James THOMAS born "1850 Cinderford" (Parish Records)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Saturday, July 30, 2016, 02:44 (3032 days ago) @ Jefff

I THINK this is our James Thomas, altho' cannot be certain yet as is NOT a rare name in the FoD, several possible births locally to choose from. I cannot see any births exactly in 1850 (as per the above census info) in the Cinderford area in either this site's PRs, GlosBMD, or Familysearch, but this man seems a good fit;

Name James Thomas
Event Type Census
Event Date 1851
Event Place , Gloucestershire, England
Registration District Westbury On Severn
Residence Note Bilson Green
Gender Male
Age 0
Relationship to Head of Household Son
Birth Year (Estimated) 1851
Birthplace E Dean, Gloucestershire
Page Number 35
Registration Number HO107
Piece/Folio 1959 / 231
Affiliate Record Type Household

(Bilson Green is the lower part of what became known as Cinderford, I know it very well).

1861 Census, Little Deans Hill, St John's Parish, East Dean, Glos
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Samuel Thomas Head M 38 Coal miner. Westbury, Gloucestershire
Emma Thomas Wife F 26 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Peter Thomas Son M 11 Labourer. East Dean, Gloucestershire
John Thomas Son M 6 East Dean, Gloucestershire
James Thomas Son M 9 Scholar. East Dean, Gloucestershire
Rodah Thomas Daughter F 8 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Joseph Thomas Servant M 4 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Mary Thomas Daughter F 1 East Dean, Gloucestershire

St John's Parish Church was the first Church (built 1844) in the township that eventually became known as Cinderford, at that time the fast-growing new town was centred on the southern end nearest Littledean Hill /St Whites, where the Church still stands. Modern info and map, and period photos here;
http://www.cinderford-churches.org.uk/our-churches/st-johns-cinderford/
http://forest-of-dean.net/gallery/cinderford/pages/page_25.html
http://forest-of-dean.net/gallery/cinderford/pages/page_55.html
http://forest-of-dean.net/gallery/cinderford/pages/page_56.html

1871 Census, East Dean, Glos
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Samuel Thomas Head M 46 Coal miner. Westbury, Gloucestershire
Unice Thomas Wife F 44 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Peter Thomas Son M 21 Coal miner. East Dean, Gloucestershire
James Thomas Son M 19 Coal miner. East Dean, Gloucestershire
John Thomas Son M 16 Coal miner. East Dean, Gloucestershire
Aaron Thomas Son M 5 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Samuel Thomas Son M 4 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Miriam Thomas Daughter F 0 East Dean, Gloucestershire

Still struggling to find a definite Birth record for him, but this looks like his parents' marriage, from GlosBMD's "Marriages" search engine;

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
THOMAS Samuel BARNARD Eunice Forest of Dean Westbury-on-Severn (FoD) Register Office [Closed] 1847 1 20

Using these surnames in GlosBMD's "Births" search engine confirms the above children's births, including;

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
THOMAS James THOMAS THOMAS BARNARD 1851 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham 11 157

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

Still cannot find any relevant PRs, doesn't look like the family were Church-goers.