I am trying to find when and where Philip Williams was born.

He lived in Woolaston with his wife Sarah and their children but I cannot find a birth or marriage for Philip. In the 1841 census his age is given as 75. One of his sons Francis, born 1802, was my greatx3 grandfather. He was a paper maker.

Does anyone have any information about paper makers in Woolaston.

On the Gloucestershire Records Office Genealogical Database
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=17142

The following WILLIAMS - are listed as Papermakers (Woolaston)

1828 - William
1828 - Philip
1845 - Henry
1848 - Charles (Child)
1848 - Eliza (Mother)
1848 - William (Father)

You can dowload a form and order these entries - Minimum Charge 4.89

British History on line

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=15775

under Woolaston - gives the history of Colne Mill - and says in 1841, 10 Papermakers and one Engineer lived in the Village. It was owned by Richard BARROW.

A Phillip WILLIAMS was christened 23 June 1765, Hewelsfield (3 miles from Woolaston) Francis and Jane - which would link up with family name. On the FOD site, the surname says illegible.... but on the Church of Latter Day Saints site, it clearly states WILLIAMS

On the 1841 census, Philip says he was born in the County.

Siblings of Philip born in Hewelsfield - parents Francis & Jane WILLIAMS

Jane - 9 September 1759
William - 18 September 1757
James - 31 May 1761
Mary - 28 February 1779

Also the Map on British History - Ord. Survey 1:10.560 047/SW - dates 1889 shows Cone Mill - (Paper)

I have a James WILLIAMS on my tree, part of which is:

Descendants of James WILLIAMS

Generation No. 1

1. James1 WILLIAMS was born 1761 in Brockweir, Gloucestershire, and died 27 Jan 1821. He married Mary FREWEN 1780 in English Bicknor.

Children of James WILLIAMS and Mary FREWEN are:
2 i. William2 WILLIAMS, born 26 Sep 1784.
3 ii. John WILLIAMS, born 13 May 1787.
4 iii. Edward WILLIAMS, born 22 May 1791.
+ 5 iv. Adam WILLIAMS, born 15 Aug 1795; died 25 Jun 1837.
6 v. Thomas WILLIAMS, born 26 Jun 1797.
+ 7 vi. Joseph WILLIAMS, born 26 Dec 1797; died 03 May 1885 in Tidenham, Gloucestershire.
8 vii. Philip WILLIAMS, born 09 Feb 1800.
9 viii. Mary WILLIAMS, born 05 Jun 1803.

I can email you the complete tree if you think it joins yours.

Regards,

Gordon Williams.

There is a burial of a Francis Williams 30 March 1807 in Hewelsfield, residence, Brockweir.

A few more irrelevant details! A local census about 1818 lists Philip and wife living with James (18), William (10), Francis (15), Ann (8) & Caroline (3) - the latter apparently an illegitimate granddaughter.

In 1828 Philip and wife were living with Sara (23) and George (7).

[Probably a coincidence but a Joseph Williams, his wife and 7 children were living at Cone Paper Mill itself - but plenty of Williams in Woolaston at the time!]

Also couldn't resist looking up Philip's gaol record when up at Gloucester Archives today:-
17th January 1828 aged 60 from Woolaston Out on bail
Charged with stealing at the parish of Woolastone two geese the property of Mr Mister of Woolastone aforesaid Exciseman.
Appearance: Dark brown hair turning grey, grey beard, sallow complexion, thin face, flat nose, blue eyes, lost all his upper teeth, a scar on his right knee from a burn, not read, stout made, Paper maker, Heighth 5ft 3ins.
Pleased to say found 'Not Guilty'!!

Biddy

I have a John Williams born about 1796 at either Alvington or Woolaston, also a papermaker. He married Mary Morgan in May 1929 and I am trying to find his parents.

I am interested to discover that there appear to be additional local censuses prior to 1841. Can you please tell me more about them and what reference is there for them at the Gloucester Record Office?

Thanks in advance

Roger

Other sources will include Pool Books / Electoral registers.
@ Glos Archives -Electoral Registers and Poll Books
•The poll books from 1763 and electoral registers from 1832 include the names of those entitled to vote. They cover the whole county but do not include every person over 21 years old until 1928

Land ownership records.
@ Glos Archives -
Title deeds
•These can date from the 12th century to the 20th century and can include details of the owners and occupiers of a property as well as details of the property itself, sometimes with a small plan

Census data

There has been a census every ten years since 1801, excluding 1941. However, only those that date from 1841 are of real value to the family historian. The administration of the early census returns 1801-1831 was the responsibility of the Overseers of the Poor and the clergy.

Most of these early returns were unfortunately destroyed, although in some isolated instances they have been preserved. The census returns for 1841 were the first to be kept and, as far as the general public is concerned, the information is released after a hundred years.

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

I found a baptism of a John to John and Ann Williams in 1795 in Woolaston parish records at Gloucester Record Office. I also found a marriage between a John Williams and Anne Parry in 1787 again in Woolaston.

There were also the following baptisms in Woolaston
Ann to John and Ann Williams in 1788.
George to John and Ann Williams in 1791.
James to John and Ann Williams in 1793.
John to John and Ann Williams in 1795 (as mentioned above)

I hope this may be of help.

I would like to say thank you very much to everyone who has posted a reply to my enquiry. I am very grateful for your help. Thank you especially for the description of Philip - he doesn't sound particularly good looking!

Before you all disappear. My sister, also researching the Williams families of Woolaston/Hewelsfield, thinks that James WILLIAMS'S father Francis may have married twice, first to Jane MOXLEY (b. C 1736, d. 1765), then to Mary BOWEN of Chapel Hill Tintern.

The children from the former marriage were:
Williams b. 1757
Jane b. 1759
James b. 1761
Philip b 1765 (same date as Jane died)

The supposed 2nd marriage produced:
Nathaniel b 1770
John b. 1771
Christian (female) b. 1772
Mary b. 1774
Joseph b. 1779

Any information supporting the 2nd marriage theory would be welcome.

Regards to all,

Gordon Williams

Thanks to Railway Guy and Slowhands for your input to my posting. I am glad that Railway Guy came up with the 1795 christening to parents John Williams and Ann Parry as I had already come up with that possibility. I was really looking to find out if I could confirm this relationship by reference to the early censuses that I presumed that Biddy was referring to.I really wanted to know if any of the earlier censuses (pre 1841)are available to view for Alvington and Woolaston at the Gloucester Records Office.

Regards

Roger

Hello,

Philip Williams was also my direct ancestor through his son Francis who was my 3 x great grandfather, Francis's son Henry was my 2 x great grandfather. I have plenty of info on the Williams family should you be interested. Please contact me on [deleted]. Regards Debbie Kyte

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Before you all disappear. My sister, also researching the Williams families of Woolaston/Hewelsfield, thinks that James WILLIAMS'S father Francis may have married twice, first to Jane MOXLEY (b. C 1736, d. 1765), then to Mary BOWEN of Chapel Hill Tintern.

The children from the former marriage were:
Williams b. 1757
Jane b. 1759
James b. 1761
Philip b 1765 (same date as Jane died)

The supposed 2nd marriage produced:
Nathaniel b 1770
John b. 1771
Christian (female) b. 1772
Mary b. 1774
Joseph b. 1779

Any information supporting the 2nd marriage theory would be welcome.

Regards to all,

Gordon Williams

Hi,

I'm researching a different branch of the Williams (Benjamin who was born in Tidenham) but in this came across some info that may help you. A Francis Williams from Hewelsfield married a Mary Bowen of Chapel Hill on 22 Jan 1769 and is listed as a widower.

If anyone knows anything about a Benjamin Williams (don't know when born but married another Mary Bowen in 1803) I'd be grateful!