My 3x great grandfather James Bradley was married in Walford in 1811 to Elizabeth Harris and lived there until he died in 1864. He gave his place of birth as Ruardean in the 1851 and 1861 censuses and his age indicated a birth year of ~ 1784.

Things were going well but there is no record of a James Bradley being baptised in Ruardean in the right time frame. Years have passed and I've found some anomalies in other parts of my family tree which made me ask more questions about James - was he just not baptised, was he born of an earlier marriage with a different name or were his parents not married etc etc?

I've been looking back into the records and have found a James Griffiths baptised on 18 Feb 1785 in Ruardean - mother Mary Griffiths. I then looked for a marriage of Mary Griffiths and found John Bradley of Ruardean had married Mary Griffiths in Monmouth in 1787.

It sounds a plausible explanation and I wonder if anyone has any more information that might confirm my suspicion or show me to be on the wrong track again?

James and his family were brought alive for me recently when I found a report in the Hereford Times April 8 1848 in the National Newspaper archive (http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) about an attempt to steal a bee hive from his house. I'd recomment the archive if you haven't already had a look.

Mary Allen

?

The two witnesses are this wedding were: John BRADLEY & Mary SAYCELL

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FOD Records

5 August 1821, Ruardean

John BRADLEY

father's forename: John

mother's Forename: Elizabeth

mother's surname: YEM

residence: Ruardean

occupation: Collier

event: baptism

memoranda: Natural son of

My 3x great grandfather James Bradley was married in Walford in 1811 to Elizabeth Harris and lived there until he died in 1864. He gave his place of birth as Ruardean in the 1851 and 1861 censuses and his age indicated a birth year of ~ 1784.

Things were going well but there is no record of a James Bradley being baptised in Ruardean in the right time frame. Years have passed and I've found some anomalies in other parts of my family tree which made me ask more questions about James - was he just not baptised, was he born of an earlier marriage with a different name or were his parents not married etc etc?

I've been looking back into the records and have found a James Griffiths baptised on 18 Feb 1785 in Ruardean - mother Mary Griffiths. I then looked for a marriage of Mary Griffiths and found John Bradley of Ruardean had married Mary Griffiths in Monmouth in 1787.

It sounds a plausible explanation and I wonder if anyone has any more information that might confirm my suspicion or show me to be on the wrong track again?

James and his family were brought alive for me recently when I found a report in the Hereford Times April 8 1848 in the National Newspaper archive (http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/) about an attempt to steal a bee hive from his house. I'd recomment the archive if you haven't already had a look.

Mary Allen

It certanly seems to fit together places names witnesses

Year: 1785
Month: Feb
Day: 18
Parents_Surname: GRIFFITHS
Child_Forenames: James
Fathers_Forenames: not stated
Mothers_Forenames: Mary
Mothers_Surname:
Residence:
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister: J H BEESTON - minister
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: base son
Notes:
Register_Reference: P275 IN 1/6
Page_Number: 1
Parish_Chapel: Ruardean

Year: 1787
Month: Mar
Day: 24
Grooms_Surname: BRADLEY
Grooms_Forenames: John
Grooms_Age:
Groom_Condition:
Grooms_Occupation:
Grooms_Residence: Ruedean Glos
Grooms_Fathers_Surname:
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames:
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation:
Brides_Surname: GRIFFITHS
Brides_Forenames: Mary
Brides_Age:
Brides_Condition:
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: of this parish
Brides_Fathers_Surname:
Brides_Fathers_Forenames:
Brides_Fathers_Occupation:
Licence_or_Banns: Licence
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: He signs she marks
Witness_1: William Vaughan
Witness_2: Thomas Evans
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference:
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Monmouth

Year: 1811
Month: Oct
Day: 24
Grooms_Surname: BRADLEY
Grooms_Forenames: James
Grooms_Age:
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation:
Grooms_Residence: Walford
Grooms_Fathers_Surname:
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames:
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation:
Brides_Surname: HARRIS
Brides_Forenames: Elizabeth
Brides_Age:
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Walford
Brides_Fathers_Surname:
Brides_Fathers_Forenames:
Brides_Fathers_Occupation:
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both mark
Witness_1: Mark of John Bradley
Witness_2: Mark of Mary Saycell
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Tho[mas] Dudley Fosbrooke Minister
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: AO19/5
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Walford

Year: 1826
Month: Dec
Day: 17
Parents_Surname: BRADLEY
Child_Forenames: William
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Elizabeth
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Coughton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: T.D. Fosbroke Min[iste]r
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: AO19/4
Page_Number: 60
Parish_Chapel: Walford

Year: 1831
Month: May
Day: 25
Parents_Surname: BRADLEY
Child_Forenames: Sarah
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Elizabeth
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: By Coughton
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: T.D. Fosbroke Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: AO19/4
Page_Number: 79
Parish_Chapel: Walford

1841
James Bradley abt 1784 Herefordshire, England Walford, Herefordshire
Elizabeth Bradley abt 1786 Herefordshire, England Walford, Herefordshire
William Bradley abt 1827 Herefordshire, England Walford, Herefordshire
Eliza Bradley abt 1829 Herefordshire, England Walford, Herefordshire
Sarah Bradley abt 1831 Herefordshire, England Walford, Herefordshire

1851
James Bradley abt 1785 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Head Walford, Herefordshire
Elizabeth Bradley abt 1786 Ross, Herefordshire, England Wife Walford, Herefordshire
Sarah Bradley abt 1832 Walford, Herefordshire, England Daughter Walford, Herefordshire
John Bradley abt 1849 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Grandson Walford, Herefordshire

1861
James Bradley abt 1783 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Head Walford, Herefordshire
Elizabeth Bradley abt 1786 Holm Green Ross, Herefordshire, England Wife Walford, Herefordshire
Eliza Davies abt 1831 Walford, Herefordshire, England Daughter Walford, Herefordshire
Fredrick Davies abt 1855 Walford, Herefordshire, England Grandson Walford, Herefordshire
Edward Davies abt 1858 Ross, Herefordshire, England Grandson Walford, Herefordshire
John Bradley abt 1849 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Grandson Walford, Herefordshire

Year: 1864
Month: Jun
Day: 15
Surname: BRADLEY
Forenames: James
Residence: Coughton Walford
Age_at_death: 80
Officiating_Minister: T.H. Edwards Offic[iatin]g Min[ister]
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: AO19/11
Page_No: 135
Parish_Chapel: Walford

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Thank you foryour prompt reply and the record information and not finding any glaringly obvious problems with my thinking. I'm going to dig around a little more. I guess I'm never going to find absolute proof. It would be good if the ministers had made fuller records. We haven't any family stories or links for this part of the family that might have helped.

Thank you for your reply and the information. I suspect the John Bradley who was a witness at James Bradley's wedding in 1811 was his brother. John Bradley son of John and Mary was baptised in Ruardean on 25 November 1789. There is an earlier baptism for John on 17 August 1787 but I suspect this son may have died. It seems that John junior may then have had a son called John himself in 1821. I'm going to see if I can piece together some more about the family to see if it helps. Best Wishes Mary