William Davies married Harriett Hill, 1901

[oldcrone]

I would be chuffed if someone could possibly track down William James Davies (or it could be James William Davies) who married Harriett Hill in Effingham, Dorking, Surrey in March 1901.

I've tracked Harriet(t) Hill's family back to the 1841 census, but cannot find the Davies side of the family, 1901 backwards.  James Davies (William's father) was a miller.  William and Harriett married in Effingham, Dorking, Surrey.  The Davies family had strong Welsh roots, apparently...

Any help gratefully received!

Clara

[PaulineJ]

What were the:

Address/parish at time of marriage, groom's age and occupation
(and anything else from the marriage cert? )

Pauline

[oldcrone]

hi Pauline

Thanks for replying - sorry, I should have given more details....

Address for both William Davies and Harriett Hill was just 'Effingham'; William was a bachelor, his profession 'baker'.  His father was James Davies, 'miller'. 

Unfortunately there is no age given for either William or Harriett, just listed as 'full' (age).  I have found Harriett and her birth year was 1879 (so it may indicate that James' was around the same age).  Witnesses were Robert Hill and Lettie Hill (Harriett's father and sister).

Clara

[PaulineJ]

Have you located either of them in the 1901 census? Taken 31st March.

I've had a good look, even searching by occupation on the 1901 site and found nothing to pin him down.

The other tack might be to search the 1881 for James Davies, a miller and track him/them see if he has a young/yet to be born son William James Davies.


Pauline

[oldcrone]

hi Pauline

Yes, I've finally tracked down Harriet Davies (nee Hill) on the 1901 census, by a circuitous route!  She's actually been transcribed as 'Harriet Downs', though looking at the enumerator's handwriting, I can understand the mistake!  She's actually living with her older sister and family in Effingham (where she was married less than 2 weeks previously to William Davies).

But where is he!!   

Yes, I've tried searching the 1881 England and Wales censuses for James Davies, miller, but haven't found anything which seems to fit, other than a Shropshire miller - he had a son called James W Davies - but he was 13 in 1881, which would make him 33 when he married Harriet.  OK, not improbable, but I know William/James fought in WW1, which would have then made him 47 at the outbreak....a bit old, do you think?  The main problem I have is that I don't know his birthyear....    Added to the fact that it's such a common name.....

Thanks again for your input!    It really helps to have someone else pondering as well.....

Clara