Llanvihangel

[Grothenwell]

Well I suppose it would be wouldn't it. Elizabeth's maiden name is.............. that's right - Jones!
I was hoping for a surname that would be a bit easier to trace in Wales, but never mind it's good to find out her name.
My family are now claming we share a common ancestor with the Great Tom Jones, but I suppose "It's Not Unusual" to have that claim. Groan... sorry!
Seriously does anyone have any pointers on what to try next? My immediate thought is to try the IGI for her.

Hope you can help,

Grothenwell

[Ladkyis]

The IGI coverage of Monmouthshire is not too good, I would be inclined to look at the 1861 census for the area that the daughter Elizabeth was born - her age is given as 10 on the 1871 so they could be in "Ullingswick" for the 1861 and this wouls also tyell you if there are children older than Elizabeth and this will perhaps narrow down the possible date of their marriage. If there are older Children they just might have been born in or near their mother's home parish - a lot of girls went home to have the first child.
Ann

[Grothenwell]

Hi Ladykis,

I posted a request for the 1861 Ullingswick census as you suggested, and someone kindly told me that there was only Thomas & Elizabeth then, so no older kids. A weird thing is that in the Cenus she puts her POB as Grosmont, Hereford. Thomas puts a false POB in his '61 and '71 census return also. Why would they do that? Any ideas anyone.
I think I'll try a lookup request for Elizabeth Jones in Llanfihangel 1851 census(she'd have been 18 or 19 then) or earlier, which of the 7 Llanvihangels I don't know, but someone might be able to help.

Thank you,

Grothenwell

[Grothenwell]

Sorry above message posted twice for some reason

[Ladkyis]

I think there are several reasons why people gave false information to the census. Perhaps they were not married and were afraid that someone would be checking so if they give false info they won't be able to trace them.
Perhaps the husband was at work and the wife was the one the enumerator asked and she wasn't sure where he was born so gave the wrong place. We have to keep in mind that while people were beginning to be educated - the ordinary people not the upper and middle classes - it was not always a good thing for people to know that you could read or write so the enumerator might have had to fill in the forms for them and the information would not have been checked.
My great grandmother was born in Southwark London but on the 1901 census not only does she knock nearly 6 years off her age she uses a different surname and she gives Madeira as her birthplace. the only reason I know it is her is because I knew the address she was living at in 1901 I would never have found her otherwise.
so while they might have been law-abiding upright members of their community they also might not have wanted authority to know the truth about them.
Ann