Hi

The 1851 census has pinned my Griffiths family to Ruardean.

Mary appears unmarried and is in Ross workhouse Heredfordshire with
Jacob born circa 1845 Ruardean
Sarah circa 1848 Ruardean
Julianna circa 1850 Ruardean.
Mary also gives her place of birth as Ruardean and will have been born circa 1822.

Does anyone have an unaccounted for Mary in their Griffiths family- or any of the kids, by 1861 Mary and Jacob are in wales, I can only presume the girls died.

Jacob - on his marriage cert names his dad as Joseph Blanch- a shoemaker. I have found a shoemaker Blanch born in Clerkenwell London and wonder if this is the family, does anyone know of any Ruardean/Clerkenwell connections? Long shot I know.

Any thoughts/suggestions welcome

Carol

does hand written "School Master" and "Shoe Maker" look similar ????

1861 Ruardean School Master
Joseph Blanch abt 1812 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Ann Blanch abt 1821 Ross, Herefordshire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Anne Blewitt abt 1851 Sulham, Berkshire, England Daughter-in-law East Dean Gloucestershire

1841 Ruardean Hill ? HO 107/365/10 Folio 21

Cornelius BLANCH 35 Quarryman
Esther 30
Tom 6
Emma 4
Priscilla 1
Joeseph 25 Quarry

All born in county

Interesting!
Do you reckon Joseph may have changed jobs a few times and may just have been a shoemaker before he was a schoolmaster etc etc? Or is he the Joseph Blanch living in Paganhill Stroud who is a millwright by 1861- and married!
Come on ancestry, get 1851 back up and running! im thinking the 1841 Joseph - possibly Cornelius' brother, according to IGI, they were both sons of Samuel and Sohia Blanch.
This is getting very interesting, I wonder where Jacobs name came from, id love to find a Jacob Blanch!
We are doing this better than Child Support Agency:)

Carol