I'm researching a James Wilton b about 1765 d Newland 1847. The 1841 census says he was not born in Gloucestershire. I have found a marriage in Whitchurch Glamorganshire 1783 to a Martha Price which I believe is this same James Wilton. But I cannot find a birth for him anywhere on Ancestry either inside or outside Gloucestershire.

He seems to have siblings in Glamorganshire and baptisms for their first children (later ones being baptised in Gloucestershire) - I believe he was involved in the metal manufacturing in Whitchurch and he is listed in 1841 a supervisor in a metal works.

There was a Wilton family in the area of Newland for some considerable time, Morgan Wilton being a common name, but I can't make a connection to my James through any of the progeny of Morgan.

I'd appreciate any help that might be offered.

Hi

Is the James Wilton you are tracing the one shown in the 1841 Census as Having Mary Wilton aged 50 and ElizabethWilton aged 40 part of his household ?

Sid Toomey

I have found one possibility in Gloucestershire: bapt 18 Jan 1769 at St Mary de Crypt son of Henry & Sarah. Incidentally the marriage you quoted is 1788 not 1783. I have also checked the parish registers for Glamorganshire and cannot find a James Wilton.

Yes he is that same James Wilton. Thanks for your reply!

Thanks for your reply! Yes I realised later I'd made an error on the date of 1788.
I had looked at that Henry and Sarah connection but then found that their son James died in 1836 or so so it couldn't be my fellow who died in 1847.

My biggest quandary seems to be where James was born - I've tried Ancestry for those approximate dates for the entire United Kingdom and found nothing that seems likely. Since he is listed as Not being born in the county of Gloucestershire in the 1841 census, I had hoped Glamorgan would be likely as he liked there with his wife Martha prior to 1800.

I'm thinking he was connected perhaps by family to a metalworks first in Whitchurch and then in Newland - so I suppose a possibility would be Staffordshire or Lancashire.

Many thanks for looking at this!

Hi

Further to the 1841 Census entry, i believe he is shown on page 9 of the Enumerators Book. There is also a William Wilton and family shown on page 10. Would William have been one of James' Sons ?

Also shown on page eight is an Edwin Whitehouse who was the Proprietor of a Tin Works in Lower Redbrook (Leased from Phillip Jones a Banker).
Considering the closeness of the entries in the Census Book it is quite possible Whitehouse would have been Wilton's employer. (Source of information was British History on line - Newland).

If you are interested in knowing a precise location of the Tin Works as well as a close idea of where the Wiltons were living at the time of the Census, using a combination of period maps including an 1840 Tithe Map all available to search on "Know Your Place- Gloucestershire" which will give the plots of land identifying numbers.

Then search "Gloucestershire Tithe Apportionments Data Base" for Newland Parish for the plot numbers surrounding the Tin Works will give you the occupiers name (as at the date of compiling the Tithe data).

Then compare the names with entries in the Census Books which will sometimes narrow the location to a small area.

e.g. The Bell Inn, is still shown on Google Street View as fronting the River Wye beside the A466. I believe it would have been located on plot 1369 on the 1840 Tithe Map which was occupied by a William Williams and was the third household entered in the Census Book after your James Wilton.

Trivia i know but may be interesting to you.

Sid Toomey

Hi again

Re James Wilton's place of Birth, have you considered Bristol which in the 18th Century was 2nd or 3rd largest trading port in England ?
Bristol, according to my limited knowledge of geography is just across the Bristol Channel from Cardiff and then Glamorganshire.

There is an entry in the 1754 Bristol Poll Book for a James Wilton (page115) who was a Mason and lived in the Parish of St. Philip and Jacob. Too early to have been your James but perhaps his parent or relation.

Then there are Wiltons who crop up in Warminster Wiltshire which is also not too far from Bristol.

Hope this helps.

Sid Toomey

Hi

Another possible link to be explored supporting the theory of James Wilton being born in Bristol.
In the 1841 Census his occupation was described as "Superintends Sheet Iron Mill" . This would probably indicate he had many years experience in this industry. His earlier place of living was Whitchurch, Glamorgan and also Melingriffith being the place of baptism of some of his children.

Following is an extract from "Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the 17th Century" by Kenneth Morgan. page 102.

" Richard Reynolds, James Harford, Richard Summers,William Cowles, James Geteld and Edward Garlick, all Bristol Merchants, were partners in the Melingriffith tinplate works, near Cardiff, the largest works of its kind anywhere in the late 18th Century..................
.......All in all, the industrial links between Georgian Bristol and South Wales were extensive enough for Cardiff to become virtually an economic suburb of 'the metropolis of the West' ".

Sid Toomey

Hi

Another possible link to be explored supporting the theory of James Wilton being born in Bristol.
In the 1841 Census his occupation was described as "Superintends Sheet Iron Mill" . This would probably indicate he had many years experience in this industry. His earlier place of living was Whitchurch, Glamorgan and also Melingriffith being the place of baptism of some of his children.

Following is an extract from "Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the 17th Century" by Kenneth Morgan. page 102.

" Richard Reynolds, James Harford, Richard Summers,William Cowles, James Geteld and Edward Garlick, all Bristol Merchants, were partners in the Melingriffith tinplate works, near Cardiff, the largest works of its kind anywhere in the late 18th Century..................
.......All in all, the industrial links between Georgian Bristol and South Wales were extensive enough for Cardiff to become virtually an economic suburb of 'the metropolis of the West' ".

Sid Toomey

This is most interesting - yes I had considered Bristol but as part of Gloucestershire I'd ruled it out.

I agree the metals industry is probably a clue. What I'd not realized was the extent of the connection between Bristol and S Wales in the industry. Many thanks!

Hi

Further to the 1841 Census entry, i believe he is shown on page 9 of the Enumerators Book. There is also a William Wilton and family shown on page 10. Would William have been one of James' Sons ?

Also shown on page eight is an Edwin Whitehouse who was the Proprietor of a Tin Works in Lower Redbrook (Leased from Phillip Jones a Banker).
Considering the closeness of the entries in the Census Book it is quite possible Whitehouse would have been Wilton's employer. (Source of information was British History on line - Newland).

If you are interested in knowing a precise location of the Tin Works as well as a close idea of where the Wiltons were living at the time of the Census, using a combination of period maps including an 1840 Tithe Map all available to search on "Know Your Place- Gloucestershire" which will give the plots of land identifying numbers.

Then search "Gloucestershire Tithe Apportionments Data Base" for Newland Parish for the plot numbers surrounding the Tin Works will give you the occupiers name (as at the date of compiling the Tithe data).

Then compare the names with entries in the Census Books which will sometimes narrow the location to a small area.

e.g. The Bell Inn, is still shown on Google Street View as fronting the River Wye beside the A466. I believe it would have been located on plot 1369 on the 1840 Tithe Map which was occupied by a William Williams and was the third household entered in the Census Book after your James Wilton.

Trivia i know but may be interesting to you.

Sid Toomey

Not trivia at all - it's fascinating to know where the Tin Plate works were and the layout of the village. I am most grateful.

Yes I believe that William Wilton is the son of James working under his father's supervision.

I believe (but may be way off) that James had three brother, Thomas, William, and possibly John.

There is a James Wilton bapt 27 Dec 1758 at St George`s, Bristol son of James.

I believe that at some time in its history, Bristol was also a County in its own right.
The cover Page of the 1754 Bristol Poll-Book reads in part :-

" Being a List of the
Freeholders and Freemen,
Who voted at the General Election for members
to serve in Parliament
For the
City and County of Bristol................."

If you want to study Bristol in more detail, "Know Your Place- Bristol" has a very good map from the 18th Century interactive with later Ordnance Survey and modern maps.

Sid Toomey

I notice the following Wilton family baptisms at Monmouth Wesleyan Methodist Church:

Thomas son of William & Martha bapt 28 Jul 1826 a Labourer of Rdbrook in the parish on Newland

James son of William & Martha bapt 3 Oct 1828 a Wire Drawer of Redbrook

Ellen dau of William & Martha bapt 19 Dec 1830 a Wire Drawer of Redbrook

John son of William & Martha bapt 29 Dec 1834 a RTin Plate Roller of Redbrook

There are also children of John & Mary Wilton of Redbrook bapt at the same time