Can anyone read this?

[jaywit]

Buckminster for Ann's birthplace look correct. By the way it is in Leicestershire not Warwickshire. The reason I say this is the 1841 census return for Buckminster it shows John Ashwell 35, Elizabeth 35, William 11, Benjamin 9, John 7, and Ann 5. John is an agricultural labourer and on the 1841 census the adult ages were rounded down to the next 5 years.

[jaywit]

Thomas Smith I did think would be more difficult to find, but on the 1841 census is a Thomas Smith age 13 living in Bentley Hampshire. Do you have any idea of Thomas date of birth, could this be the right man?

[Lones]

Thank you so much Jaywit

That is definately my Ashwell family as all the children are listed by the correct names, I hadn't found that census entry.  You have really done me a favour.  The entire Ashwell family emigrated to Australia in 1852 so you have done really well.  I still need to find Johns birthplace though.  Do you have any suggestions on the top town name?

I really appreciate all your trouble.  That census stuff is gold to me, does that census list addresses or only towns?   I am pretty new to this researching, sorry to sound thick!!  

Thank you again

Lones

[Lones]

Wow Jaywit, your really on the ball!!

I have Thomas as 33 at his wedding in 1854, so born about 1821, therefore he should be should be 20 in 1841.  How accurate are ages in the census?

I really appreciate you taking all this time for my query, thank you so much

Lones

[Pinetree]

Lones,

If your ASHWELLs didn't emigrate until 1852 hopefully they can be found on 1851 census in England and this should give details of the place of birth for John and other family members.  I can certainly see Benjamin b. 1832 on the index for Buckminster so hopefully they are all still there.  I can't lookup the details for you but I'm sure someone on here would be able to.  You could try posting a specific request on the Leicetershire look-up boards if its not spotted here.

On IGI there are two Thomas SMITHs born in Warwickshire at about the right time in places that may be what is written on the certificate 

One in Ansley bap. 20 Aug 1820 parents Edward and Mary SMITH, the other in
Astley 9 Sep 1821 parents Thomas and Hannah.

Does the wedding certificate give his father's name?

Pinetree

P.S. Just checked the map and both Ansley and Astley are quite near to Bentley and even nearer to Bentley is a place called Mancetter where I'm sure I spotted a possible birth record too.

[Pinetree]

Me again !

I've just looked up Bentley and the parish church was not built until 1837 so someone born around 1821 would have been baptised in a neighbouring parish, Ansley and Mancetter are possibles.

Pinetree

[jaywit]

How about the Ashwell's on the 1851 census, seem to have done well for themselves. They have moved to Colsterworth in Lincolnshire. John 45 is a post messenger, Eliza (name could be either Eliza or Elizabeth they were inter changeable)43, John 18 grocer, Ann 15 employed at home  plus 2 lodgers. John was born Buckminster Eliza was born Folkingham Lincolnshire the children Buckminster. This is a photograph of Buckminster churchhttp://www.go4awalk.com/userpics/sophiepeel1.php You will have to tread much more carefully with Thomas Smith with it being such a common name any scrap of factual evidence will be useful. If you want to check places out on a map Google maps are good.

[jaywit]

How about some Ashwell christenings? ( they were all born before 1837 when birth registrations were introduced so christenings are all you will get) John James 24/11/1833, Ann 6/12/1835 ,William  4/1/1830 and Benjamin 1/1/1832 all at Buckminster. All say parents are John and Eliza. I can't find a marriage for them at the moment. But I did find John senior's christening, again at Buckminster 15/4./1804 the son of Sarah Ashwell (no father mentioned) Sarah also had a daughter Charlotte christened 29/1/1797 again no father.

[Lones]

"While I was sleeping"

Wow you guys are fantastic.  I just woke up to find all this lovely info.  Thank you both so much

Pinetree, on the marraige certificate it lists Thomas's parents as John smith and Ann Eden & Ann's as John Ashwell and ELizabeth Kirk (or could be Kerk, hard to read).  I am in awe of what you thought of to do, it would never have occured to me to look up when a  church was built.  I don't even know if I could over here,  brilliant!!  You have given me heaps of things to check out. 

Jaywit, thank you for looking up the 1851 census for me, I had no idea where they lived etc or their occupations, this is really great stuff. 

I can't thank you both enough.  I have to get ready for work now, the iron is on and heated up, so I really should move!!  I will get out all my stuff tonight and add what you have both been kind enough to find for me, and see where I can go from here.

Thank you both again, this is really wonderful

Very kind regards

Lones