On 24 December 1831 Thomas Harris married Jane Rosser at English Bicknor, both were of Drybrook. They had 2 children Anna & Eliza who were baptised at Ruardean on 16 & 20 November 1834, their mother Jane was buried at Drybrook on 11 August 1836. Thomas then married Charlotte Jones at Lea on 16 May 1837. I have tracked Thomas through all the censuses until his death and his place of birth is given variously as Ruardean, Dean Forest, East Dean with the date being around 1806.

My problem is that there are two Thomas Harris`s born in Ruardean one on 25 December 1805 the son of William Harris and Elizabeth Hardwick, and the other on 10 August 1806 the son of Thomas Harris and Mary Symonds, but which one is ours?

Eliza Harris is my wife`s great great grandmother who married John Symonds at Ruardean on 2 September 1855. This could suggest that her grandparents were Thomas Harris and Mary Symonds and that she was marrying a distant relation.

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated.

Graham,

Have two Eliza Harris been mixed up?

Record_ID 16714
Entry_Number 1011
Year 1855
Month Sep
Day 2
Grooms_Surname SYMMONDS
Grooms_Forenames John
Grooms_Age 21
Groom_Condition Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation Labourer
Grooms_Residence Ruardean
Grooms_Fathers_Surname Symmonds
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames John
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation Shoemaker
Brides_Surname HARRIS
Brides_Forenames Eliza
Brides_Age 20
Brides_Condition Spinster
Brides_Occupation
Brides_Residence Ruardean
Brides_Fathers_Surname Harris
Brides_Fathers_Forenames Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Occupation Engineer
Licence_or_Banns Banns
Date_of_Banns
Signature_or_Mark He marks she signs
Witness_1 Mark of Eliza Brain
Witness_2 James Brain
Other_Witnesses
Officiating_Minister William Penfold
Event Marriage
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference P275 IN 1/10
Page_Number 47
Parish_Chapel Ruardean

Record_ID 57162
Entry_Number 684
Year 1834
Month Nov
Day 16
Parents_Surname HARRIS
Child_Forenames Eliza
Fathers_Forenames Thomas
Mothers_Forenames Jane
Mothers_Surname
Residence Ruardean
Occupation Collier
Officiating_Minister W. W. Cazalet Curate
Event Baptism
Memoranda Daughter of
Notes
Register_Reference P275 IN 1/7
Page_Number 86
Parish_Chapel Ruardean

The 1851 census shows Charlotte Harris, the second wife of Thomas Harris (father of Eliza baptized 16 Nov 1834), as a Widow.

In the 1841 Census Thomas & Charlotte are living in Lidbrook with children Hannah, Eliza, Joseph & Timothy (Thomas is descibed as an Engineer). In the 1851 Census they are living on Ruardean Hill with son Joseph aged 13 + others (Thomas is described as an Engineer Coal). There is Charlotte a widow living at Hazeley Hump, but this is a different family.