Ambrey/Ambury/Ambery

Hello, I am researching my husband's family who lived and worked as miners in the Forest of Dean for many years from the middle of the 19th Century. I am particularly keen to find more information relating to the Ambrey (Ambery/Ambury) family recorded as living in Mosley Green, West Dean, in 1871. There is a 14 year old girl, identified as Rodha, on the census, but I can find no trace of her before or after the census...was the name a mistranscription? The surname is spelled differently on various documents, which does not facilitate researching. Her father I believe was James Evans Ambery, , b 1829. The 1881 census which I believe relates to the same family does not include her, but does include a Thirza Mary Ambery, born 1875..could this be her daughter?

I would be grateful for any information on this girl, or indeed any member of her family. Thank you. Ruth

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2011 views

Who else is with Rodha on the 1871 census, and I can't find it on Ancestry.

Baptism at Parkend

9 May 1875

Thirza Mary EVANS

mother's maiden name: Rhoda

Residence: Moseley Green

occupation: Single Woman

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1955 views

Hello, thank you for your message. The other people on the 1871 census are:

James Ambery, aged 42 birth year 1829, Gloucestershire
Sarah Ambery, aged 51, birth 1820, Gloucestershire
James Ambery, aged 16, b 1855, Gloucestershire
Rodha Ambery, aged 14, 1857, Gloucestershire
Eli Ambery, 12, 1859, Gloucestershire
Emily Ambery, 10, 1861 Gloucestershire
William, 4 1867, Gloucestershire.

Address appearing on the Findmypast transcription is Mosley Green, West Dean, Monmouth, Gloucestershire, England.

Emily eventually married William Wilkins, my husband's grandfather, hence my interest, thank you in anticipation.

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1945 views

It would appear that James Ambrey was known as James Evans. This is his marriage to Sarah Howells in 1853:

Year:1853
Month: Sep
Day: 18
Grooms_Surname: EVANS
Grooms_Forenames: James
Grooms_Age: 24
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Moseley Green
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Evans
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Farmer
Brides_Surname: HOWELLS
Brides_Forenames: Sarah
Brides_Age: 33
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Moseley Green
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Howells
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Stephen
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: both mark
Witness_1: Thomas Howells
Witness_2: Ann Ambury
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Henry Poole
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P145 IN 1/20
Page_Number: 148
Parish_Chapel: Parkend

And you will find baptisms for three of the children in Parish Registers on this site:
1854 EVANS James James Sarah Baptism English Bicknor
1859 EVANS Eli James Sarah Baptism English Bicknor
1862 EVANS Emily James Sarah Baptism English Bicknor

Rhoda's and William's births are registered: (source - Gloucestershire BMD Indexes )
Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
EVANS Rhoda HOWELL 1857 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 12 407
EVANS William HOWLES 1866 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 22 58

Mike

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2058 views

Dear Mike, thank you so much for shedding some light on this quandary which has had me sighing deeply in frustration for some while... interesting that he went by the name of Evans, but also by the name of Ambrey (in one of its many versions).

at least 2 of the children also went by the name Evans - Emily Evans Ambrey eventually became my husband's great great grandmother...

I have found many entries on different databases of the Ambrey variation, I'm assuming this was a strong local name, as Wilkins also appears to be.

Once this virus calms down, we're hoping to visit the Forest of Dean, to get a better sense of where the family came from.

William Edwin Wilkins was registered as a free miner in June 1920, but by 1925 had set sail for Philadelphia where he worked as a miner for some 6 years before returning to the UK

Thank you for your help, it's a great forum.
Ruth

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1915 views

There is also a marriage of a Rhoda EVANS aged 19 at Christchurch in 1875 on the Forest of Dean Records

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1935 views

Thirza Mary is Rhoda's daughter out of wedlock:
Year: 1875
Month: May
Day: 9
Parents_Surname: EVANS
Child_Forenames: Thirza Mary
Fathers_Forenames: [not stated]
Mothers_Forenames: Rhoda
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Moseley Green
Occupation: Single Woman
Officiating_Minister: Jno. Josh Elsworth Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 34
Parish_Chapel: Parkend

Mike

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1920 views

Hello again, that's brilliant - I'd assumed she could have been Rhoda's daughter as she appeared in the 1881 census with her grandparents, but described as boarder, not grand daughter...

Do you have any idea why they might have taken the Ambrey name though? it's a real puzzle.

I've also noticed that none of my posts, i skipped a generation - Emily Evans Ambrey was in fact my husband's great grand mother,

thanks for all your help, Ruth

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1936 views

Further to my earlier note marriages for children are recorded in the Parish Registers:
17 May 1874 James married Carmella MORGAN at Parkend
29 May 1887 Eli married Diana ADAMS at Parkend
11 October 1891 William married Catherine ADAMS at Parkend
11 August 1895 Thurza Mary married Alfred William JONES at Parkend.
13 November 1886 Emily Evans Ambrey married William George WILKINS at Parkend
13 October 1875 Rhoda Evans married Adolphus Ambrey HATHAWAY at Christchurch

At this moment in time I do not know why the name of AMBREY was taken but you will find many entries in the Christchurch and English Bicknor Registers in this name.

Mike

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1950 views

Hi..that's really helpful Mike, brilliant... Ive looked back a generation in the family tree and it appears that James Evans Ambrey's father was in fact William Ambrey and his mother Elizabeth Evans, ....... I'll keep trawling, thanks for your help, Ruth

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1967 views

You can find William and Elizabeth and family in the 1841 and 1851 Census as follows:
1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Hillersland, Dean Forest, Monmouth, Gloucestershire, England
First name(s) Last name Sex Age Birth year Birth place
William Ambery Male 45 1796 Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Ambery Female 40 1801 Gloucestershire, England
Thomas Ambery Male 20 1821 Gloucestershire, England
Henry Ambery Male 15 1826 Gloucestershire, England
James Ambery Male 12 1829 Gloucestershire, England
Ann Ambery Female 10 1831 Gloucestershire, England
Eliza Ambery Female 8 1833 Gloucestershire, England
George Ambery Male 4 1837 Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Ambery Female 2 1839 Gloucestershire, England

1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census
English Bicknor, Monmouth, Gloucestershire, England
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
William Ambery Head Married Male 58 1793 Farm Laborer Hewelsfield, Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Ambery Wife Married Female 66 1785 Wife Gloucestershire, England
James Ambery Son Unmarried Male 22 1829 Collier Gloucestershire, England
Richard Ambery Son Unmarried Male 20 1831 Collier St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England
Eliza Ambery Daughter Unmarried Female 18 1833 - St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England
George Ambery Son - Male 13 1838 Collier Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Ambery Daughter - Female 11 1840 - Gloucestershire, England

The 1851 tells us that William was born at Hewelsfield and this would appear to be his baptism:
Year: 1792
Month: Apr
Day: 9
Parents_Surname: AMBRY
Child_Forenames: William
Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Mothers_Forenames: Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence:
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister: Thomas Edmunds Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P175 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 28
Parish_Chapel: Hewelsfield

12 April 1776 Thomas Ambery married Anne BENNET by Licence at Hewelsfield
The Marriage Licence (on this site) tells us that Thomas was aged 25 and a widower.

This would appear to be his first marriage:
6 April 1769 Thomas Ambery married Mary Hodges by Licence at English Bicknor
and on
3 March 1773 Mary Ambry was buried at English Bicknor

Mike

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1933 views

Hi again, you're obviously a very thorough researcher, thank you, I;ll add all this info into the tree and see what comes up, in the way of hints... it's been really helpful, thank you, moved me on a fair bit now..... wish they'd kept to one surname though, !!

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1947 views

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