leave it to only to Albert it isn’t much if I get shot you will have 15 pounds] so you must wait till I write because I don’t know
Page 4 - Handwritten 
what address it will be when I get out there because they are transferring us from the 4th to the 2st Battalion I think I have told you all now no more news at present perhaps more new in the xxxx letter this comes from your loving Brother J.A.Dawson
Remember me to little Nellie and all the children and all at home.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
 
Thank you!

Hi,
Is anybody able to tell me what this medal is?

This is Captain Thomas Brodigan (Aberystwyth 1882-1966), he was my great Uncle. The story I was told was that he was awarded this medal for being the first merchant ship to land at Normandy during the D-Day landings.

Now this is either not true, not documented or I don't know where to look!
If anyone could dig up any info that would be amazing!
Thank you!

Hi,
My G.G Grandmother was named Mary Jane Drake in her 1864 marriage banns.
Married in aberystwyth to Albert Dawson.
Father is listed possibly as Michael Drake, although the transcriber seems to think he is named Macfiael.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jaJsxPnBP_8QoGYlL_VOgbdAleT78lP4/view?usp=sharing
(Am not sure how to link photos)

She lived and died in Aberystywth following her marriage, known as Jane Dawson
In every census her place of birth is listed as Ireland, and Dublin, Ireland in one.
Listed age seems to put her born around 1848

I cannot find anything at all about either Mary Jane or Michael/Macfiael before the marriage, or anything about the father after the marriage.

In the local paper archives there is a petty sessions article about her being accused by a neighbour of fleeing Ireland following a murder, which then led to my GG Grandmother striking her.
From the local paper archives, she seems a bit feisty, and was always in the court for fighting, drinking, being a nuisance.
I have ordered the marriage certificate, but not sure where to go from here!