Seeking a Marriage record for George DAVIS and Maria JACKSON, in Highley

[M_ONeill]

Hey all,

I'm trying to find a marriage record for my 3x great grandparents George Davis and Maria Jackson (born Maria Walford) sometime between 1841 and 1851.

George is listed in census records as having been born in Much Wenlock, c1813, Maria is listed as having been born in Highley c1816. I believe Maria Jackson was a widow, as I ordered a birth certificate for their son George (my 2x great grandfather) and the mother was listed as 'Maria Jackson, formerly Walford'.

I've found a Maria Walford who married a tailor called William Jackson in Feb 1841 in Leamington Spa. Now that seems some way from Highley to me, but so far it's the only Maria Walford -> Jackson wedding I can find anywhere at all during the right time frame anywhere even vaguely nearby.

This Maria's father was listed in the wedding record as a shoemaker. I've seen a local history website that claims a Shoemaker named William Walford lived in Highley in the 1840s and 1850s, but in the 1841 census only lists a 'Thomas Walford - Shoemaker' as living there. There is an elderly William Walford in his 80's living with his wife nearby. He's listed as a labourer, but maybe he's the father of Thomas and passed his trade on?

So that's where I currently stand on this branch of my tree. If I can find the record of marriage between George Davis and Maria Jackson, it might help me decide if I have the right Maria in Leamington in 1841 or if I'm barking up the wrong tree entirely. Was travel between Highley and Leamington even that common in this part of the 19th century?

[PaulineJ]

Is this (one or more of) the brood? you don't indicate when/where their child George was born.

DAVIS, THOMAS       WALFORD      1840  M Quarter in BRIDGWATER UNION  Volume 10  Page 377
DAVIS, MARY  ANN     WALFORD     1842  S Quarter in BRIDGWATER UNION  Volume 10  Page 323
DAVIS, HENRY       WALFORD     1846  D Quarter in BRIDGWATER UNION  Volume 10  Page 369
DAVIS, CAROLINE       WALFORD     1849  M Quarter in OF BRIDGWATER  Volume 10  Page 398
DAVIS, GEORGE  JAMES     WALFORD     1851  M Quarter in NOTTINGHAM  Volume 15  Page 679

[PaulineJ]

Or
DAVIES, GEORGE       WALFORD     1849  J Quarter in CLEOBURY MORTIMER  Volume 18  Page 49
DAVIES, ANN       WALFORD      1851  M Quarter in CLEOBURY MORTIMER  Volume 18  Page 45

[trish1120]

Sept 1846, Jackson  Maria,    Cleobury Mortimer  18 55
(all others on page down as reg Clun)

No George Davis on same page but searching same month just for him we have;
Sept 1846
Davis  George, Cleobury Mort 18   53

So looks like a mistake has been made.

[trish1120]

1841 in Leamington Priors, Warwickshire we have;
Oxford Street**
William Jackson, 25, Tailor J (Journeyman), born Ireland or Scotland?****
Maria Jackson, 25, not born in County*****

FreeREG has the 1841 Marriage but William may be mistranscribed as a Sailor
Witness Harriet Howard is living next door to them.
Address on Marriage is 10 Oxford St

As William was a Journeyman Tailor he would have moved around for work

[M_ONeill]

Whoops! Didn't realise I'd missed out their son's birth! He was born around 1849 in Highley, but I can't seem to lay my hands on the hard copy certificate I got for him.

Trish: that's who I *think* Maria married first. But like I say, Leamington Spa (or Priors, as was) seems a long way away.

To work backwards, double check my facts and show you how I got here:

George Davis (my 2x great grandfather) is listed as living in Patshull Staffordshire in 1901 with his wife, Martha Davis (who I believe to be born Martha Howells, Stottesdon c1849). George is listed as born Highley c1850. I couldn't find anyone of that name born there in 1850, hence the 1849 birth date. I'm pretty much fully confident in the tree up to this point.

The birth certificate record I obtained showed a George Davis being born in 1849 in Highley to father George Davis and a Maria Jackson (formerly Walford).

There is a family living in Highley in 1851:

George Davis | Head | 38 | b. Much Wenlock, Salop
Maria Davis | Wife | 35 | b. Highley, Salop
Sarah Davis | Dau. | 3 | b. Highley, Salop
George Davis | Son | 1 | b. Highley, Salop
Thomas Norrey | Uncle | 75 | b. Much Wenlock, Salop
Elizabeth Walford | Visitor | 21 | b. Highley, Salop

When I got the hard copy birth record, I noted the link in the name Walford with Elizabeth, the visitor.

In the '61 Census, the Davis family are still there, but George the father is a widower. So Maria has to have died between 1851 and 1861.

So I think I'm definitely right on the mother being a Mariah Jackson(Walford), as that seems to fit. Where I'm not confident is that the Maria in Leamington is actually the same one I'm looking for.

[M_ONeill]

Hmm, I've just noticed an oddity I never have before. Even though this George Davis in 1861 is listed as the two children's father, his age has jumped massively. He's listed as 66. That's a big jump! His birthplace is listed as 'n.k.' not known instead of Much Wenlock.

I'm wondering if this actually is the father, or if it could be a grandparent?

[trish1120]

The Marriage I noted in 1846 looks correct

[M_ONeill]

Ah yes, that's definitely the right one!

So George died in 1853 - that means that this George living with the children in 1861 has to be a grandfather or other relative!

Thanks all, this has really helped me straighten out my thought process on this part of the tree! I guess I need to look deeper into the shoemaking Walfords of Highley. And look into any George Davis' born c.1795.