Thomas Henry Richards (Parish Records)
Does anyone have any information on the birth/baptism of my Great Grandfather,
Thomas Henry Richards born around 1869, it says on his marriage certificate that
he was born in Clearwell. I cannot find anything.
Thomas Henry Richards
by ChrisW 
, Thursday, April 07, 2016, 16:47 (3186 days ago) @ karenj
Hi Karen
On England and Wales Marriage Certificates it gives the addresses where the bride and groom were living at the time of the marriage. It is not necessarily where they were born. Have you found them on a census after the marriage please?
Chris
Thomas Henry Richards b1869 Clearwell ?
by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Thursday, April 07, 2016, 18:35 (3185 days ago) @ ChrisW
Hi Karen,
welcome to the forum. The records show Thomas Henry was a popular name combination for a great many Richards boys, however despite searching FreeBMD, GlosBMD, this site's PRs and Ancestry I cannot find any such Births in the FoD area in 1869.
I can see one born in 1867 in Machen, Monmouthshire (West of Newport), and another born in Cheltenham in 1869, also a few in Bristol and particularly Cornish birth registrations of this name & period in the records, any of these might easily have moved to the Forest.
I cannot find any Marriage in the FoD area that's clearly his, nor can I definitely find him in the Census records within Glostershire or Monmouthshire etc.
As Chris says, we need more information. Please re-check your info and also give any other details you have, eg his full Marriage Record with date, place, names including parents etc, all of this will help us to hopefully help you.
Regarding finding his Birth Record, I wonder if he was only registered as Thomas, and he added the Henry later perhaps in recognition of his father ? We've seen several cases where Victorian people later "gain" extra names as well as their "official" birth one. If this is so, then there are clearly many more Thomas Richards to sift thro; for example the PRs have the 1865 birth and 1889 marriage for one such man, of no known father, both in Bream so not far from Clearwell.
Many thanks.
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The nearest Census record I can find ref your given birthdate and place, is this record of a miner apparently working at the New Fancy pit;
1901 Census, No 15 Barracks, Parkend.
Name Relation to Head Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth Place
Thomas Richards Head 32 1869 Collier roadman below ground. Male Clearwell, Gloucestershire, England
Alexandria Richards Wife 36 1865 Female West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Henry Anderson Stepson 17 1884 Collier hewer. Male West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Campbell Anderson Stepson 15 1886 Collier hewer. Male West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Norah Anderson Stepdaughter 13 1888 Female West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Allie Anderson Stepdaughter 7 1894 Female West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Lilian Richards Daughter 3 1898 Female West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Thomas Richards Son 5/12 1901 Male West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
George Beach Boarder 22 1879 Male Collier hewer. N, Yorkshire, England
Recent photo of the Barracks here http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3682707
This looks like daughter Lilian's birth record, wiht helpful hints re the step-children;
Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
RICHARDS Lilian Mary RICHARDS RICHARDS HALE 1897 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 54 306
RICHARDS Lilian Mary RICHARDS RICHARDS ANDERSON 1897 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 54 306
Thomas's marriage;
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
RICHARDS Thomas ANDERSON Alexandra Forest of Dean Parkend St Paul [Building Comments] 1896 3 140
RICHARDS Thomas HALE Alexandra Forest of Dean Parkend St Paul [Building Comments] 1896 3 140
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Yet again I foolishly didn't search this forum for any old posts that may be related.
I wonder if this is your Thomas ?.
1871 Shireoaks Worksop Notts
John Richards 21 Clearwell
Mary Ann Richards 21 Clearwell
Thos H Richards 6 Months Shireoaks
see full details of this family in http://www.forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?id=29195
Thomas Henry Richards b1869 Clearwell ?
by Mike Pinchin , Bedford, England, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 19:37 (3176 days ago) @ Jefff
Not that this answers the original question but, given that the Barracks Census entry is the right one, this must be Alexandra in her previous marriage,
GR 1891 Census, Moseley
James ANDERSON, Head, Mar, 29, Coal Miner, b. Glos. East Dean
Alexandria, Wife, Mar, 27, Glos. West Dean
William H, Son, 7, Scholar, Glos. West Dean
Cambell, Son, 5, Scholar, Glos. West Dean
Nora E, Daur, 3, Glos. West Dean
GR General Register, Q2, 1883
James ANDERSON married Emma JOYNES or Alley HALE
Monmouth District.
I guess that this must be Alexandra in 1881,
GR 1881 Census, Cheshire, Bowden, Ashley Road,
Ellis LEVER, Head, Mar, Coal Merchant, b. Lancs. Kersley
Wife/sons/daughters/visitor
Alley HALE, Serv, Un, 18, Domestic Servant (Housemaid), Glos. Coleford
Edith HALE, Serv, Un, 16, Domestic Servant (Housemaid), Glos. Coleford
This looks like her family, all from this site,
Parents Moses and Susan (Susannah for Edward) HALE
Year Child Residence Father’s Occ. Parish/Chapel
1855 Moses Lane End Collier Christchurch
1857 Henry Lane End Collier Christchurch
1860 Harriet Lane End Collier Christchurch
1862 AlbertEdward Coleford Congregational
1864 Alexandra Coleford Congregational
1866 Edith Coleford Congregational
1868 Hubert Coleford Lane End Collier Clearwell
1870 Edward Tom Ellwood Foreman of works Clearwell
1873 Ernest George Ellwood (Parkend) Foreman in Coal works Clearwell
1875 Charlotte Jane Ellwood (Parkend) Foreman Collier Clearwell
According to various entries in the BNA James ANDERSON died as the result of an accident when a pony and trap he was driving ran out of control over a steep bank near Parkend. His brother-in-law, Earnest George HALE was with him but suffered only minor injuries. He died on Wed 26th June 1895 and left a wife and four children.