Gloucestershire parish records are now on Ancestry, which if nothing else will show how GOOD our transcribers were

There a lot of i indexed as well as poorly indexed records. Cross referencing with existing databases show this is a very poor set of records though it is good to have original images

Aside from now having records for all of Gloucestershire rather than just the FOD, the biggest difference for me has been the comments written in the margin of the registers.

These provide useful additional information that the mere facts and figures don't, and also give a fascinating insight into people's lives. I've been looking at the Westbury-on-Severn burial registers over the weekend and there are comments on almost every page, variously explaining the cause of death, how the deceased was related to others in the area, and a few cases where people were buried in the churchyard by an independent minister, not the vicar.

Here are a few I've noted down:

18 June 1893, Ernest Bowrey "killed by a flash of lightning whilst at his work"

4 November 1897, Jane Jackson "wife of Thomas Jackson, the blind man"

8 January 1898, unknown man "he was found drowned in the river on Sunday Jan 2nd at Bollon (sp?) having apparently been in the water about a month or more. Supposed to be one Malpass of Gloucester."

16 July 1896, Charles Perks "killed by falling under a horse-rake. This happened on the road at Lower Ley."

20 January 1893, John Bellamy "who for many years has travelled the country with architectural models made of cork, and is said to have been the oldest showman in England".

This last one probably deserves a discussion thread if its own!

Now having access to Gloucestershire records on Ancestry - I can only say thank you to all the Forest of Dean Transcribers who have given us easy access to these in the past/present - and am now using them for cross-referencing etc. Lots of 'howlers' on Ancestry transcriptions though - for example - 1708 is 1780 - and difficult to search accurately without going through the individual parish pages, unlike the records on this website.

The actual records are absolutely beautiful and easy to read - other records are moth-eaten and extremely hard to read and well chewed edges where records have been lost.

From the Awre Baptisms in 1750 - if the child was a girl - a little smiley face has been written with lines stuck out (like hair) to show it was a girl - and if a boy the sign for male (a circle with an arrow at 1 o'clock).

There is also the 'AGM Report' written down as well at the end of 1750 and other years…..

N.B. Jack MORSE Vicar
Edmund ASHETON - Assistant at Blakeney
Samuel EVANS and Jeremiah HARRIS - Church Wardens

N.B This year at the request of the Vicar, Jonathan BLACKWELL Esq of Poulton's Court gave Five Guineas which were laid out in making the Four Steps in the Chancel going up to the Comunion Table. He had before given Ten Guineas towards the Enlargement of the Chap. at Blakeney

N.B The Railes upon the said steps were new done by the church-wardens.

-----

Other N.B's at the end of the year e.g.

1738

Richard BLANCH was the Church Warden

N.B. This year Mr Richard BLANCH erected Seat or Pew in the North Isle of the Church for the use of himself and family and the future Inhabitants of both his Houses and desired that this Remembrance might be made of it.

N.B. The Names of the Two Houses now pofsefsed by Mr Richard BLANCH are Pinner's Place and Gibb's Hall.

Jack MORSE Vic

Lots more to read, fascinating!

20 January 1893, John Bellamy "who for many years has travelled the country with architectural models made of cork, and is said to have been the oldest showman in England".

This last one probably deserves a discussion thread if its own!

Hi Janey,
given your interest in Westbury Burials I wonder if you've seen this site ?.
http://www.rebus.demon.co.uk/wos_br.htm

It has been mentioned on the forum before, I was reminded of it as a hit for my googling John Bellamy. The site adds a little more detail, which I guess is also on the Ancestry site which I haven't visited yet;

John Bellamy died "age 85, Formerly of Stanway, died at Cardiff"

Stanway is near Winchcombe in the northeast of the County, into the Cotswolds.
http://places.wishful-thinking.org.uk/GLS/Stanway/index.html

(HOWEVER, there is an ancient place called Stantway very near Westbury...., but it seems unlikely the gravestone would contain such a "typo" ?)

The same burial record for John Bellamy is also within this site which appears essential reading for anyone with an interest in Travelling Showmen and Fairground ancestors.
http://members.shaw.ca/pauline777/TravellersUK.html
John's on this page http://members.shaw.ca/pauline777/Misc.html

From this site's PRs;

Record_ID: 48663
Entry_Number: 383
Year: 1893
Month: Jan
Day: 20
Surname: BELLAMY
Forenames: John
Residence: Forerly of Stantway died at Cardiff
Age_at_death: 85
Officiating_Minister: Leonard Wilkinson Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: Who for many years past has travelled the Country with Architctural Models made of Cork and is said to have been the oldest Showman in England
Notes: Memorand inserted below the name in the entry.
Register_Reference: P 354 IN 1/17
Page_No: 48
Parish_Chapel: Westbury on Severn
Soundex: B450

So born abt 1808 ?.

So, despite the mention of Stanway, was he baptised at Westbury, see PR below ?
Perhaps he was born at Stanway while his parent's were travelling with a show ?. Even in modern times nearby places such as Stow on the Wold attract large numbers of travellers for the huge annual horse fair.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stow-on-the-Wold

Stow is on the ancient Fosse Way, built by the Romans to link the likes of Cirencester with Lincoln, and still an excellent route from Gloucestershire to the East Midlands.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosse_Way

Record_ID: 82341
Entry_Number: 2526
Year: 1807
Month: Feb
Day: 11
Parents_Surname: BELLAMY
Child_Forenames: John
Fathers_Forenames: Joseph
Mothers_Forenames: Susannah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence:
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister: Richard Wetherell Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Son of
Notes:
Register_Reference: P 354 IN 1/3
Page_Number: 80
Parish_Chapel: Westbury on Severn
Soundex: B450

Prior threads show the Bellamy family to be well-known in the Westbury area since well before John's time, eg
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=43269
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=35115

It should be also mentioned that the little nuggets of information referred to in JaneyH's post are included in the transcripts on this site.

Mike

Just received this newsletter, the news is clearly getting out across the web !

Seems a bit of a shame that this FoD site doesn't get a mention ?

http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/news/gloucestershire-parish-records-go-onlin...

Dear jefff,

A belated "thank-you" for all this. I've not been on this forum for a while - currently having a big push on my husband's ancestors while I have a month's access to FMP for £1. John Bellamy was clearly an interesting chap! The website summarising all the Westbury burial register notes was also fascinating. Sadly none of my ancestors received a special mention from Rev. Wilkinson.

I believe you have an interest in James Evans, policeman of Newnham. He was the father of my greatgrandmother, Sarah Jane Griffiths (Evans) 1840 - 1918. There are one or two photographs with her daughter Kate Grail (Griffiths) 1870 - 1954 on here under Soudley.

Dear Roger,

Have we been in touch via Rootschat about James Evans? His brother, Edwin Evans (1817-1907) was my 3rd great-grandfather, while their parents Thomas Evans and Margaret Trigg are 4x great-grandparents to me.

I've pieced together most of James' life, including being a policeman near Cirencester, a shoe-maker back in Westbury, and latterly moving to Newport and Cardiff. Annoyingly I've been unable to find him in the 1901 Census (having looked at both England and Wales) but parish records show he was buried from Westbury Workhouse in 1907. Let me know if you'd like more details.

Janey

Thank you very much Janey. We probably have crossed paths on Rootschat. Seeing your item on WDYTYA, I signed up and wrote an introductory post. I was permanently banned the next day......eek, that's a first for me.

Have you looked at the pics. of Sarah Jane in the gallery here?

I've stuck to my paternal line and only got back to 1740, eternal shame on me. However, peripherals were necessary and fun anyway. I found the early details and background, WonS and Elton and Newnham. Then the end, but not the in between. I don't know when he left the Police. I have his personal record but no date of dismissal.

I asked the experts on RC who came up with some different answers to you. I made a complete fool of myself as they were not coming up with what I expected.

Sarah (1829 - 1905), sister of James and Edwin (married name Welch) were next door neighbours to us in what is now the Dean Heritage Centre. I see Edwin was on the 1881 Census for Soudley.

I have intruded on your Bellamy Thread long enough. What do you want to do to carry this matter forward. I will compare your results from WDYTYA with what RC contributors came up with and come back to you with any anomalies.