Mary Jane Drake 1848 doesn't exist before move to Wales

[Maiden Stone]

The 1871 census states that she was born in Mold, Montgomeryshire. They are in Carmarthen.

Still on my railway theme, Chester-Mold railway opened 1849. Linked to Holyhead-Chester line. Holyhead-Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) was the mailboat route to & from Ireland. A mineral line was laid to Mold. Michael may have been a railway labourer or a miner, both mobile jobs. I can't see Mary Jane or Michael in Wales on 1851 census. They may have moved elsewhere in Britain or gone to Ireland. Railway construction boom in Ireland began later than in Britain.

[bethanjane]

Albert Edward (1883) Dawson's  Dad was also Albert Edward Dawson (1844) so that may be some of the confusion?

[bethanjane]

The 1871 census states that she was born in Mold, Montgomeryshire. They are in Carmarthen.

Still on my railway theme, Chester-Mold railway opened 1849. Linked to Holyhead-Chester line. Holyhead-Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) was the mailboat route to & from Ireland. A mineral line was laid to Mold. Michael may have been a railway labourer or a miner, both mobile jobs. I can't see Mary Jane or Michael in Wales on 1851 census. They may have moved elsewhere in Britain or gone to Ireland. Railway construction boom in Ireland began later than in Britain.

Oh Gosh, this is quite a lot of amazing avenues to explore...

[Maiden Stone]

Some snippets of Aberystwyth history.
https://www.aberystwythguide.org.uk/history/to1880.shtml
1862 work began on railway Machynlleth-Aberystwyth
1864 railway to Shrewsbury opened. This was start of decline of local trade based on shipping.
You can look up other decades in the guide.
Railway development in places where Mary Jane Drake was might be coincidence.
I wonder who Mrs Hines was, the woman she had a dispute with and whether her accusation was genuine. 

[Wexflyer]

The father's name is clearly Michael. Macfiael is just nonsense.
The Jane may not be a baptismal name.
What were the children's names?

[bethanjane]

The father's name is clearly Michael. Macfiael is just nonsense.
The Jane may not be a baptismal name.
What were the children's names?

Yes agree, the surname is also transcribed as DRAKER, so someone had a bad day....

Children are
Mary Anne Dawson 1868
Charles Kenrick Dawson - 1872
Thomas Edward Dawson - 1877
Albert Edward Dawson - 1883
John Austin Dawson - 1888

[Kloumann]

Their were 2 more children missing from your list.

Martha Jane, born about 1866 & Ema, 1870-71. Neither Martha Jane or Mary Ann can be found on the GRO.

[bethanjane]

Their were 2 more children missing from your list.

Martha Jane, born about 1866 & Ema, 1870-71. Neither Martha Jane or Mary Ann can be found on the GRO.

Oh interesting.
What are the reasons they wouldn't have been listed in the GRO?

[Kloumann]

There is a tree on familysearch which names Mary Jane's mother.....Joanna Donovan

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/MTLR-XLD

Martha Jane's baptism, 1865

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X1R4-ZFH