The only information I have about this man is that he was born in Coleford in 1803 and then by the 1841 census had married Ann and was in the South Wales valleys mostly Monmouthshire. I am a direct descendant. I have looked at the Parish records for Coleford and there is no record of Keys or Keyes. Does anyone have any ideas where I go from here, Many thanks to all, Best wishes Jane

This could be your William

Record_ID: 265080
Entry_Number:
Year: 1805
Month: May
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: KEYS
Child_Forenames: William
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Sarah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Berryhill
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P227 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 24
Parish_Chapel: Newland

and siblings?

Record_ID: 264861
Entry_Number:
Year: 1803
Month: Jun
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: KAYCE
Child_Forenames: Sarah
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Sarah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Berryhill
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P227 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 19
Parish_Chapel: Newland

Record_ID: 265453
Entry_Number:
Year: 1808
Month: Aug
Day: 14
Parents_Surname: KEYSE
Child_Forenames: THomas
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Sarah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Whitecliff
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: at Coleford Chapel
Notes:
Register_Reference: P227 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 35
Parish_Chapel: Newland

Thank you Paul, I think the Berryhill William looks the best bet, so I will look at the parish records for there and see what else I can find. I appreciate your help very much. At least now we have some idea who the parents might have been, but without a family bible etc nothing is certain. William could well have been a baptist as my gt gt grandfather (William's eldet child) married in the Baptist Chapel in Pontypool in 1867. Many thanks once again for your prompt information and help, best wishes Jane

I wonder if theses are his parents ?
<esp as William 1805 is a Blacksmith in Panteg in 1851 census>

Year: 1800
Month: Aug
Day: 11
Grooms_Surname: KEYSE
Grooms_Forenames: William
Grooms_Age:
Groom_Condition: not stated
Grooms_Occupation: Blacksmith
Grooms_Residence: Forest of Dean
Grooms_Fathers_Surname:
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames:
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation:
Brides_Surname: HEWISH
Brides_Forenames: Sarah
Brides_Age:
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Forest of Dean
Brides_Fathers_Surname:
Brides_Fathers_Forenames:
Brides_Fathers_Occupation:
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: 27 July 3 & 10 A
Signature_or_Mark: Both mark
Witness_1: Thomas Morgan
Witness_2: John Aldridge
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: John Harris Rector
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes: Any abbreviated forenames have been expanded to the full name
Register_Reference: P220 IN 1/6
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Mitcheldean

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

Thank you for both your replies, in the 1841 census William is a blacksmith as was my gt gt grandpa and gt grandpa, so it is possible. Even within the family the Keys surname was spelt in various forms, so suspect all Keys Keyes, Keyse may well be related. In my own family William's son John (my relative) married as a Keys and then registered his children as Keyes. John's brother Thomas was registered at birth as Keyes. I was a Keyes. I have a family tree on Ancestry so hope this information may nudge someone else who has knowledge about the family in Coleford. Thank you all once again for your interest and help. best wishes Jane

Forgot to say 1851 census for William & Ann in Panteg is my family! Jane

William's father in 1851?

1851 Wales Census: HO107/2449; Folio: 243; Page: 1
Parish of Trevethin
Village of Pontrewynidd
1 Abersychan Road

Edward Richards-Head-Mar-39-Grocer-Monmouthshire, Llanvihangel
Hannah Richards-Wife-Mar-35-Monmouthshire, Penteague
James Richards-Son-U-10-Scholar-Monmouthshire, Trevethin
Sarah Thomas-Servant-U-21-General Servant-Gloucestershire,[illegible]
William Keys-Visitor-Widower-72-Blacksmith-Hereford, Lea
Others

Baptism of William's father?

Record_ID: 248078
Entry_Number:
Year: 1779
Month: Feb
Day: 10
Parents_Surname: KEYSE
Child_Forenames: William
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: [not stated]
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: [not stated]
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: AG68/2
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Lea

Thank you again, I am very grateful for your help. We live in Dorset so records that not online are difficult to get at Thank you once again for all your time and effort, best wishes Jane

One thing you need to bear in mind is that Coleford was a Chapelry of Newland and so many of the early records are in the Newland registers even though they took place in one of the Chapelries.