My ancestors Thomas MILES and Elizabeth HAWKINS who were living in Newland Parish probably close to Coleford were married at the Doward Chapel of the Independent in 1850. It would be great if someone could tell me where this chapel is situated and what denomination it is. Are the parish records for this chapel available? Any help much appreciated.

Peter

off a track from Symonds Yat on the Great Doward, Whitchurch (across the river Wye from Coleford, above Symonds Yat West )

http://www.old-maps.co.uk/
co ords 354900 217100

SMR record 36640
Site name Mission Room
Parish Whitchurch
NGR SO 5513 1702
Description
Compiler Burdon, Lindy
Date of record 20/11/2003
Period and site type POST MEDIEVAL CHAPEL

1871
Thomas Miles abt 1821 Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean, Gloucestershire
Ellen Miles abt 1834 West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife West Dean, Gloucestershire
William Miles abt 1852 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
John Miles abt 1853 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Mary Ann Miles abt 1857 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire
Ann M Miles abt 1860 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire
Lucy Miles abt 1864 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire

1861 Five Acres
Thomas Miles abt 1822 Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire, England Head Newland, Gloucestershire Farmer
Ellen Miles abt 1834 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Wife Newland, Gloucestershire
William Miles abt 1852 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
John Miles abt 1854 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Son Newland, Gloucestershire
Mary Ann Miles abt 1857 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire
Ann Maria Miles abt 1860 Newland, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Newland, Gloucestershire

1851 Ivy [?]Grove farm nr Milkwall /Pingry
Thomas Miles abt 1824 Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire, England Head Newland, Gloucestershire
Ellen Miles abt 1831 Lane End, Gloucestershire, England Wife Newland, Gloucestershire

Year: 1850
Month:
Day:
Grooms_Surname: MILES
Grooms_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Age:
Groom_Condition:
Grooms_Occupation:
Grooms_Residence: Whitchurch
Grooms_Fathers_Surname:
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames:
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation:
Brides_Surname: HAWKINS
Brides_Forenames: Ellen
Brides_Age:
Brides_Condition:
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Whitchurch
Brides_Fathers_Surname:
Brides_Fathers_Forenames:
Brides_Fathers_Occupation:
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: 1850 Oct 6
Signature_or_Mark:
Witness_1:
Witness_2:
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Banns
Memoranda: Married elsewhere
Notes:
Register_Reference: AC76/6
Page_Number: 49
Parish_Chapel: Whitchurch

1841
Thomas Hawkins abt 1801 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Mary Hawkins abt 1801 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Arrabella Hawkins abt 1826 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Thomas Hawkins abt 1826 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Nathaniel Hawkins abt 1828 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Ellen Hawkins abt 1833 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Henry Hawkins abt 1835 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire
Emma Hawkins abt 1839 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest, Gloucestershire

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

Baptisms 1820-1833

More Information --> The National Archives

Dear David,

Thank you for your help. I have had some difficulty in finding a comprehensive set of church records for this family and in particular for Thomas MILES parents William and Phobe (or Phoebe or Phebe ) Miles from the time they shifted to the Coleford area from Hewelsfield. With your help I am hopeful that I may now be able to fill the gaps. Thanks again.

Peter

Dear Slowhands. Thanks your reply. I had a mental block in my original posting as the brides name is Ellen not Elizabeth. Its surprising that they are reported to be living as far north as Whitchurch although I note they were married elswhere. The civil record simply says Newland Parish was their residence.

The 1851 transcription is also interesting. I think the farm is Perry Grove farm as there are other census references to the family living there. Thanks again, Peter

I have the imagery of the Doward Chapel register including this marriage, if you write to me offline I`ll email you a copy of the entry.

Its surprising that they are reported to be living as far north as Whitchurch

Its about 5 miles from Perrygrove to the Doward Chapel, so by todays standards a short hop :-)

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

Dear Slowhands,
I notice that you were able to help a fellow researcher with a marriage at the Doward Independent Chapel.
I am looking for details of a marriage which took place there in September 1856
between George BROWN of Monmouth and Sarah HATHAWAY originally from St Briavels/Hewelsfield but was a servant to the Goode family on the Doward.
I know her father was William Hathaway decd, but are George's father's details given?
Any help much appreciated.
regards
Lindsey

Dear Blakemiz,

I obtained the record I was looking for from Dr. Williams? list of non conformist records held by the National Archives but I think that you record is too late for this (but you could check). If you follow the Doward Chapel thread to grahamdavison he has photocopies of the Great Doward Chapel records and may be able to help.

Peter - I have

)ancestors married at Doward Chapel
)an Anne MILES ggg grandmother
)ancestors living at Perrygrove Farm

Too co-incidental for there not to be a connection?

David Steel
Adelaide, South Australia

David,

It does indeed seem that we have common ancestors.

Our (and probably yours) Miles line starts with William Miles born 1774. He maried Phoebe Playsted daughter of Richard and Rachel Playsted and among their children was Thomas born 1820. Thomas married Ellen Hawkins whose parents were Thomas Hawkins and Mary Ann Roberts. I have done quite a bit of work on the Hawkins as they are quite an interesting coal mining family. But I still have a few loose ends to tie up. In particular there is a gap after the 1841 census and Thomas's remarriage in the 1860s. If you have done any work on the Hawkns I would appreciate learning about it in particular when Mary Ann died. Returning now to their family among their children was a daughter Mary Ann born 1855. She had a child Mary born out of wedlock in 1873. Two years later in 1875 Mary Ann married William Evans. Mary born 1873 is my wifes grandmother. She married Jonah Dalley in New Zealand. In the late 1870s the Thomas and Ellen Miles family including their children and some of their grandchildren emigrated to New Zealand and settled near Ashburton in the South Island of New Zealand. It is rather unusual to find three generations emigrating. Thomas and Ellen were old to make the onerous journey ana falsified their ages presumably to ensure they were not refused passage. Quite a few of the Hawkins came as well.

So where do you fit into this lineage? I have quite a lot more information which I will be happy to email to you if you are interested and I would certainly appreciate learning of any work you have done.

Peter I

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=entry&id=18457

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

Peter - sorry I haven't replied earlier.

My Anne MILES is proving to be very frustrating. All that I have on her is that she married Thomas STEEL at Newland on 1st September, 1798, died at Coleford on 28th February, 1834, and is buried at Newland. She also appears in an 1830 Directory as a blacksmith in Coleford, whilst Thomas was serving six years on a prison hulk at Woolwich.
The headstone at Newland gives her age at death as 65; if that is correct she must have been born between 29th Feb. 1768 and 28th Feb. 1769.
Have you ever come across her?

Regards.....David

David,

Although we have common ancestors I think you are researching a slightly different line to mine. I have filed everything I know about our Forest of Dean Ancestors on the Web site under Home/Sitemap/Downloads/Miscellaneous, Mary Evans Ancestors Report and Mary Evans Ancestors Tree. If you can add anything to this information or tell me exactly where you fit in I would love to hear more from you,

Peter

Peter - many thanks for your latest reply.
It's very interesting reading your information. My Ann(e) MILES would appear to be the same generation as your William. As neither of us can find baptisms, perhaps they originated from another county - if indeed, Ann and William were sister and brother.
Looking at the 1840 Tithe Map for the parish of Newland, I see that William was the occupier of Lower Perrygrove Farm whilst the owner was a Thomas STEEL. (Not my direct ancestor, but a related line).
This farm is now part of the "Puzzlewood" complex - I did a B&B there last year, and the landlady kindly showed me the deeds of the property.
Just over the road is Upper Perrygrove Farm, whilst a little to the south of that is a large dwelling that I recall is called Perrygrove House. This, I think, was a STEEL residence from about 1780 to the early 1800's, however, that is in the parish of St Briavels and I don't have the tithe map for that parish to prove it.

Well Peter, I will continue looking for MILES baptisms and if I come across any, I'll certainly let you know.

Regards.....David

David,

Thanks for your message. It was good to get confirmation of exactly where Perry Grove Farms was situated. Where did you obtain the 1840 Tithe Map? We are off on an overseas trip next week and are expecting to spend a day exploring the Forest of Dean. After what you told me about Puzzlewood we will go there. Do you remember the name or location of the B&B you stayed at as I may be tempted to pop in. Thanks

Peter

http://www.puzzlewood.net/HowToFindUs.html

possibly the closest hotels / B'n'B

Lower Perrygrove Farm
Coleford GL16 8QB
Phone: 00 44 1594 833187
3 rooms from: £18.00 (1 Double, 1 Twin, 1 Triple)
All rooms have en-suite facilities.

THE LAMBSQUAY HOUSE HOTEL

PERRYGROVE ROAD
GL16 8QB COLEFORD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Phone: 00 44 1594 833127
GEO: 51.781625, -2.611298

http://www.lambsquayhousehotel.co.uk/index.html

<updated 13/8/09>

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

Many thanks for your e-mail, Peter.

The Tithe Map came from Geoff Gwatkin of Ross on Wye, but I seem to remember that I purchased it through Hidden Heritage. Great value at £5.
The B&B I stayed at was Lower Perrygrove Farm. As you head south out of Coleford on the road to Bream, it's the first driveway on the right after Pingry Lane. The Puzzlewood entrance is a little further on.
Have a great time in the Forest.

Regards.....David

Thomas & Ellen Miles - in New Zealand: I am a descendant of Thomas & Ellen via their son William Henry Miles & Mary Kear (he is my gg grandfather).