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Hiya

im doing research into the history of my grand fathers family tree - Aston. He was called Benjamin Aston and was born in the forest of dean. I know that his family have been around for years, his dad had a shop we think. Before that they worked in the open mines in the area.
Im looking to findout if a family story is true - His dad died after falling off the roof and his mum died of a broken heart . This lead to him growing up with his aunty.
How can i find this out, does anyone know of this story?

2423 views

Record_ID: 2623
Entry_Number: 399
Year: 1896
Month: Dec
Day: 15
Grooms_Surname: ASTON
Grooms_Forenames: James Edward
Grooms_Age: 38
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Shoemaker
Grooms_Residence: Edge End
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Aston
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: James
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Colliery Manager
Brides_Surname: GWILLIAM
Brides_Forenames: Lydia
Brides_Age: 31
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Shortstanding
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Gwilliam
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: James
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Clerk & Sexton
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: James Gwilliam
Witness_2: Edith Caroline Hale
Other_Witnesses: None
Officiating_Minister: C. Barnes Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda: -
Notes: -
Register_Reference: PFC82 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 200
Parish_Chapel: Christchurch
Soundex_Groom: A235
Soundex_Bride: G450

Thats all ive managed to find so far...

2119 views

Year: 1902
Month: Jun
Day: 1
Parents_Surname: ASTON
Child_Forenames: Benjamin Gwilliam
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Lydia
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Broadwell Lane End
Occupation: Boot Merchant
Officiating_Minister: J W Jacob
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born 1902 May 5
Notes:
Register_Reference: D2598/3/5
Page_Number: 38
Parish_Chapel: West Dean Methodist

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

1996 views

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=8372

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

2030 views

Hi,

Ive been doing research and i know my Aunty has been too about Benjamin Gwilliam Astons, family tree.
I remember something about some great uncles, or uncles of his that faught in the great war. I know one or more died but i cant for the life of me find there names again, anyone on here help me?

Cheers

1701 views

A little more information would help guide any replies. Would this be the Benjamin Gwilliam ASTON (rather than ASTONS) registered Q2 1903 and whose baptism is on this site (record 397637 entry 303)? If so it looks as though uncles rather than great uncles might be the candidates. In the 1911 census his father (James Edward Aston) is already 52 and his mother (Lydia Gwilliam) is 46. This suggests that their own siblings might possibly have been involved in WW1.

1680 views

Hi,

"Ive been doing research and i know my Aunty has been too about Benjamin Gwilliam Astons, family tree.
I remember something about some great uncles, or uncles of his that faught in the great war. I know one or more died but i cant for the life of me find there names again, anyone on here help me?"

Cheers

There are many 'on here' who are more than willing to help. To be able to do so they require from you some background information as to what you know about the people you are asking about, and what information you are looking for?

There are several public member trees on Ancestry that include Benjamin Gwilliam Aston.

1633 views

hi

sorry for not giving more information,

his name was Benjamin gwilliam aston his mum was lydia i think from memory.. ive posted on here before about him and the family tree. he was born from memory in 1911 i think..
i know my auntys done a lot but ive packed it all.. i remember there being a picture of one uncle who died with there baby daughter just before going to war.
im trying to find what i do have to help with things..

1632 views

Hi Mcbilly,

I've also researched the Astons of the Coleford area for my brother-in-law and I know that some did serve in WW1. However I've recently "lost" virtually all my research so cannot help much more in terms of linking the WW1 soldiers I've seen to your particular line. I will try and find the names I know of though.

1641 views

hiya

having spent the night looking at every astonon the commomwelth war graves site gt one and some possibles

aston c n w - husband of nellie may aston - son of Charles aston

i think hes related but not sure how yet but nellie rings aa bell..

1608 views

Hi,
I cannot find them in this site's FoD PRs, but from GlosBMD this looks like the relevant Marriage Record, so maybe not the Forest ??.

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
ASTON Charles Nelson LEA Nellie May Gloucester Gloucester All Saints 1900 23 No 2 468

also from that site, Birth Details

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
ASTON Charles Nelson ASTON ASTON SURMAN 1877 Gloucester Gloucester, South Hamlet 36 251

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
LEA Nellie May LEA LEA HARPER 1876 Gloucester Gloucester, St Nicholas 21 363

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

1621 views

CWGC site states born in Gloucester:

ASTON, C N W
Rank:Private
Service No:2645
Date of Death:10/05/1916
Age:38
Regiment/Service:Gloucestershire Regiment
Grave ReferenceNG. 237.
CemeteryGLOUCESTER OLD CEMETERY

Additional Information:
Son of Charles Aston; husband of Nellie May Aston, of 8, Sidney St., Gloucester. Born at Gloucester

1585 views

cant be who i though... onwards to more research...

1589 views

Hi, I've rechecked my researches and have only still got details for one local Aston, namely Harold Aston of Camomile Green Lydbrook who survived WW1. (Luckily/unusually in this case his complete Service Records still exist as well as the usual Medal Index Card, I can email these images to you offline if you think it will help). This prior thread gives more detail of his family line.
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=20631

When I was researching the Astons of Coleford a while back I found the above man by searching all the Military Records on Ancestry, entering only "Aston" and "Coleford" or "Lydbrook" etc as the search terms. Trying it again tonight offers Service Records for Thomas Aston of Berry Hill, the aforementioned Harold of Camomile Green Lydbrook; these records are the most usefull by far as often give next of kin. addresses, etc; unlike the Medal Cards. The site also gives Roll of Honour entries for James Thomas Aston and Thomas Henry Aston, both died 1918.
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=39&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MS...
(NB remember when sifting possible "hits" there are other Colefords in Somerset, Devon etc)
If like me you're not a paid-subscriber you can still access the full records of these soldiers by accessing Ancestry at UK public libraries. Alternatively Ancestry invariably offers free website access around Remembrance Day if you can wait til then.

You were correct in searching the War Graves site too, just don't forget soldiers didn't just serve in local Regiments such as the Glosters, South Wales Borderers, Monmouthshire etc but could enlist or be transferred elsewhere.

From this sites PRs, re the above findings:

Record_ID: 6318
Entry_Number: 603
Year: 1897
Month: Feb
Day: 26
Parents_Surname: ASTON
Child_Forenames: James Thomas
Fathers_Forenames: George
Mothers_Forenames: Mary Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Short Standing
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: C. Barnes
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born Jan 22nd 1897
Notes:
Register_Reference: P82 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 76
Parish_Chapel: Christchurch
Soundex: A235

As confirmed by searching the CWGC site.

ASTON, JAMES THOMAS
Rank:Private
Service No:49360
Date of Death:08/10/1918
Age:21
Regiment/Service:South Wales Borderers
10th Bn.
Panel ReferencePanel 6.
MemorialVIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of Mary A. Jenkins (formerly Aston), of 16, Davies St., Porth Rhondda), Glam., and the late George Aston.
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1

This is the nearest I could find to Thomas Henry Aston:
ASTON, T H
Rank:Private
Service No:34799
Date of Death:11/04/1918
Regiment/Service:Royal Warwickshire Regiment
10th Bn.
Grave ReferenceXIII. C. 15.
CemeteryHARLEBEKE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
Additional Information:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1

He is the only Aston listed on the Coleford Roll of Honour within this website, sorry I didn't remember it earlier.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/index.php/miscellaneous-documents

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This excellent website carries a great many Graveyard Inscriptions particularly those of War Deaths, this is the Coleford area page.
http://places.wishful-thinking.org.uk/GLS/Coleford/MIs.html

----------------------

R.I.P.

1605 views

Hiya

Brilliant so would these be my great great uncles? Related to my grandads, dads brothers?

Thankyou for all the information

1581 views

On FOD records

Children of James and Lydia : West Dean Methodist

James Edward 15 June 1898, (born 3 May)
( Boot and Shoe Merchant) (not on 1901 census).

Benjamin Gwilliam Aston, 1 June 1902, home address: Broadwell Lane End, - Boot Merchant

Mabel Elizabeth - 1 November 1902 (born 10 September) - married Robert Henry WILLIAMS 12 March 1927, father James ASTON, Shoemaker, deceased - witnessed by amongst others.... Benjamin Gwilliam ASTON and George Henry ASTON. Her address, Coalway, Coleford.

1901 Wales - Monmouthshire, West Dean, Page 18
Broadwell Lane End
Shop

James ASTON, Head age 42, Shoemaker (own account at home) born West Dean
Lydia - age 35, born ditto
James ASTON, age 75, Widr, Retired Collier, born West Dean

As George Henry ASTON, was at the wedding of Mabel Elizabeth...... George married 2 December 1892 age 26 - he was a Shoemaker, father James.

1891 Census, West Dean, District 19, Page 12, Joyford, Hedge End.

James ASTON, 65, Collier Manager, born Glos Hedge End.
Jane - 66, born Glos Five Acres
James 32 - Coal Miner, born Glos Hedge End
George 26 - ditto

do James and George where both Coal Miners and Shoemakers.

2044 views

Sorry to change the romantic story BUT Lydia died in 1917 and it looks like James died in 1919!! Maybe the other way around?!

My grandmother was Hilda Florence Aston.
Best wishes
Carol

1998 views

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