Hughes family. Llanllechid (Update. Now discounted I think!)

[bronnie]

Found them in  Llanllechid 1871 and here in 1881, but having difficulty locating any of this family in subsequent census.

1881  RG11 Piece 5579 Folio41 page 22

20 Tan y Foel Llanllechid
William Hughes Hd   Wdwr 42 quarry lab. b Llangefni, Anglesey    (given as Rhosmeirch in 1871)
Grace   Hughes Dau  Unm  21 gen. serv    b Llandadwrn  Anglesey  ( given as Llanddyfran in 1871)
Hugh    Hughes Son  Unm  18  quarryman b Llandadwrn  Anglesey
William Hughes  Son           16  appr joinerb Llanllechid
Robert Thos Hughes           13   scholar      b Llanllechid


I have possibly found the father living alone  in 1891 in Lock Up Street Llanllechid (although d o b is a little out)


I am particularly interested in seeing if son William turns up anywhere as I am still looking for the birth family of my gt grandfather William Hughes prior to 1891. This is a family that "sits" quite well with me, although there are a couple of inconsistencies.

A couple of other matters opinions would be appreciated on!

Would it be realistic for someone born in Llanllechid to  describe their place of birth as Bangor?

Occupation-wise, son William in this family was  apprentice-joiner .... not an occupation I'm familiar with for "my" William. He was a quarry plate-layer in  1891 and  all his working life.  Any comments?

Many thanks for any help

Bron

[hiraeth]

Hi bronnie

Would it be realistic for someone born in Llanlechidd to  describe their place of birth as Bangor?

I think this would depend on the context in which they described their place of birth.  If the person was living in England in later life it might be something they might say rather than spelling out Llanllechid etc.    In 1901 many of the quarrymen were in South Wales because of the Penrhyn Strike so they would either say Bethesda or Bangor perhaps in those circumstances.   

Occupation-wise, son William in this family was  apprentice-joiner .... not an occupation I'm familiar with for "my" William. He was a quarry plate-layer in  1891 and  all his working life.  Any comments?

There is no hard and fast answer.  My initial response is not a good fit but then again he might have tried joinery for a short time as a teenager and then gone to the quarry for economic reasons or ?

Do you have your Gt grandfather's marriage certificate and if so who were the witnesses?   

Heather 

[bronnie]

Hi!

Thanks for your reply!

Gt grandfather was living in Dolwyddelan as his wife-to-be's  lodger in 1891 and they married later that year  in Register Office, Llanwrst. Witnesses were  "Jno Wynne" and Sarah Roberts (his wife was a Roberts).

He lived in Blaenau Ffestiniog from then on and always referred to his birthplace as Bangor, in the Census. Have spent years trawling through the records without success, but hadn't considered this family before. 

[hiraeth]

This appears to be William Hughes snr with daughter Grace in 1861 at Llansadwrn
RG9/Piece4347/Folio15/Page7

William HUGHES head, age 23 Ag Lab, b Rhosmeirch Anglesey
Margaret HUGHES wife, age 27b Llangoed
Grace HUGHES dau age 1, b Treguyn?

[hiraeth]

Gt grandfather was living in Dolwyddelan as his wife-to-be's  lodger in 1891 and they married later that year  in Register Office, Llanwrst. Witnesses were  "Jno Wynne" and Sarah Roberts (his wife was a Roberts).

He lived in Blaenau Ffestiniog from then on and always referred to his birthplace as Bangor, in the Census. Have spent years trawling through the records without success, but hadn't considered this family before. 

And presumably he gave his father's name as William.  Was his occ quarryman?  As your William has living in Blaenau I'm thinking that he would have said Llanllechid rather than Bangor but stranger things have happened. 

Have you considered the possibly illegitimate William s/o Ruth Hughes born Bangor  1866 ref RG10/Piece5729/Folio18/Page28?   I say possibly illegitimate because sometimes when a man was illegitimate and marrying away from his family he named his own christian name as father out of embarassment.  This William's mother Ruth states she is married on the 1861 and 1871 but no husband or his occupation named.  (If the husband was away the wife quite often called herself "mariner's wife" or "carpenters wife" etc.)  It might be worth checking out any Ruth Hughes b1827 at Pentraeth or a marriage for a William Hughes to a Ruth pre 1861?

Are there any clues to be had from the names of your William's children?

H

   

[bronnie]

Hi

Yes! Williams father was given as William Hughes, platelayer on marriage cert in 1891 

 I've been back to the  Ruth Hughes one a couple of times over the years, and once again only this week. I did check  the birth with the registrar a couple of years ago and was told verbally, the father was not a  William. In fact I found my notes on this last night!  However, this doesn't confirm that no father was named either, so suppose really I should get the cert!

The Ruth Hughes of Pentraeth was listed as  Ruth Bruton in 1851, her  mother a publican from Manchester.  There was a possible marriage I found between a Ruth Brereton (Bruton?) in Bangor 1860 and a Michael Hughes who then  seems to be 'missing'. TBH none of this really sits well with gut feelings, but try to keep an open mind. Gt grandfather only spoke Welsh in 1891.

There was also a William Hughes born Bangor with a mother Ellen in 1871. He is lodging in Denio in 1881, also found a possible death for Ellen Hughes. He was an apprentice joiner too !! Will go back and check my old notes on him, but have looked into them over the years!

I agree about fabricating details for certs, have experience of that in the family already! There is no mention or knowledge names/photographs etc of any family from gt grandfather's side whatsoever.

His  children's names are not terribly helpful, William, Katie, Lizzie and Jennie. Very common names in his wife's family also

Not to worry. It's a fairly hopeless search to be honest.

Thanks you

[bronnie]

ooops! pls delete

[hiraeth]

Not to worry. It's a fairly hopeless search to be honest.

It's quite a puzzle alright but keep the faith     There has to be an answer out there somewhere

In the meantime, in case you haven't seen it, there is a very informative article here relative to slate quarrying and the railways of Snowdonia.  http://www.greatorme.org.uk/Snowdonia.htm.

Another thought.  As William was almost a decade younger than his wife, I'm wondering if he actually aged himself a little! 

Heather

[bronnie]

Hi heather

Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions!

In the 3 Census entries I am sure of,  1891, 1901, 1911, William has been most consistent with his age, 24, 34 and 44 years respectively. Similarly with his birthplace, always Bangor.  Age at death was consistent with this too, likely putting year of birth 1866-7
Good point re the marriage. His wife was slightly "woolier" about her age throughout but not by much. William was her lodger, some 8-9 years younger and she was a widow with 2 sons and 7 months "with child" (my taid) when they married! They both tweeked their ages on the marriage cert, to lessen the age gap, but on the census I think he stayed consistent.

I recently discovered that he had remarried in the 1920's after the death of his first wife. I know her name but am still trying to identify exactly which marriage it is, but I think maybe then  I will order the marriage cert and see whather the same details were entered for his father. If he was illegitimate,  maybe by the time of his second marriage in his fifties, he would no longer feel the need to cover up the fact?