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Hello everyone,

I am looking at a marriage between Henry WORGAN & Elinor MILLS marriage at St. Pauls, Bristol on 2 Oct 1810. What I am interested in finding out is WHY they would have married there, when other records have the pair living their lives in the St. Briavels/ Hewelsfield areas?

Any thoughts?

Much thanks,
Rachel

Background information:
I can find parish records for Henry Worgan (baptism in Hewlesfield, burial in St. Briavels) and Elinor (a possible hit for baptism in St. Briavels and a burial in St. Briavels) and also in the 1841 census they reside with their children in the St. Briavels area.

Side note: Henry's brother John Worgan married a woman named Ann Miles, so I searched Elinor MILES (no search hit for MILLS) and discovered that both women had the same father (William) /mother (Mary) listed on each of their baptisms.

Partial Information from FOD Transcript Details and the 1841census look-up on Ancestry.com

Henry Worgan

Year: 1776
Month: Dec
Day: 8
Parents_Surname: WORGAN
Child_Forenames: Henry
Fathers_Forenames: Henry
Mothers_Forenames: Margaret
Parish_Chapel: Hewelsfield
Soundex: W625

Year: 1846
Month: Jan
Day: 6
Surname: WORGAN
Forenames: Henry
Residence: Hudnalls
Age_at_death: 69 years
Parish_Chapel: St Briavels
Soundex: W625

Elinor Mills/Miles

Year: 1786
Month: Nov
Day: 5
Parents_Surname: MILES
Child_Forenames: Elinor
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Mary
Parish_Chapel: St Briavels
Soundex: M420

Year: 1842
Month: Dec
Day: 18
Surname: WORGAN
Forenames: Elenor
Residence: Hudnalls
Age_at_death: 57 years
Parish_Chapel: St Briavels
Soundex: W625

Worgan family on 1841 Census

NAME: Henry Worgan
AGE: 60
ESTIMATED BIRTH YEAR: abt 1781
GENDER: Male
WHERE BORN: Gloucestershire, England
CIVIL PARISH: St Briavells Common
HUNDRED: St Briavells
COUNTY/ISLAND: Gloucestershire
COUNTRY: England

Household Members
Henry Worgan 60
Elenor Worgan 60
Mary Worgan 25
John Worgan 20
George Worgan 15
Thos Worgan 14

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I wonder if they were working in Bristol. Although later, in 1876, I found that my husband's ggrandfather married in Bristol. I wondered why as the family lived in Hewelsfield. However, on sending for the marriage certificate found he was working as a coachman at a house in Redcliffe and his wife was also at the same address. Of course, no certificate is available for 1810 and having searched various sites, I cannot find anything about him around that time.

Sheila

6785 views

If you use the Advance Search for children of Henry and Eleanor WORGAN - you will see his occupation is a Waterman - hence he would have been in Bristol at the time of his marriage.

John and George christened together at St Briavels in 11 January 1824.

6825 views

Have just been looking the 1851 Census and there are several Worgan families in Bristol where the man is a sailor/mariner. In fact, one of the families lived in Guinea Street, Redcliffe near the harbourside, a few doors along from where my husband's ggrandfather lived later. So it is possible that Henry was a sailor.

Sheila

6910 views

1841 England Census
HO107/364/4; District: 12; Folio: 17; Page: 6
St Briavels Common

Henry Worgan - 60 - Ag Lab - Y (Born in Gloucestershire)
Elenor Worgan - 60 - N (NOT born in Gloucestershire)
Mary Worgan - 25 - N (NOT born in Gloucestershire)
John Worgan - 20 - N (NOT born in Gloucestershire)
George Worgan - 15 - N (NOT born in Gloucestershire)
Thos Worgan - 14 - N (NOT born in Gloucestershire)

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The 1841 England Census records Eleanor and the children then present being born out of county. These records suggest that the children were born in county.

Record_ID 1044012
Entry_Number
Year 1812
Month Dec
Day 13
Parents_Surname WORGAN
Child_Forenames Mary
Fathers_Forenames Henry
Mothers_Forenames Eleanor
Mothers_Surname
Residence Hudnalls
Occupation
Officiating_Minister Tho[ma]s Thomas Curate
Event Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference P278 IN 1/4
Page_Number 27
Parish_Chapel St Briavels
Soundex W625

Record_ID 59064
Entry_Number 67
Year 1815
Month Oct
Day 1
Parents_Surname WORGAN
Child_Forenames Henry
Fathers_Forenames Henry
Mothers_Forenames Eleanor
Mothers_Surname
Residence Hudnalls
Occupation Waterman
Officiating_Minister Geo. Ridout
Event Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference P278 IN 1/5
Page_Number 9
Parish_Chapel St Briavels
Soundex W625

Record_ID 59268
Entry_Number 278
Year 1824
Month Jan
Day 11
Parents_Surname WORGAN
Child_Forenames John
Fathers_Forenames Henry
Mothers_Forenames Eleanor
Mothers_Surname
Residence Brockwear Common
Occupation Waterman
Officiating_Minister James Dighton Curate
Event Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference P278 IN 1/5
Page_Number 35
Parish_Chapel St Briavels
Soundex W625

Record_ID 59269
Entry_Number 279
Year 1824
Month Jan
Day 11
Parents_Surname WORGAN
Child_Forenames George
Fathers_Forenames Henry
Mothers_Forenames Eleanor
Mothers_Surname
Residence Brockwear Common
Occupation Waterman
Officiating_Minister James Dighton Curate
Event Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference P278 IN 1/5
Page_Number 35
Parish_Chapel St Briavels
Soundex W625

Record_ID 59370
Entry_Number 380
Year 1827
Month Feb
Day 4
Parents_Surname WORGAN
Child_Forenames Thomas
Fathers_Forenames Henry
Mothers_Forenames Eleanor
Mothers_Surname
Residence Brockwear Common
Occupation Labourer
Officiating_Minister Walter Henry Hill Curate
Event Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference P278 IN 1/5
Page_Number 48
Parish_Chapel St Briavels
Soundex W625

6767 views

? this might possibly be another baptism at Hewlesfield - 2 September 1827

Priscilla WRIGHT

father: Henry (Waterman)

mother: Eleanor

residence: Brockwear

---

Another:

Priscilla WORGAN (father John)

married

William Francis BIGWOOD - 13 February 1843 - Bristol St Philip and Jacob)

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The record of the marriage at St Paul's, Bristol, Gloucester is available from Ancestry. The record is an index only in their collection 'England, Select Marriages, 1538-1973'. It is also available from Findmypast in their collection 'England Marriages 1538-1973 Transcription'.

Both records give the couple as Henry Morgan and Eleanor Mills.

6742 views

Thank you everyone for your feedback and insights as to how this marriage could have occurred. I am going to try to source more detailed information regarding the marriage. The idea that Henry married a Bristol girl and brought her back to the FOD does sound like a very good hunch. I have not had much luck sourcing MILLS in the FOD transcripts, so looking to Bristol will be my next step.

Should I learn anything interesting, I will definitely post a reply :)

Kind regards,
Rachel

6758 views

To reiterate. The marriage at St Paul's, Bristol on 2 Oct 1810 was between Henry MORGAN and Eleanor Mills.

6754 views

Have re-checked Ancestry Select Marriage records and they have transcribed the Groom as Henry WORGAN and the Bride as Eleanor MILLS.

Quite a number of WORGAN marriages in Bristol inc

George WORGAN to Mary HAWKINS - 18 August 1805 ***
James WORGAN to Eleanor GWIN - 9 March 1806 **
Ann WORGAN to George PHILLIPS - 1812
Sarah WORGAN to Joseph WILLIAMS - 5 December 1812 - St James Bristol *****

This needs some work to put all the christenings and families in some sort of order….

** quickly looking, James (occupation, Waterman) & Eleanor WORGAN - baptism 3 September 1815, daughter - Amelia - residence, Brockwear (more siblings on Fod Records)

**** A George & Mary WORGAN had a daughter Margaret christened at Hewlesfield 18 October 1807

*****

Joseph (Waterman) & Sarah WILLIAMS - baptism of children again on Fod Records

James - 11 January 1818, Hewlesfield

6780 views

Have re-checked Ancestry and agree with mpg that the record has been transcribed as Worgan. There are two attempts to transcribe the record. One states Worgan, the other Morgan. Likewise on Findmypast there are two records, one Worgan, the other Morgan. All records show the bride as Eleanor Mills.

6668 views

Thank you Paul for looking into the records on-line.

Hopefully one day I will be able to have the opportunity to see the original record in the Bristol Record Office to look at the W vs. M myself. Alternatively, I will try to ask a local family member who works in Bristol or perhaps an employee at the records office (like the GRO) if they are willing to look at the documents on my behalf :)

Meanwhile, I will re-evaluate the family information I do have to determine this is indeed the correct direction to research (regardless of the Worgan vs. Morgan on the electronic records. I'll summarize the information here, as the information I have may be of use to someone else's research as well.

Have a great day everyone!

Kind regards,
Rachel

6763 views

I have written an e-mail to the Bristol Record Office in hopes that they can clarify if the original record has a Worgan or an Morgan on the marriage record for the groom, Henry. Hope to hear from them soon and will share the findings.

Regards,
Rachel

6732 views

Hello everyone,

I have heard back from the BRO (Bristol Record Office) in regards to the contents of the parish records for this marriage. Here is the e-mail response in full:

Dear Ms Greiner,

I have checked the parish marriage index and microfiche records for St Paul's Portland Square for the marriage by banns of Eleanor Mills and Henry Worgan on 2 October 1810. I can confirm that the groom's surname is written as Worgan.

Please contact us if you have any further queries.

Your sincerely

Samantha

Samantha Boyle
Archives Assistant

I also send a reply asking if there was any further information on the parish record (as I had forgotten to inquire about that too in my initial email. Here is the second response back:

Dear Ms Greiner,

Thank you for your email of 10 January.

I have checked the parish record relating to the marriage between Henry Worgan and Eleanor Mills and no additional information was recorded about the couple.

If you would like a copy of the record, we can send you one for a fee.

Please contact us if you have any further queries.

Yours sincerely,

Samantha

Samantha Boyle
Archives Assistant

6715 views

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