We continue to research our line of Meeks from Thomas and Mary to Moses and Beriah and Tryphena. However I can find little information in the local burial records of Ruardean and Drybrook as posted on the site.We have also spent two weekends in the FoD looking for gravestones etc with no results.Can anyone suggest why we have drawn a blank so far?.Plenty of info on christenings.Could our line have been so poor as to have unmarked graves? They continued to be in the FoD for many years until moving to Wales so I am suprised that with so many records on the census reports I am struggling to find where these people are laid to rest. Any help or suggestions?
kind regards
Nigel

Nigel
As you know the transcription of the Parish Records is ongoing, perhaps 'your' Meeks haven't yet been transcribed for burials. I notice you mention Drybrook for burials I don't believe those are yet on the site.
I've also failed to find some of my Vaughan ancestors at Ruardean churchyard although I know they are there. I've put mine down to the fact that some of the headstones are very weathered and worn, and totally illegible and some are overgrown. Possibly this is the case with your Meek family?
I don't know if Joanne Meek is known to you, but if you read her post to me of 25th July she kindly gave me some information about Ruardean Hill Baptist Church have you looked there for headstones?

Following on from your comments about not finding your Meek ancestors.
I visited Ruardean Baptist Chapel today (15th September)and noticed there were quite a few Meeks buried there (as mentioned in Joanne Meeks post to me of 25th July). I don't know if you've visited the Chapels' graveyard as part of your travels, but I've taken about 10 photos of the Meek headstones if they would be any use to your research. Some are modern day dates but some are from 1900 1930 etc If they would be any use to you let me know and I'll email them to you as an attachment
Best wishes
Bertha

Bertha

We didn't visit the Baptist Church but certainly will on our next trip.Where is it in the village?
I did notice what appears to be an old chapel in the centre of the village near the pub on our last visit which was the village carnival day.It looked like it was changed in to a petrol station at some stage in the past but could do with some attention now. We also enjoyed a lunchtime pint in The Malt Shovel. The pictures would be greatly appreciated and thank you for your help.
Nigel

Email is on it's way!

i would like to be proved wrong, but I do not believe that the Beriah Meek who married Tryphena is descended from Thomas Meek & Mary Bennett. Moses Meek, son of Thomas Meek & Mary Bennett was christened 21.2.1779 and was buried in 1779 as an infant. I believe the Beriah who married Tryphena was christened 22.1.1809 as the son of Moses Meek & Anne Brain, this couple married 27.2.1802 in Newland. There is another christening for a Moses Meek 14.11.1802 with parents Thomas Meek & Mary, but this couple could hardly have given birth at 7 years old - even if you apply todays standards.

At Ruardean you have to search around the edges, and some are particularly difficult to read, so a wire brush is a useful accessory. I have dozens of pictures of Marfell headstones, one of which is for Emma Marfell nee Meek buried 7.3.1880 Ruardean. The difficulty of reading this one is aggravated by the bush that is growing in front of it. Emma's spouse Thomas Marfell married a further twice after Emmas's death. In the Forest Church, Drybrook a number of headstones are around the edge and to my view sacrilegiously some have been used as stepping stones.

From my research I would agree with your conclusion however I have not yet been able to identify the parents of Moses who married Anne Braine. Any suggestons?
Thanks for the tips with our gravestone search.I am still concerned that my ancestors who dug coal from the hillside would have the necessary income for headstones.Any thoughts would be welcome.

I am afraid I cannot help you regarding the parents of Moses Meek who married Anne Brain 27.2.1802 in Newland, unfortunately the marriage records for Newland as transcribed by this site do not start until later, the marriage is in the IGI but with no further detail. I THINK Anne Braine is the daughter of William Brain baptised Ruardean 22.3.1752 & Ann. Anne Brain was baptised Ruardean 14.10.1781, she had 7 siblings including a brother John baptised 17.1.1783 who married Elizabeth Knight 5.12.1810 Ruardean and the first of their 4 children was named Moses, baptised Ruardean 28.11.1811.
If you do establish the parents of Moses Meek, I would be very interested to hear from you. Good Luck.

Bertha

Many thanks for the photographs.It is so great to find a gravestone which is a link to our part of this Meek line,Moses and Lucy.We will be paying our respects on our next trip.

kind regards
Nigel

Nigel
I'm glad that at least one of them was yours. Worth getting my feet wet for!
Best wishes
Bertha

Transcript Details

record_id 58759
Entry Number 55
Year 1809
Month Jan
Day 22
Parents Surname MEEK
Child Forename(s) Beraiah
Father's Forename(s) Moses
Mother's Forename(s) Ann
Mother's Surname
Place of Residence
Occupation
Officiating Minister Jn HORLICK
Event type Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register Reference
Page No
Parish_Chapel Ruardean Independent

Hi Nigal, i have found to birth/christings for moses meek

c: 21 JAN 1776 Little Dean, Gloucester, England
parents edward meek and ann

c: 26 APR 1778 Little Dean, Gloucester, England
parents edward meek and ann

b: 1779 Ruardean, Gloucester, England
burial: 21 FEB 1779
parents Thomas meek and Mary Bennett

regards penny