Phoenix
03-08-23, 18:28
Apologies for the length of this
Ann Williams married John Parsons in 1853 in Cardiff, by Registrar’s Certificate. The witnesses were James Avis, who may have been a colleague of John’s and a John Cannon who I haven’t identified. Ann was living at 5 Christina Street, which I’ve not been able to find on FMP’s addresses in 1851, and her father was John Williams, a gentleman.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/120217:62105?tid=156752995&pid=172503567441&queryId=b32b78a760d7a14ea69d4f6bcd2d5221&_phsrc=nUX8813&_phstart=successSource
When her daughter, Eleanor Catherine Parsons was born in 1858, Ann was the informant, and gave her name as Lucy Ann Williams. In all other records I have found to date, she is called Ann, or Annie.
Here is the family in 1861:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8768/images/MONRG9_4012_4020-0578?pId=13487292
They are living at Seniors Place, Old Road, Maindee in Monmouthshire:
John 39 born Devonshire
Ann 30 born London
Owen 6 born Glamorgan [John Henry Owen Parsons]
Ellen 3 born Newport Monmouthshire and
Charles Quick visitor unmarried 36 cordwainer born Devonshire
Something happened during the 1860s. By 1871, John was living with Eliza Steeds as man and wife, the first of their four children had been born, and they were living in Bristol.
Ann and the children are living in a cottage in North Narberth, Pembrokeshire:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7618/images/PEMRG10_5506_5509-0350?pId=7215224
It says defiantly that the head of the house is absent. Ann, now aged 38, is a plasterer’s wife, born London. John Henry, aged 16 is an apprentice plasterer.
John died in a fall from a building he was working on in Aberdare in 1879. Ann moved to London. Here she is in 1881:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7572/images/MDXRG11_1339_1344-1000?pId=15684949
12 Cumberland Terrace. Owen, 26 is a plasterer, now married. Ellen, who has slipped a couple of years is now 20, a domestic. Annie, 48 is an acknowledged widow. Servant is crossed out. Place of birth is now Chippenham, with Wilts added in a different hand.
Annie is bedridden, and appears to die the following year.
There are three things strange about this:
1. I can find absolutely nothing about Ann before her marriage. It seems odd that she says (in Wales) that she was born in London, and that in London her birthplace is given as Chippenham.
2. In 1881 her daughter Ellen is a servant, but in 1889 (saying she is 23) Ellen marries Daniel Baird Baird-Maturin, a wealthy Irish landowner. Ellen died in 1919 (aged 49!) with only a couple of hundred pounds to call her own. None of the Ancestry trees connect her to John Parsons and his complicated life, but her birth certificate proves the link.
3. What happened to Ann’s son, John Henry Owen Parsons? He must be the Harry Parsons who witnesses Ellen’s marriage, but I can find no trace of him after 1889.
Help, please!
Ann Williams married John Parsons in 1853 in Cardiff, by Registrar’s Certificate. The witnesses were James Avis, who may have been a colleague of John’s and a John Cannon who I haven’t identified. Ann was living at 5 Christina Street, which I’ve not been able to find on FMP’s addresses in 1851, and her father was John Williams, a gentleman.
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/120217:62105?tid=156752995&pid=172503567441&queryId=b32b78a760d7a14ea69d4f6bcd2d5221&_phsrc=nUX8813&_phstart=successSource
When her daughter, Eleanor Catherine Parsons was born in 1858, Ann was the informant, and gave her name as Lucy Ann Williams. In all other records I have found to date, she is called Ann, or Annie.
Here is the family in 1861:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8768/images/MONRG9_4012_4020-0578?pId=13487292
They are living at Seniors Place, Old Road, Maindee in Monmouthshire:
John 39 born Devonshire
Ann 30 born London
Owen 6 born Glamorgan [John Henry Owen Parsons]
Ellen 3 born Newport Monmouthshire and
Charles Quick visitor unmarried 36 cordwainer born Devonshire
Something happened during the 1860s. By 1871, John was living with Eliza Steeds as man and wife, the first of their four children had been born, and they were living in Bristol.
Ann and the children are living in a cottage in North Narberth, Pembrokeshire:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7618/images/PEMRG10_5506_5509-0350?pId=7215224
It says defiantly that the head of the house is absent. Ann, now aged 38, is a plasterer’s wife, born London. John Henry, aged 16 is an apprentice plasterer.
John died in a fall from a building he was working on in Aberdare in 1879. Ann moved to London. Here she is in 1881:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7572/images/MDXRG11_1339_1344-1000?pId=15684949
12 Cumberland Terrace. Owen, 26 is a plasterer, now married. Ellen, who has slipped a couple of years is now 20, a domestic. Annie, 48 is an acknowledged widow. Servant is crossed out. Place of birth is now Chippenham, with Wilts added in a different hand.
Annie is bedridden, and appears to die the following year.
There are three things strange about this:
1. I can find absolutely nothing about Ann before her marriage. It seems odd that she says (in Wales) that she was born in London, and that in London her birthplace is given as Chippenham.
2. In 1881 her daughter Ellen is a servant, but in 1889 (saying she is 23) Ellen marries Daniel Baird Baird-Maturin, a wealthy Irish landowner. Ellen died in 1919 (aged 49!) with only a couple of hundred pounds to call her own. None of the Ancestry trees connect her to John Parsons and his complicated life, but her birth certificate proves the link.
3. What happened to Ann’s son, John Henry Owen Parsons? He must be the Harry Parsons who witnesses Ellen’s marriage, but I can find no trace of him after 1889.
Help, please!