I have a 1871 census for Frederick Grail aged 25, occupation - Labourer, born in Alvington. Also listed is wife Elizabeth aged 23 born in Littledean and Daugther Harriet aged 2 born in Woolaston, all living at Woodside, Woolaston.

I do not have a direct match for this family in my family tree, however, it is remarkable similar to a family I have listed on my tree.

I have Frederick born 1844 (age 27 in 1871) born in Alvington, with wife Elizabeth born 1846 (age 25 in 1871) born in Tidenham and have daughter Margaret Elizabeth born in 1869 (age 2 in 1871).

I have searched for another Frederick who is married to Elizabeth and have a daugther Harriet and can't find anything. There is a baptism with no name listed in 1869 for parents Fred and Elizabeth.

Can anyone confirm or put me straight.

I can find your Frederick with wife Elizabeth and daughter Margaret on the 1881 census:

Frederick Grail 36
Elizabeth Grail 34
Margaret Grail 12
Francis Grail 9
Laura Grail 6
Samuel Grail 5
Frederick Grail 1

And the 1871 entry with one daughter named Harriet.

Looking at it they have to be the same guy, surely. And the only birth match for the daughter seems to be a Margaret Elizabeth Grail, birth registered in Chepstow in the March Qtr 1869.

I've had a few of my family change names on the census records and I wonder if the name was simply transcribed wrongly on the 1871 census - "Margaret" and "Harriet" might sound similar to a weary census writer if he wasn't familiar with the local accents.

I'm sure someone else on here will be able to give you much more practical help though. :)

An advanced search for baptisms with the surname GRAIL and father's name FRE gives 10 children in the right period, all with mother Elizabeth and baptized at Woolaston or Tidenham.

not stated - bap 1869
Francis Herbert - 1871
Laura - 1874
Christopher - 1884
Mary - 1884
Edith Emily - 1887
Samuel - 1888
Frederick - 1888
Allen Alfred - 1889
William Edgar - 1893

This doesn't look like a family at first glance but closer inspection shows Samuel was actually born in 1873 and Frederick in 1879. Then it looks a bit more possible. Perhaps tardy baptism was one of their characteristics.

In the 1871 census one child is recorded - Harriet.

In 1881 there are Margaret, Francis, Laura, Samuel and Frederick.

In 1891 there are Francis, Laura, Christopher, Polly, Edith Emily (as Edith), Samuel, Frederick and Allan.

In 1901 there are Christopher, Mary, Edith Emily (as Emily), Samuel, Frederick, Allan and William.

In 1911 there is only William (as Edgar).

Allowing that Harriet = Margaret and Polly = Mary (enumerator's fatigue?) it begins to look as though this is one family.

The only marriage to produce them seems to be that of Frederick Grail to Elizabeth Evans at Woolaston, Feb 11th 1868.

Take it all with a grain of salt if a name is wrong in the census but the data otherwise fits. In 1891, my ten year old grandfather is listed not as Charles or Charlie, but as George, his middle name. There are no other references to him as George, and I don't know that he was ever called George then, either. His sister, Elizabeth Ann is listed as "Bessie", (I knew her as Bess) so looking for Charles and Elizabeth they were difficult to find. (Slowhands managed it anyway!)

1851
Elizabeth Evans abt 1848 Little Dean, Gloucestershire, England Granddaughter Little Dean, Gloucestershire

Marriage
GRAIL Fred
EVANS Elizabeth
Forest of Dean Woolaston St Andrew 1868 1 173

Year: 1868
Month: Feb
Day: 11
Grooms_Surname: GRAIL
Grooms_Forenames: Frederick.
Grooms_Age: Full age
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Labourer
Grooms_Residence: Woolaston
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Grail
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Richard
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer

Brides_Surname: EVANS
Brides_Forenames: Elizabeth
Brides_Age: Full age
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: Domestic Servant
Brides_Residence: Woolaston
Brides_Fathers_Surname: not stated
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: not stated
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: [not stated]

Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both Mark
Witness_1: John Price
Witness_2: Mary Ann Grail
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: William Somerset Rector
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes: Any abbreviated forenames have been expanded to the full name
Register_Reference: P376 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 87
Parish_Chapel: Woolaston

Child Surname Child Forename Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
GRAIL Margaret Elizabeth GRAIL EVANS 1868 Forest of Dean Chepstow, Lydney 12 299
GRAIL Francis Herbert GRAIL EVANS 1871 Forest of Dean Chepstow, Lydney 13 307
GRAIL Laura GRAIL EVANS 1874 Forest of Dean Chepstow, Lydney 14 451
GRAIL Samuel GRAIL EVANS 1876 Forest of Dean Chepstow, Lydney 15 468
GRAIL Frederick GRAIL EVANS 1879 Forest of Dean Chepstow, Lydney 17 47
GRAIL William Edgar GRAIL EVANS 1893 Forest of Dean Chepstow, Lydney 22 275

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