The birth of Margaret Pugh of Helygog 1840

[Nigel Porter]

Margaret Pugh was born in 1840 at Helygog near Dolgellau, daughter of Robert and Margaret Pugh, but I can't find a record of the birth in the England & Wales Civil Registration Birth Index.  She was baptised on 24th September 1840 and in the 1841 census her age is stated as 9 months, so there should be a record, but there is no Margaret Pugh listed in 1840 registered in Dolgelley district with mothers surname Pugh.  I got the certificate for an Ann Pugh hoping that her name was different, but it's not her.

I have loads of other records for her and family, but the birth certificate has eluded me, so can anyone help?

[CaroleW]

Failure to register a birth only became a fineable offence in 1874 so lots of unregistered births prior to then

[Dundee]

Have you found birth registrations for the other children of Robert and Margaret?

Debra 

[CaroleW]

but there is no Margaret Pugh listed in 1840 registered in Dolgelley district with mothers surname Pugh

Are you saying Margaret snr maiden name was also Pugh?  If so - there is no birth reg for son William b 1838/39 with a mmn Pugh nor daughter Sarah Jane b 1843

[amondg]

Yes her maiden name was also Pugh(e)

Robert Pughe of Helygog, Dollgellau, Merionethshire  bachelor? married Margaret Pughe on 21 November 1834 at Darowen, Montgomeryshire by license.

Does the license still exist? it may tell you more.

Based on the way his will is worded, he appoints guardians for his "younger" children he doesn't mention names or the name of his wife. She gets to keep the furniture etc. she brought to the marriage.
Written 8 February 1852

He died 29 February 1852 of inflammation of the bowels Ref: Caernarvon & Denbighshire Herald dated 6 March 1852 aged 64.

There is a 21 year difference in the his and his wife's ages, personally I think he may have been married before.

[amondg]

Do you have Margaret (senior) will she died 19 February 1890 and probate was to her sister Sarah Jones of "Whitehorse Inn" Harlech - also a widow.


Using the GRO Index I couldn't find any registrations for her four children only baptisms.

[Nigel Porter]

Thanks for all the replies, however the will for a Margaret senior that amondg refers to is not my Margaret, as she died at Ivy House, Dolgellau on September 18th.  The Pugh(e)s of Helygog were a respected local family and therefore I find it strange that they would have not registered their children, but they did register the youngest daughter Mary and I have her birth certificate for April 6th 1846, so why not the others?  I can't find a copy of the wedding license, but he is listed as a bachelor in the transcription and again being a respected local name it would be foolish to lie if he had been married before.  I've checked the online marriages and baptisms for a prior marriage and children, but nothing looks likely from the available records.  At some stage I'll get back to Wales and check the archives, but for now I'll keep looking remotely.