Census Gwatkin

[Anarchia]

I am trying to track down the Gwatkin family.

I currently have John Gwatkin (builder/surveyer) marrying Maryann (Mary Ann, Mary Anne) Bezant in 1950 in Chepstow, and the birth of John Frederic Russell in 1853, and Christopher Kinburn Bezant Gwatkin, born 1855, died 1871.

I don't think that they were in Chepstow in 1851 - but I don't know where they were.

Can anyone help?

[suzard]

1851
Welch Street Chepstow
John Gwatkin head 27 Builder
mary Ann wife 20
both b. Chepstow
HO107 2443 304 25

they were transcribed as John G. and Mary Ann G. Watkin!!
Have them in61/71 if you need them -with a few more children

Suz

[Anarchia]

Hooray!!!! Thank you so much! I am afraid people here still tend to be a little dubious that there can be a name 'Gwatkin'. Any more information would be much appreciated.

[suzard]

1861
Welch St Chepstow
John Gwatkin 37 builder employing 7 men 3 boys
mary Ann 35
Elizabeth L 9
John F 7
Christopher H 5
Edward J 2
Harry O 1
all b. Chepstow

RG9 3976 36 29
back with 1871 soon

Suz

[suzard]

1871
moor Street Chepstow
John Gwatkin head 48 Builder's Surveyor emp 21 men 1 boy
Mary A 48
John F R 17 Scholar
Christopher K E 15 Scholar
Harry O 11
Florence A 5
all b. Chepstow

transcribe John G Watkin -again!

RG10 5294 63 8

Regards,
Suz

[Anarchia]

Thank you again - various people in my family have tried to search from here and managed to get in various muddles - probably because of the John G. Watkin issue!

This also makes a bg difference to the likely date of emigration - it must have been at least a decade later than i expected - no wonder I couldn't find the shipping record!

I wish I could buy you a coffee!

[suzard]

Just made myself a coffee from you !! It's much nicer than I usually have.

I can never understand why they transcribe wrongly when the image is correct!
In 1861 -although one word , the G and W were both in capitals.

But it's not an unnusual name in monmouthshire-there are lots with that name

Good luck with your shipping search
Cheers
Suz

[Anarchia]

Another 2 questions:

1. Does the 1871 census give the number of the Moor street address? I ask because there are 'Watkins' listed as living at a couple of addresses post 1880 (24 and 33, from memory) and given the 'John G Watkin' transcribers error, it seems possible that John and Maria Watkin, might be John and Maryann Gwatkin.

2. If you also have the 1841 census, could you see if you can find John Gwatkin age about 17, and Maryann (Mary Ann, etc) Bezant age something between 10 and 15 in Chepstow?

Thanks!

[osprey]

thought I'd slip in with the 1841 as I've got some other records for you.
Back St, Chepstow H0107/745/5 folio 42 pg 32
John Gwatkin 52 builder
Elizabeth 53
Eliza 22
John 15 Joiner J(ourneyman?)
Susan 14
Mary Ball 3
all born in county
transcribed as Guatkin on Ancestry, but someone has sent a correction so possbily someone else researching same family?

I've got some matching baptisms all Chepstow
Eliza Gwatkin 23/5/1819 daughter of John(joiner) and Elizabeth of Bridge St
Mary 7/6/1821 same details
John 28/9/1823 same details
Susan 22/10/1826 same details
Eleanor 21/3/1828 same details

There were also two other Gwatkin families having children in the same period
Walter and Margaret of Bridge St and William and Hannah of Welsh St. Both men were joiners.

probable marriage
John Gwatkin of Chepstow married Elizabeth Ball of Chepstow 6/8/1817 in Chepstow by licence.
Elizabeth Ball baptised 2/7/1788 daughter of William and Mary.
There was also a John Ball same parents baptised that day.

Do you have the wedding certificate from 1850 to confirm fathers' names and occupations? There's a possible entry for Mary in 1841 with father John, a clogmaker. They are transcribed as Berant, although the 'r' could be a 'z'.
H0107/745/5 folio 28 pg 4 in Welch Street. I've not spotted any Bezant baptisms so the family might have been non-conformist.
I'll have a look for the later baptisms.