marriage help needed!!

[Chasing-fireflies]

I need some help locating a marriage that occurred between 1849 and 1866 between a William Griffiths born Bettws 1843 and His wife Hannah born 1845 Bettws also. The only one that i can find is on freebmd vol.11a page 1016 at Swansea dec 1865 but i dont know if it could be correct as they were both living in Bettws. I would love to know Hannah's maiden name so that i can trace her lineage. All help greatfully received!!!!

[Tati]

Hi Badgirl,

FreeBMD still has a poor coverage for the years you are searching.

According to genuki, Bettws marriages would be registered in Llandilofawr.
I'm afraid you'd have to search the complete indexes, currently free to search here:
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=8965

Unfortunately, it won't allow you to cross-reference Hannah's maiden name and only the actual cert would tell you (provided there is only one possibility  )

Alternatively, you could order one of their children's birth certs to find out her maiden name. comlete birth indexes are here:
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=8964 
 
Tanja 

[Chasing-fireflies]

Thanks for the help!! The one i found on freebmd seems to be the wrong one as it gives Hannah's maiden name as Evans but when i checked the 1851 census i could not find a suitable match in Bettws. I think a birth certificate is the way to go as William Griffiths is not an uncommon name in that area and luckily i have all the childrens names and some of those are uncommon!!
Thanks again!!!!

[alcrighton]

Hi Badgirl,

Did you mistype the possible date range for the marriage?  If William was born in 1843 and Hannah in 1845, the date of 1849 seems a little early for a marriage - even in Wales .  I've had a look at the censuses and found a William of about the right age in 1861 & 1871.  He's a Blacksmith in both censuses, living with his parents Rees & Elizabeth in 1861 and living with his wife Hannah in 1871 (Rees is next door, now a widower).  Is this the right one?  If so then we're looking for a marriage between about 1862 & 1865 since his eldest child is 6 in 1871.

Let me know if I have the right William & Hannah and I'll see if I can find a marriage.

Best Regards,

Al

[alcrighton]

Hi again,

I had a look in the 1861 census for Hannahs born in Bettws in 1845 +/- 1 year and there are 4 possible unmarried candidates.  The surnames are:

JENKINS,
JEREMIAH,
JOHN &
WILLIAMS

It wouldn't be an impossible task to look through the free marriage indexes at Ancestry for a marriage for William GRIFFITHS in Llandilofawr and then try to match up any references you find with the surnames above.

Regards,

Al

[Chasing-fireflies]

I have his parents as being Morgan Griffiths and Mary both born c. 1816 but i may have the wrong ones as he is a Blacksmith!!!I have all his childrens names and his eldest Daughter mary was born c. 1865. I have a baby that likes to type on the keyboard so i meant 1859!!! In 1881 i have William living in Pontycymmer ref: rg11 5328 folio 109 page 6
Thanks for looking!!!!

[alcrighton]

Hi again,

I think the family you have from 1881 is the same one I found in 1861/71 since I can only find one Hannah GRIFFITHS of about the right age in both 1871 and 1881.

Here are the details of the entries I found in 1861 & 1871:

1861 Census Bettws (RG9/4133 Folio 27 Page 12)

Address: LynyCoed Cottage

Rees GRIFFITHS, Head, 44, Blacksmith, b. Llandilo Parish Carmarthenshire
Sussanna ditto, Wife, 42, ditto Wife, b. Bettws ditto
William ditto, Son, 15, Blacksmith. b. ditto ditto
Jeremiah ditto, Son, 10, b. ditto ditto
Ann ditto, Dau,  8, b. ditto ditto
Isaac ditto, Son, 3, b. ditto ditto

1871 Census Bettws (RG10/5412 Folio 8 Page 7)

Address: Oddfellow's Row

William GRIFFITHS, Head, 29, Blacksmith, b. Bettws, Glamorganshire
Hannah GRIFFITHS, Wife, 26, Blacksmith's Wife, b. ditto}
Mary Ann GRIFFITHS, Dau, 6, b. ditto
Elizabeth GRIFFITHS, Dau, 3, b. ditto

and next door at The Oddfellow's Arms:

Rees GRIFFITHS, Head, Widr., 61, Publican, b. Bettws, Glamorganshire
Elizabeth GRIFFITHS, Dau, Unm, 23, b. ditto
Helen GRIFFITHS, Grandau, 3, b. ditto

There are some inconsistencies in the ages between the different censuses but this is not that unusual.  I definitely think it would be worthwhile looking through the marriage indexes, working back from 1865 to see if you can find William GRIFFITHS on the same page as a Hannah with one of the surnames from my previous post.

Regards,

Al

[Chasing-fireflies]

Thankyou for all your help. I seem to go round in circles and never find what i need but now i have something substancial to go on. Your details seem to tally somewhat with what i have. I found William's parents on the 1851 disc i have and i seem to remember there were two around the same age and i had a lot of rechecking to do so it seems i made a mistake!! Thanks again!!!!
Marriage indexes here i come!!