Thanks m p griffiths.
I hadn't spotted the nonconfornmist baptisms of the later children. Thanks for that.

Could you find anything for George Drew the father, 1803?

According to the census returns George Drew and Mary Cross' children were:
Mary Anna Drew, 1828
George Drew, 1831
Lucy Sarah Drew, 1835
Henry Drew, 1837
Elizabeth Drew, 1840
William Cross Drew, 1842
Thomas Drew 1847
John Drew 1850
Charles Alfred Drew (known as Alfred), 1852 (My gggrandfather)

Of course census dates can be + or - 1 year depending on the date of birth and the date of the census

I can't find a baptism record for George the son (1837) but Mary Anna, Lucy and Henry were all baptised in Little Dean - presumably at the parish church.
source film number: 91530. I haven't found Elizabeth or William's baptosm yet, but - yes - Thoms and John were baptised at the WEesleyan church in Coleford - six miles there and six miles back again through the forest. They must have been pretty determined nonconformists by that time.

And then by 1852, Charles Alfred is baptised at the independent church in Little Dean. Do we know what date that opened for business?

Record_ID: 1055633
Entry_Number: 54
Year: 1852
Month: Sep
Day: 11
Parents_Surname: DREW
Child_Forenames: Charles Alfred
Fathers_Forenames: George
Mothers_Forenames: Mary
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: CalamoreLittle DeanGlos
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: B. Jenkyn
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born April 21st 1852
Notes:
Register_Reference: D6514 1/1
Page_Number: 4
Parish_Chapel: Littledean Independent
Soundex: D600

Fascinating stuff, but I'm still no nearer to finding George Drew b. 1803, Little Dean.

Cheers

Jacey

? would it be possible for the children of George & Susan/Susannah DREW of Littledean + an Alice born to this couple at Newnham in 1791 be the parents of your George....

Looking at the baptism records for this couple in Littledean - they had two John DREW's born - one in 1802 and 1805 - (can't see a burial in between for a John DREW)

Normally, the father's name would be passed on through the generation - and wonder whether one of these John's was called George by the family - as your Charles Alfred DREW, was known as Alfred, and have come across this before, where a child was baptised by one name, but known by another, or name incorrectly written down in the register.....

Newnham: 1791 - Alice

Littledean

Mary - 1792
Sarah - 1794
Sophia - 1797
Hester - 1799
John - 1802
John - 1805
Charlotte - 1808

--

Also, there is a clue on the 1861 census

DREW

George - 56 (John his possible brother is age 58 = 1803 on the 1861 census, Gloucester & age 47 1851 = 1804
Mary - 54
Lucy - 25
William - 19
Thomas - 14
John - 11
Alfred - 9
Edgar Ernest - 11 months
George DREW - age 19 - Nephew, born Stroud, Gloucestershire ****

----1851 Census, Minchinhampton

Wallsquarry

DREW

John - Head - 47 - Nailer, born Littledean (on the 1861/1871 census, age 58 & 68 - but on his own in Gloucester - Nailer)
Matilda - 48? Woollen Cloth Spinner, born Glos.Painswick (Matilda is on her own in Stroud, 1861 census)
William - 18 - Boatman - born Stroud
John - 15 - working on the water, born Stroud
George - 12 - Button maker born Stroud
Margram - 6 - Scholar, born Minchinhampton (Mary Ann?)

1841 Census, Stroud (Hundred of Bisley)
Brown Hill

DREW

John - 35 - Nail Maker
Matilda - 35
William - 10
John - 6
George - 1 c1840

----

Gloucestershire Marriage Index

John DREW married Matilda BEARD - 30 November 1828 - Stroud

*****

possible back in Stroud on the 1871 Census, Stroud, Church Hill

George DREW - 30 - Labourer, born Glos. Bisley
Mary - 27 - born Stroud
Matilda - 2
Ellen - 7 months

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