Wow folks this has helped a lot, thank you.
Hi Tati, good to see you here again, as you see I am still chipping away at it... with the help of you wonderful people..

I decend from Mary and William Ashelford. my GG Grandparents. I had her in 1851, but no William, then it looks as if he was visiting his parents Thomas and Jane.
I was suspicious of the lodger implication, and now it's proven right, she married him James Stacey.
I am unable to trace death for William, another decendent thinks he may not have been at parents in 1851 but in Porchester Prison, as a William and Isaac Ashelford were imprisoned in 1831 for stealing wheat...am not sure how to check this out.

I think they were very poor, it also looks as if a daughter Sarah died from want of nutrition in 1848 aged 3wks in the workhouse Taunton. and another dau. Lucy b1844, died aged 4 , 1849 also Union workhouse, Taunton, buried Lydiard St Lawrence.... No mention of Elizabeth after 1851?
Mary Jane was my G Grandmother.
So Alli I don't think the William aged 74 was him. But thanks so much for the other info it has moved me on a lot.. siblings for Mary Thresher and Parents names, wonderful, taking me to Crowcombe and a new name of POLE..
Ian - William m Sarah Hawkins, I think he was an uncle of my William, parents Thomas and Jane Backway. his grandparents were William and Betty Blackmore.
It seems that Alice was Ann, 1861 census shows her as servant with Charles Clark, Bristol... no identification after then

If anyone can help me further I would be so pleased..with
Thomas and Jane Ashelford 1841/61census.
and of course William's death, when and where.

again thank you all
Denise