James Family - West Dean - Forest of Dean FHT Forum

Can anyone please help me narrow down the James family who lived in Parkend Road, West Dean around the time of World War 2? I've tried but I'm getting confused with the different branches of the family in the Bream area.

Many thanks

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6471 views

As kindly reminded today by Slowhands on another post, a website that can be very usefull in linking C20th Foresters to their home addresses is the FoD Council Cemeteries site. It carries details for Burials since the 1950s or so, often including their precise home addresses etc. Like other sites be warned it can "object" if given too much input detail, I suggest just enter the surname and browse thro the results offered, I do hope it helps you.
http://www.fdean.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=6707&tt=graphic

This FoD forum is not intended for searching possibly living relatives.
For your particular enquiry I wonder if you'll be best served by an open letter to the local newspapers using your local contact. This prior thread may help
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=41195

That said, that thread relates to The Forester paper which was always printed (still is) in Cinderford, the same business produces the free Review. Although it ostensibly covers the whole Forest, I wonder if the Parkend area was even better served by the Lydney Observer which I'm less familiar with ?.

Historically speaking, as far as I'm aware the Dean Forest Guardian was the main Forest paper every Thursday from the 1870s until dividing into the Lydney Observer & the DF Mercury in the 1920s. The Mercury and Observer rejoined to become "The Forester" in 1990. I've just phoned The Forester's Cinderford office and they confirm that there is no longer a Lydney Observer - instead different editions of The Forester are produced each week. These all share a common central core but will have different coverpages with an emphasis to the town in which it's sold, namely Cinderford, Coleford, Newent and Lydney. Indeed, this is just as it was back in the old days, they confirm the Lydney Observer was produced by the same business and possibly even printed alongside the Mercury in Cinderford.

Therefore for anyone wishing to lookup old copies of the Lydney Observer, these are archived just the same as the DF Mercury, so first port of call should be Cinderford library and then the Cinderford Office if no luck in the library microfilms. However it's stressed that the original copies of these large old broadsheets are bound together so are very awkward to handle and photocopy, plus both space and staff time is limited at the Office. Also sadly some of the papers are in poor condition thro' age or just by having illicit clippings taken in past public visits.

Re using online newspaper archives such as the BNA site, this prior thread may help wrt the coverage of the various sites after WW2, although of course such sites may have increased their coverage since I last looked(yes, now upto 1950). The Gloucester Citizen and particularly Journal often covered the more "notable" family weddings, anniversaries and special occasions, and the Family Notices (BMD) columns of course, so they may also help your researches. All new signed-up "members" to the BNA site can get a few free downloads from that excellent site, and NO spam emails etc, before the site's free access search engine (itself quite informative) begins to ask for subscriptions.
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=36879

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6510 views

Thanks so much. I'll take a look at the links.

It's not really for searching for possibly living relatives, so much as to fill in some family background. We've got a couple of photos and some new info that we're trying to slot into place. The plot always seems to thicken just when we think we've worked out the clues!

Much appreciated again. Cheers.

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6296 views

Well hiya, that surprised me, do you never sleep ?.
Please note the above post has just been amended.
Sorry to keep seeing reports of the terrible bush fires in Oz, do hope you or yours have not been affected too much, but did wonder as you've been quiet of late J.

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6303 views

Hiya back

We're a long way from the bush fires here, but they're causing a lot of heart break down in NSW. It's sweltering here though and I think we've had one day of rain in the last six weeks - then it was hardly enough to call a decent shower.

On another hot topic, I saw your Ashes team arriving downunder on the news tonight.........

Thanks again for all the info. I'll go through it tomorrow. I so appreciate all your help :)

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I thought you were thankfully well-away from the fires, terrible scenes..
Yes, I wondered if you felt the shiver run thro Oz when the cricket team's plane touched down, but hey first up it's the Rugby League World Cup match, and an almost "weak" Kangaroos side too ???

I've been having a quick peek at the Gloster papers using the free BNA search and looking for "James & Bream" within the "Gloucestershire" papers for "1940s". I've mostly found some archcriminals so far, so clearly not your relations !

“Coleford Police Court,
....Sidney James, of Bream, when told by P.C. Carter he would be reported for failing to stop at halt sign at Parkend. He was fined £1... ”
Saturday 31 January 1942 , Gloucester Journal

“Cinderford Road Crash,
... Ronald James, Lansdown House, Bream, and Tommy Addis, The Eaver, Bream, who were in the lorry at the ... ”
Saturday 21 November 1942 , Gloucester Journal

“Coleford Police Court
... on Jack James, Bream who, the Evidence of P.C. Pardon, was summoned for displaying light from an unauthorised hand torch.... ”
Saturday 08 November 1941 , Gloucester Journal

Those Bream James' were a lawless bunch ;-)
see
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1940-01-01/1949-12-31?basicsear...

Much more seriously and very sadly all too common of course,

“Forest Miners' Death Due to Silicosis
... Frederick James, aged 62, of Tump Cottage, Pastor's Hill, Bream, and Harry James, aged 60, 10, Pembroke ... ”
Friday 22 October 1948 , Gloucester Citizen

From FoD PRs:

Record_ID: 247367
Entry_Number: 933
Year: 1948
Month: Sep
Day: 26
Surname: JAMES
Forenames: Charles Frederick
Residence: T[?]mp Cottage Pastor's Hill
Age_at_death: 62
Officiating_Minister: Charles Vernon
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death: Died Sept. 21 at Lydney Hospital
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P57 IN 1/18
Page_No: 117
Parish_Chapel: Bream
Soundex: J520

Record_ID: 4858
Entry_Number: 709
Year: 1886
Month: Jul
Day: 21
Parents_Surname: JAMES
Child_Forenames: Charles Frederick
Fathers_Forenames: Richard
Mothers_Forenames: Mary Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Woodside
Occupation: Miner
Officiating_Minister: H E Dandy
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Sponsers Demetrius Cheras Ellen Cheras Mary Ann Jones
Notes:
Register_Reference: P57 IN 1/4
Page_Number: 89
Parish_Chapel: Bream
Soundex: J520

Possible marriage from GlosBMD ?
Marriage Details
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
JAMES Charles Frederick MEEK Sarah Jane Forest of Dean Monmouth Register Office 1909 23 37

AND

Record_ID: 107679
Entry_Number: 210
Year: 1948
Month: Oct
Day: 16
Surname: JAMES
Forenames: Harry
Residence: 10 Pembroke St[reet] Cinderford
Age_at_death: 60 years
Officiating_Minister: D R Griffiths Vicar St Stephens
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes: 57/48 written in margin
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/16
Page_No: 27
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: J520

This MAY be him, age & address match, so presumably not related to Charles ?

Record_ID: 78381
Entry_Number: 56
Year: 1914
Month: Jan
Day: 19
Grooms_Surname: JAMES
Grooms_Forenames: Harry
Grooms_Age: 26
Groom_Condition: Batchelor
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Cinderford
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: James
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Albert
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Brides_Surname: MEECHAM
Brides_Forenames: Dorothy
Brides_Age: 22
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Cinderford
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Meecham
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Railway Goods Yard Foreman
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Arthur Miles
Witness_2: Florence James
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: J Martin Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/2 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 28
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St Stephen
Soundex_Groom: J520
Soundex_Bride: M250

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6447 views

Oh thank you!

That's great. (the lawless streak hasn't been bred out yet.......)

Bring on the Kangaroos and the cricket I say! We're hot and bothered and ready to rumble (famous last desperate words.......)

And much appreciation for your concern and your help as always.

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Hi from sweltering Qld

Just thought I'd let you know that, with your as-usual-invaluable-help, I'm pretty sure I've narrowed down the right family. They ran the King's Head pub at Bream, Woodside.

Cheers :)

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6329 views

Hi, glad to hear it.
As one of the forum's regulars I suspect you've heard the great Easywell/Glos Pubs site mentioned, a favourite of mine. The James name is prominent amongst the King's Head's C20th landlords & ladies. Cannot give a direct link but search "Bream" and in my case it was only the second pub listed, the latest James mentioned was Edith in 1937.
From this site's PRs I found (carefull use of the Advanced Search may find more ?):

Record_ID: 247015
Entry_Number: 582
Year: 1938
Month: Aug
Day: 18
Surname: JAMES
Forenames: Edith
Residence: Kings Head Inn Bream
Age_at_death: 71
Officiating_Minister: S. H. A. Bennett Vicar of St. Briavels
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P57 IN 1/18
Page_No: 73
Parish_Chapel: Bream
Soundex: J520

http://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk/AllGlosPubsDatabase/AllGlosPubs_view.php

Also http://www.pubshistory.com/Gloucestershire/Bream/KingsHead.shtml

Searching tinternet also gives a photo showing a Horace James, perhaps one of yours ?. Apparently "the Kings Head was known to locals as "Dappers". Dapper was the nickname of a pre-war landlord "Dapper" James. Dapper's son Basil took over the pub just prior to the Second World War, but gave it up shortly after returning from active service." ??

I have a few other local pub books which I'll try and lookup later todayish, after battening down the hatches for the promised gales tonight.

ps thanks for not mentioning the Rugby - early days to assess your boys' weaknesses before the important matches kick-in.... all overshadowed here by the FAR more important and much-needed FA Cup football win for Hereford !! :-)

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Hiya!

Such great links - thank you! Off to take a look in a minute.

On another side of my family are brewers who came out from Hedgerley in Buckinghamshire and ran a pub on the Qld goldfields - starting in a tent before building a more substantial pub that's still operating here in town.

And I won't mention the Rugby......yet. Exciting stuff with your FA Cup win though - The League team we support, the Sydney Roosters, won the Grand Final this year and it was one of the Grandest days for years. Excellent!

Stay safe in the gales - know how frightening they can be - and much appreciate your help as always

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6250 views

Thanks for your kind wishes, it's getting quite breezy here (Uxbridge, nr Heathrow West London) and tomorrow am will be worst, but of course those near the coast or the Foresters near the Bristol Channel will probably get it far worse, downed trees etc, hope they'll be ok, ugh...

Hedgerley's only 7-8 mile from here, back in the 80s when I moved here it was on one of my cycle routes, nice countryside away from the towns. The White Horse is well known as an older pub, used to do a good ploughmans but probably more prawn baguettes these days !, a very upmarket area to live.
http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/pub/view/White-Horse-SL2-3UY
These History/FH links may possibly interest you
http://www.bucksas.org.uk/documents/hbg/hedgerleypubsreport.pdf
http://www.mortij.demon.co.uk/genealogy/nash.htm

Yes a good win for Hereford but the next round will be very tough, spookily we're at a team nicknamed the Brewers, Burton on Trent a famous old brewing town, but if we get past them we have a chance of playing a Premiership club and a much needed pay-day !.

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You'll be in our thoughts with the winds.

Thanks for the Hedgerley links. They're great. My claim to there is through a Thomas Piggott and his family. He was my - bear with me here - great great great grandfather through my paternal grandfather. Interesting guy.

Hey and good luck against the Brewers. I have any confidence that your team can take them down.

Cheers
xx

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6243 views

Hi D-U,
as promised I've tried to find more info re the King's Head, but sadly my books don't really add anything to what you've already gained from the GlosPubs site.
HOWEVER I thought you might "enjoy" this paragraph written by Heather Hurley to conclude the Bream Chapter of her excellent book "Pubs of the Royal Forest of Dean".

"With a dozen drinking dens open in and around Bream in the 1900s, it is not surprising to learn that drunkenness was a problem. It was mainly beer and cider that was consumed in large quantities by the parched farm labourers and the thirsty miners 'anxious to wash away mouthfulls of coal dust'. The Temperance Movement was very active at this time in trying to persuade people away from the 'demon drink'. Thus in 1902 'Temperance Sunday was duly observed at the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Bream, it being the fourth anniversary of the Band of Hope's connection with the Chapel'. The local paper continued: 'In the afternoon and evening Mr Dutton delivered two very powerful sermons, dealing with drink as a curse and total abstinence as the cure... He also dwelt most particularly on the increase amongst drunkenness in women, a fact that was to be deeply deplored'.
In 1911 a temperance society known as the Rechabites demonstrated in full force at a Gloucester District meeting held at Bream. Banners were displayed representing this society together with the World Wide Temperance Fraternity, the Abstinence Brotherhood and another advising 'prevention Better than Cure'."

This choice of subject is somewhat unique within this 320page reference book, perhaps suggesting Bream was a little different than other Forest villages and towns ?. Her research for the book was long and thorough utilising all available sources both verbal and printed including wellrespected and prominent local historians and of course local newspapers and journals, so I'm sure she writes with authority as befits an author with several publications under her belt;
https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL757203A/Heather_Hurley

So please remember I'm just the messenger... ;-)

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6205 views

That's brilliant.

Thanks :)

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Ancestry - Probate Records

JAMES Edith - of Kings Head Inn Bream Gloucestershire, Widow - died 13 August 1938.

Adminstration Gloucester to Reginald Basil James Licensed victualler.

Effects £350 7s 11d.

---

England & Wales Death Index

Name: Reginald Basil JAMES

Birth Date: 29 July 1910

Date of Registration: Jan 2003

Age at Death: 92

Registration District: Gloucester

Inferred County: Gloucestershire

District & Subdistrict: 483/1A

Entry Number: 253

---

Fod Records

Baptism at Bream - 26 August 1910

Reginald Basil JAMES

father: John Johnson

mother: Edith

residence: The Kings Head Inn, Bream

Occupation: Innkeeper

---

1911 Census, Kings Head, Bream
Living in 8 Rooms

JAMES

John Johnson JAMES - 47 - married 22 years, 7 children born alive, 5 living 2 dead - Inn Keeper - born West Dean Glos
Edith - 44 - Assist in Business
Edith Maud - 21 - single, Assistant Teacher
Wilfred Beaumont JAMES - son - 15 - Assist in Business
Dorothy Isabel - 13 - school
Hector Jack - 6 - School
Reginald Basil - 8 months (Glosbdm - mother's maiden name WILLETTS)
Minnie EDMUNDS - Servant - 20 - single, General Servant, born Glos. Oldcroft

---

Fod Records

Marriage at Parkend - 7 April 1889

John Johnson JONES (as transcribed on FOD records) - GlosBDM : John Johnson JAMES

age 25, Bachelor, Collier, residence, Yorkley

father: John Johnson JONES - Collier

married

Edith WILLETTS - age 22, Spinster, residence, Yorkley

father: William WILLETTS - Collier

witness: Sarah WATKINS and Edwin WILLETTS
---

1881 Census, Yorkley

Mary Ann JAMES - 61, Widow
John Johnson JAMES - son 17

----

1871 Census, Yorkley

Mary Ann JAMES - W - 51 - born East Dean
Sarah - 12 - born West Dean
John J - 7 - born West Dean

---

1861 Census, Yorkley

JAMES

John - 45 - Coal miner Globe beer house - born West Dean
Mary Ann - 41 - Business Manager, born Blakeney
Henry - 21 - Blacksmith
Caroline - 19
Matilda - 12
Frederick - 7
Harriet - 10
Sarah Elizabeth - 3

(GlosBDM - mother's maiden name : MORSE)

---

Sungreen site has Bream Amateurs - 1942 - outside Kings Head (Dappers) Bream - with Mrs JAMES and John JAMES

http://www.sungreen.co.uk/Default.htm

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6372 views

Thanks for the great info as always. It makes all the difference.

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If you look in the documents section of the site, you will find quite a number of James family wills. At least one, John James 1829, might prove interesting.

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6229 views

Thank you so much

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6247 views

Hi there

Doing a bit of family tree history and came across your post.

My grandmother, born in 1915, Florence Evelyn James lived on Parkend road, West Dean.

From a fellow Aussie, Kelly :-)

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6149 views

*waves*

Hi there fellow Aussie! Are you as warm as us in the far North right now?

My lot lived on Parkend Road too. Until 1960. The Dales. :)

Did your James relatives live at Woodside, Bream?

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6136 views

Hi Kelly,
wishing you a warm welcome to this great forum & website, you've found the best place to unearth your Forest roots. Please take time to browse around the various resources, as your antipodean ally will hopefully confirm we're a friendly bunch here.

As I'm sure you've found, from this site's huge PR database;

Record_ID: 147561
Entry_Number: 1077
Year: 1915
Month: Mar
Day: 9
Parents_Surname: JAMES
Child_Forenames: Florence Evelyn
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Miriam
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Yorkley
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: DJ Banham (Vicar)
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 135
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: J520

Record_ID: 15469
Entry_Number: 260
Year: 1909
Month: Dec
Day: 27
Grooms_Surname: JAMES
Grooms_Forenames: James
Grooms_Age: 28
Groom_Condition: bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: haulier
Grooms_Residence: Yorkley
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: JAMES
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: James
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: haulier
Brides_Surname: THOMAS
Brides_Forenames: Miriam
Brides_Age: 29
Brides_Condition: spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Yorkley
Brides_Fathers_Surname: THOMAS
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: John
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: collier
Licence_or_Banns: banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Arthur Edward Stafford
Witness_2: Beatrice Mary James
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: W J Jones curate
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/22
Page_Number: 130
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex_Groom: J520
Soundex_Bride: T520

Using advanced search gives these other children, all baptised at Parkend.

Record_ID 147435
Entry_Number 951
Year 1911
Month Feb
Day 1
Parents_Surname JAMES
Child_Forenames Harold Anthony
Fathers_Forenames James
Mothers_Forenames Miriam
Mothers_Surname
Residence Parkend
Occupation Haulier

Record_ID 147505
Entry_Number 1021
Year 1913
Month Jul
Day 21
Parents_Surname JAMES
Child_Forenames Sylvia Miriam
Fathers_Forenames James
Mothers_Forenames Miriam
Mothers_Surname
Residence Yorkley
Occupation Labourer

Record_ID 147617
Entry_Number 1133
Year 1916
Month Dec
Day 5
Parents_Surname JAMES
Child_Forenames Edna Dorothy
Fathers_Forenames James
Mothers_Forenames Miriam
Mothers_Surname
Residence Yorkley

------------

I cannot immediately find James' Baptism c1880 in this site's PRS, but GlosBMD gives this possible birth, & possible parents' marriage;

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
JAMES James JAMES JAMES CHARLES 1881 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 40 39

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
JAMES James CHARLES Sarah Forest of Dean Lydney St Mary the Virgin 1871 1 498

http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bmd/SimpleSearch.aspx

From this site's PRs;

Record_ID: 20503
Entry_Number: 498
Year: 1871
Month: Nov
Day: 11
Grooms_Surname: JAMES
Grooms_Forenames: James
Grooms_Age: 26
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Labourer
Grooms_Residence: Yorkley
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: JAMES
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Haulier
Brides_Surname: CHARLES
Brides_Forenames: Sarah
Brides_Age: 20
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Lydney
Brides_Fathers_Surname: CHARLES
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Richard
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: [not stated]
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: John Willetts
Witness_2: Bessie Willetts
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: H Morgan
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P209 IN 1/31
Page_Number: 249
Parish_Chapel: Lydney
Soundex_Groom: J520
Soundex_Bride: C642

"haulier" suggests this is the correct family.
See later post re WILLETTS witnesses.
If James is aged 26 in 1871, so born abt 1845;

Record_ID: 50050
Entry_Number: 515
Year: 1845
Month: Aug
Day: 17
Parents_Surname: JAMES
Child_Forenames: James
Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Mothers_Forenames: Kitty
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Yorkley
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Henry Poole
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/10
Page_Number: 65
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: J520

From LDS, aka www.FamilySearch.org, this looks a great fit for their household just prior to James' arrival.

"England and Wales Census, 1881"
Name: James James
Age (Original): 36
Gender: Male
Birth Year: 1845
Birthplace: Newland, Gloucestershire, England
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Haulier Of Wood
Address: Yorkley
Event Place: Newland (Gloucs), Monmouthshire, England
Disability:
Record Type: Household
GS Film number: 1342258
Affiliate Publication Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 5223 / 121
Page Number: 5
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head James James M 36 Newland, Gloucestershire, England
Wife Sarah James F 30 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Son Fredrick James M 8 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Son William James M 7 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Son Samuel James M 7 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Alice James F 4 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Florence James F 2 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Kate James F 0 Newland, Gloucestershire, England

--------

Several JAMES' are listed in the 1876 Morris & Co Trade Directory for Yorkley, including;

JAMES Mr. James, Yorkley Slade
JAMES John, haulier, Yorkley wood

SEE

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cbennett/westdean1876.htm

My tinternet searching also found this old posting which may be of interest, unless of course it's your post !
I'm pleased to see it confirms they had a child James.
http://www.curiousfox.com/uk/mbprof2.lasso?eid=38520&-nothing

This webpage mentions your family Kelly, you presumably know who wrote it.
http://www.sungreen.co.uk/Lydney/Yorkley_HighSt.htm

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Record_ID: 146834
Entry_Number: 350
Year: 1881
Month: Feb
Day: 6
Parents_Surname: THOMAS
Child_Forenames: Miriam
Fathers_Forenames: John
Mothers_Forenames: Sarah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Parkend
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: Matson Vincent
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born 6 Dec 1880
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 44
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: T520

So luckily just within the scope of the 1881 Census, so from LDS:

"England and Wales Census, 1881"
Name: Miriam Thomas
Age (Original): 0
Gender: Female
Birth Year: 1881
Birthplace: West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Marital Status: Single
Occupation:
Address: Yorkley
Event Place: West Dean (Gloucs), Monmouthshire, England
Disability:
Record Type: Household
GS Film number: 1342259
Affiliate Publication Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 5224 / 20
Page Number: 4
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head John Thomas M 27, Bar cutter at tin works, West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Wife Sarah Thomas F 26 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Miriam Thomas F 0 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England

I cannot find any other local baptisms for this family.
If this is definitely Miriam, it looks like she eventually followed the GWR to London for work, just as I did eighty years later:

"England and Wales Census, 1901"
Name: Miriam Thomas
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Relationship to Head of Household: Servant
Birthplace: Forest Of Dena, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Lambeth
Sub-District: Waterloo Road
Ecclesiastical Parish: St John
Civil Parish: Lambeth
District/Parish/County: London, Middlesex

1911 Wales Census for 4 room dwelling at Bailey Hill, Lydney, Glos
Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Occupation Birth City Birth County Birth Country
John Thomas Head 1853 58 Male Married31yrs Collier banksman,above ground Parkend Gloucestershire England
Sarah Thomas Wife 1855 56 Female Married31yrs Parkend Gloucestershire England
Albert Wilce Boarder 1891 20 Male Single Grocers Assistant Yorkley Slade Gloucestershire England

(So John enjoys a skilled and relatively safe job at the pit).

--------------

I cannot find John & Sarah's marriage within the PRs database; I think this is it, from GlosBMD;

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
THOMAS John SMITH Sarah Forest of Dean Monmouth Register Office 1880 10 196

Again from GlosBMD, I think this might be John's birth, altho be warned there are other John Thomas' born around 1854 (wrt his given age in 1881 census), so more checking required. Note the Willet(ts) name again..

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
THOMAS John THOMAS THOMAS WILLET 1854 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 10 62

Which I suspect is from this marriage;

Record_ID 107691
Entry_Number
Year 1843
Month May
Day 1
Grooms_Surname THOMAS
Grooms_Forenames John
Grooms_Age 0
Groom_Condition bachelor
Grooms_Occupation farmer
Grooms_Residence of this parish
Grooms_Fathers_Surname Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation labourer
Brides_Surname WILLET
Brides_Forenames Harriet
Brides_Age 0
Brides_Condition spinster
Brides_Occupation servant
Brides_Residence of this parish
Brides_Fathers_Surname Willet
Brides_Fathers_Forenames James
Brides_Fathers_Occupation labourer
Licence_or_Banns Banns
Date_of_Banns
Signature_or_Mark Both mark
Witness_1 Thomas Powell
Witness_2 Elizabeth Willet
Other_Witnesses
Officiating_Minister
Event Marriage
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference
Page_Number
Parish_Chapel Monmouth
Soundex_Groom T520
Soundex_Bride W430

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Witnesses to the abovementioned 1871 wedding of James JAMES & Sarah CHARLES, likely parents of James JAMES (Haulier) b1881, were John & Bessie(aka Elizabeth) WILLETTS, I suspect probably the same couple as this prior thread http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=38325.

I may be wrong but in my experience WILLETTS is not a particularly common Forest name, the only ones I know of is a longstanding Forest bus company F.R.Willetts. They're based in YORKLEY, so perhaps linked to the earlier JAMES haulier business ??

From the Yorkley website ( http://www.yorkley-village.co.uk/local_history.htm ) can find this document abt the bus firm - http://www.yorkley-village.co.uk/Acrobat%20documents/Willetts%20Trips%20Aug-Nov%202012.pdf

Also see http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8469/8150067585_9d72dae4f9_z.jpg

And http://www.stevematthewstravel.co.uk/about_us.html,
which shows the bus company was started in the 1930s by Frank & Kate Willetts.

Record_ID: 103198
Entry_Number: 37
Year: 1932
Month: Dec
Day: 22
Grooms_Surname: WILLETTS
Grooms_Forenames: Frank Raymond
Grooms_Age: 25
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Haulier
Grooms_Residence: Yorkley
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Willetts
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Miner
Brides_Surname: THOMAS
Brides_Forenames: Kate
Brides_Age: 24
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Pillowell
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: James George
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Miner
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: James George Thomas
Witness_2: Alice Jane Thomas
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: David T Jones Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/23
Page_Number: 19
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex_Groom: W432
Soundex_Bride: T520

So more THOMAS', possible link to Miriam perhaps, altho Thomas is a much more common Forest surname.

???

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Hi Jefff

Thanks so much for this ! .....I hadn't found any if this info yet. This is so incredibly interesting. Such a link to the past and reminds me of the fun I had in the Forest of Dean as a child.

Thanks again for your help

Kelly :-)

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6153 views

Hi Kelly, thanks for your kind words, only too pleased to try and help, as will others on the forum I'm sure. If you need any more guidance or answers, please ask.

Yes it's a very interesting if not addictive hobby !. Very glad to hear you have enjoyed the Forest in the past, a perfect playfround for us when we were kids, I'm still sad my son didnt growup in the Forest like me...

Meanwhile I realise I haven't posted the 1911 Census for your James family.

I have no idea how or why, as I'm not a paid subscriber to Ancestry, but as well as showing FULL households of the 1881 Census(also free on Family Search/LDS), Ancestry also allows me free access to the 1911 Census for Wales. Fortunately this includes many West Dean families such as yours, as came under the Monmouth office, despite geographically being within Glos, so:

1911 Wales Census for a Four Room household at "Parkend Church Walk, near Lydney Glos"

Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Occupation Birth City Birth County Birth Country
James James Head 1882 29 Male Married 1yr Outside Pit Labourer Yorkley Nr Lydney Gloucestershire England
Meriam James Wife 1881 30 Female Married 1yr Yorkley Nr Lydney Gloucestershire England
Harold James Son 1910 4/12 Male Parkend Nr Lydney Gloucestershire England

Hopefully this link will take you to the actual census image, I'd be gratefull to know if it does, please ?. Otherwise if not and you don't have access yourself, I can email you a pdf file if you like.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2353/rg14_31716_0279_03/2237152?backurl=http%3a%2f%2f...

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6106 views

Hi Kelly

I'm on ancestry all the time so anything you might need looked up, just shoot me a message.

As Jefff says, it's endlessly fascinating and Happy 2014.

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