THOMAS/MOUNTJOY/BRISCOE - previous threads (General)

by jimashton , Thursday, September 01, 2011, 16:07 (4615 days ago) @ m p griffiths

I have just caught up with this thread as I have - again - had to change my Forum page order back to date of last reply, which I believe should be the standard and only order. New threads would then automatically appear in the right order and replies on old threads will not be lost in the mists of time.

Elizabeth Sophia Mountjoy Thomas was born 9 Aug 1855, baptised 9 Sep 1855 :

Year: 1855
Month: Sep
Day: 9
Parents_Surname: THOMAS
Child_Forenames: Elizabeth Sophia Mountjoy
Fathers_Forenames: John
Mothers_Forenames: Mary Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Newnham
Occupation: Farmer
Officiating_Minister: E C Brice
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P228 IN 1/9
Page_Number: 83
Parish_Chapel: Newnham

She had 9 illegitimate children between 1875 and the last one Owen Robinson Thomas born 4 Dec 1889. All children changed their name to Briscoe and I believe this was because their father was William Briscoe 1825 who was Mary Ann Mountjoy's second husband. Her first John Thomas having died around 1861, she re married to William Briscoe 1825 on 21 Oct 1861. Mary Ann Briscoe nee Mountjoy herself died in 1863.

Owen Robinson Thomas 1889 married my great aunt Bernice Lily Marfell 2 Feb 1890. I have Owen Robinson's birth certificate with surname Thomas and his marriage certificate surname Briscoe.

1871 Census West Dean
William Briscoe abt 1825 Ireland Head
Mary Ann Briscoe abt 1831 East Dean, Wife
Ann Briscoe abt 1856 East Dean Daughter
Richard Briscoe abt 1853 East Dean Son
Sophia Briscoe abt 1855 East Dean Daughter
Elizabeth S M Thomas abt 1856 East Dean Niece

1881 Census Sallow Vallets Lodge, West Dean
William Briscoe abt 1826 Ireland Head
Mary Ann Briscoe abt 1821 Newland Wife
Elizabeth S. Thomas abt 1856 Newnham Niece
Elizabeth S. Thomas abt 1880 West Dean Niece

1891 Census West Dean
William Briscoe 64 Crown Keeper ireland
Mary Ann 73 Cinderford
Elizabeth S Thomas niece 35 dress Maker Newnham
George H Briscoe nephew 16 West Dean
Elizabeth S Thomas niece 10 West Dean
John W nephew 9 West Dean
Mirah A niece 8 West Dean
William nephew 6 West Dean
Jane S 5 niece West Dean
Randle nephew 4 West Dean
Martin H nephew 2 West Dean
Owen R nephew 1 West Dean

Another of Elizabeth Sophia Mountjoy Thomas's illegitimate children Elizabeth Sophia Thomas born 16 Oct 1880 Married as Elizabeth Sophia Briscoe to my 8th cousin once removed Frederick Meek 1876 on 25th November 1897, her father was shown as William Briscoe. Emigrated to New Zealand in 1920 with her son Leslie John Randolph Meek aged 17. The New Zealand archives says he became a school headmaster and retired in 1971.

1901 Census Hope Mansell
Fredk Meeks abt 1876 Drybrook Head carter in pit
Elizabeth S Meeks abt 1880 Lydbrook Wife
William H Meeks abt 1898 Drybrook Son
John Briscoe abt 1882 Lydbrook Brother-in-law
Matthew Briscoe abt 1889 Lydbrook Brother-in-law
Myra Annie Briscoe abt 1883 Lydbrook Sister-in-law
Owen Briscoe abt 1891 Lydbrook Brother-in-law
Randolph Briscoe abt 1887 Lydbrook Brother-in-law
William Briscoe abt 1885 Lydbrook Brother-in-law

1911 Census
MEEK FREDERICK M 1876 35 Ross Herefordshire
MEEK ELIZABETH SOPHIA F 1880 31 Ross Herefordshire
MEEK LESLIE JOHN RANDOLPH M 1902 9 Ross Herefordshire
MEEK WILLIAM FREDERICK HOWARD M 1898 13 Ross Herefordshire

Another of Elizabeth Sophia Mountjoy Thomas's illegitimate children John William Thomas born 13 Sep 1881 married my 6th cousin once removed Ellen Roberts 1886 and used a slight variation on his name :

Year: 1904
Month: Nov
Day: 28
Grooms_Surname: THOMAS
Grooms_Forenames: John William Briscoe
Grooms_Age: 23
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Abertillery S Wales
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: deceased
Brides_Surname: ROBERTS
Brides_Forenames: Ellen
Brides_Age: 19
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Drybrook
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Roberts
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Joseph
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: deceased
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: both sign
Witness_1: Thomas Turner
Witness_2: Edith Roberts
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: James Lawton Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/9
Page_Number: 58
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

Jim Ashton