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Hi All
I'm looking for some help please! My Grandfather, Tom Melville Maurice, claimed he was born in Symonds Yatt in 1886. I can find no birth records for him. I have found proof of him serving in the first world war and on his military papers, he claimed he was living at 7 Church St. Ebbw Vale, in 1915. He served in East Africa and stayed on, for the rest of his life, in South Africa; where I am from.

Any help please.

Mark Maurice

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Just had a very quick look for other Meville Maurice names on FreeBDM

There is a birth of a

Melville George MAURICE registered March Qtr 1878 Newport M.

Looking at the 1901 Wales Census
Ebbw Vale
District 26
Page 40

for 7 Church Street

Thomas EDWARDS - age 38 Sewing Machine Salesman, born Cheshire, is living with his Wife Jeanie (born Glasgow) with 7 children and 2 Servants

Neighbours are: House Painters/Dressmakers/Butchers/Drapers/Asst Colliery Manager/Greengrocer

If he was from a Military family or 'Scotland' then this would cause 'problems'

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Thank you for the input.

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You could try this one?
Tom MORRIS 3 Mar 1886 at Cinderford. s.o. James and Sarah Jane.
You can look at this in the Parish records on this site.

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I'll check this one out.

Many thanks.

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Mark I found a contact address among the army details, Tom's uncle -
The Rev W Maurice, Talywain House, Talywain, Monmouthshire (nr Pontypool)
in 1911 William is still listed in Pontypool. I cannot find any trace of Tom other than his army records, he was discharged in 1917 with tubercolosis and paid 13 shillings and 9 pence a week to be reviewed a year later. It says age 29 which would make his date of birth slightly later 1888?
1901 census
address - Wrockwardine wood, Shropshire.
head - William Maurice age 50, baptist minister, born Llanfyrnach, Pembroke.
wife - Elizabeth Maurice age 48, born Monmouthshire
daughter - Gertrude Maurice age 21, cashier grocers, born Glamorgan.

William's family don't show in 1891 but this family does, they married in Camarthenshire 1866
head - John William Maurice age 49, baptist minister,born Llanfyrnach, Pembroke.
wife - Jane Maurice age 47 born Camarthenshire
son - Thomas Davies Leyshon Maurice age 12 (surely this can't be Tom)
*I wonder if Tom was born abroad, or had a name change.

1881 census
William Maurice age 32, baptist minister, born Pembrokeshire
wife - Elizabeth age 28, born Panteg, Monmouthshire
son - George Melville age 3, birth registered Newport, Mon
daughter - Gertrude Annie age 1, also registered Newport
*William married Elizabeth Williams registered Newport 1877

You can see the Melville connection above, and William is Tom's uncle, and John is born in the same place as William, so William's marriage certificate will give you Tom's grandfathers name, and you can trace the sons forward using census etc.

hope this helps you find out more FredB

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Looking at Fred's message have found this

1861 Census
Pembrokeshire
District 10
Page 12
Barn Street

John W MAURICE, Lodger age 19 - Student of divinity Baptist College
born Pembrokeshire, Llanfynrnach

1881 Census, 19 Wyndham Row, Ystradyfodwg, Glamorgan

Jane - age 37 - Minister's Wife
Elizabeth S - 9
Jessie - 7
John G - 3
Thomas D - 2 (Thomas Davies MAURICE birth registered September 1878, Pontypridd District)

May be 'Tom' gave an incorrect DOB so he could join up?

children listed as being born Blaenycwm, Glamorgan

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Having a Methodist minister in one line of my family I know how often they moved, that family do not appear in the same place twice in any census from 1851. And children disappear from Wales and turn up in Bristol at a large Methodist school.

He should show in 1911 he would be about 25? He joins the army in 1915 and his army papers say 1915-16 Home (UK?) then East Africa, then South Africa and is discharged due to ill health in Gwele, Rhodesia, but he doesn't return to the UK, so what if he was already living in Africa and returned to join the army in 1915. He joined the Army ordinance corps, and if he already had African connections maybe that's why he was posted back to East Africa rather than the Western Front and the war in Europe? Cracking yarns LOL, nothing like a good mystery.

Is there a Baptist or Bethel Chapel near Symonds Yat? I know there's a chapel almost under Yat Rock, Symonds Yat may be an early memory rather than actual place of birth. Fred

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Have you looked at the migration lists?
There is a Tom Melville Maurice (47), his wife Mrs Gwinifred G Maurice and children Audrey May (8), Daphne S (5) and Kathleen I (2)going to the Cape, South Africa on 17 March 1927. Tom is said to be a brewer and their address was 3 Upper East Hayes, Bath, Somerset. The ship was called Baradine.

Also on board there was a Mrs Lillian Maurice (21) and Gordon Maurice (8) from Staffordshire. She was said to be a theatrical cinema artist.

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Just looked at freebmd and Daphne S Maurice was born March q 1921 Bath and Kathleen I March q 1924 Bath. Mother's maiden name Staples. So the family were living there for a few years before they went to South Africa. No sign of Audrey May even when doing a general search. Perhaps she was born abroad. If these are your relatives, was your father their brother? I don't think you have given any other names of your family in this discussion.

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So he did return, that must be the same Tom, but where is he in his youth?

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Just to 'confuse'

When 'Tom' emigrated in 1927 - he was aged 47 c 1880

1911 Census

Tabor Villa Dinas Cross, Cardigan

John William MAURICE - Widower, age 69, Baptists Minister, Pembroke, Llanfyrnanch
Thomas Davies MAURICE - SON (MARRIED) - age 32 (birth registered 1878 Pontypridd), Head Teacher, born Fisherbank, Glamorgan
Paulina MAURICE - Daughter-in-law age 28 (married 3 years) born Fisherbank, Glamorgan

Eunice THOMAS, Servant, Single F - age 22, General Servant Domestic, Pembroke, Dinas

Jenkins Thomas Elwyn MAURICE - Grandson age 7 - born Cheshire, Birkenhead

Jenkins Willen MAURICE - Grandaughter - age 3, born Pembroke, Dinas

FreeBDM : Thomas Davies MAURICE married Pauline GEORGE March 1909 -Cardigan District

On the 1901 Census, Pauline GEORGE is a Teacher at a School in Dinas, and living with her Father Stephen (a retired Farmer) his Wife Mary and children.

John William MAURICE is also at Dinas @ Tabor Villas
Page 3, Pembrokeshire, Dinas, District 1, page 3

John William MAURICE - Head - 59 Baptist Minister,
Jane - 57
Jessie - age 26 - Asst. Baptist Minister School Teacher
Elizabeth Sarah JENKINS - their married daughter (living on husband's earning)
and two grandchildren

Edgar Maurice Jenkins age 2, and John Ewart JENKINS age 3 months both born in Dinas

On Free BDM : birth Cardigan District September 1911

Ievan G MAURICE, mother's maiden name GEORGE

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Thank you all, for all the info. Tom married a Gwinifred Staples in South Africa, they then moved to the UK for a few years,did not like it here and returned to South Africa. Gwinifred died young and Tom re-maried a Muriel McEwan (my grandmother) My father was born from this marriage so the 3 daughters from the first marriage were his half sisters.
I do believe that Tom lied about his age. He also claimed to have fought in Europe
and told my Dad a story about "being blown up at the battle of Mons" He had huge scars on his torso, which he claimed were as a result of this. A great tale I'm afraid, because there is no evidence of him having served in Europe.
Another confusing story that has been passed down, is that Tom's Dad helped build the "Aswan" dam,not the famous one in Egypt, but rather, a dam of the same name in India. I wonder if this suggests that Tom may have been born in India.

All very confusing but I'm determined to get to the bottom of it.

My Dad's name is Ewan Fredrick Denison. The Ewan, I imagine to be from his Mom's maiden name "McEwan" and then there were famous Maurice's with similar christian names....Maj. Gen. Sir Frederick Barton etc.

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Why would both John William Maurice's grandchildren have "Jenkins" in front of their names? (1911 census)

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1901
John William Maurin abt 1842 Llanfyenach, Pembrokeshire, Wales Head Dinas, Pembrokeshire
Jane Maurin abt 1844 Llanbbie, Carmarthenshire, Wales Wife Dinas, Pembrokeshire
Jassie Maurin abt 1875 Irekeebert, Glamorgan, Wales Daughter Dinas, Pembrokeshire
Elizabeth Sarah Jenkins abt 1872 Irekeebert, Glamorgan, Wales Daughter Dinas, Pembrokeshire
Edgar Maurice Jenkins abt 1899 Dinas, Pembrokeshire, Wales Grandson Dinas, Pembrokeshire
John Ewart Jenkins abt 1900 Dinas, Pembrokeshire, Wales Grandson Dinas, Pembrokeshire

Name: Edgar Maurice Jenkins
Year of Registration: 1898
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Cardigan
County: Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire
Volume: 11b
Page: 3

Name: Edgar Maurice Jenkins
Birth Date: 19 Aug 1898
Death Registration Month/Year: Mar 1996
Age at death (estimated): 97
Registration district: Swansea
Inferred County: Glamorgan
Register number: A118
District and Subdistrict: 8971A
Entry number: 106

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

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Name: John Ewart Jenkins
Year of Registration: 1901
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Cardigan
County: Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire
Volume: 11b
Page: 1

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

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