Name: Robert James
Year of Registration: 1855
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Westbury On Severn
County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 192

1851 Gibraltar
Elizabeth Aston abt 1816 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Alfred Aston abt 1847 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Sarah Aston abt 1835 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Thomas Aston abt 1842 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire

death ?
Name: Thomas Aston
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Year of Registration: 1869
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Age at Death: 29
District: Gloucester (1837-1937)
County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 171

1841
Ephraim Skidmore abt 1811 Staffordshire, England Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Susana Skidmore abt 1813 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
James Skidmore abt 1837 Staffordshire, England Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
John Skidmore abt 1839 Staffordshire, England Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Mary Skidmore abt 1835 Staffordshire, England Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Sarah Skidmore abt 1831 Staffordshire, England Wolverhampton, Staffordshire

Name: Bertha Ann Skidmore
Year of Registration: 1845
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Wolverhampton
County: Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands
Volume: 17
Page: 364

remarriage ?
Name: Mary Ann Wurr
Name: Ephraim Skidmore
Year of Registration: 1849
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Wolverhampton
County: Shropshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands
Volume: 17
Page: 352

1851
Ephraim Skidmore abt 1811 Westborough, Staffordshire, England Head Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Mary Ann Skidmore abt 1822 Longnor, Shropshire, England Wife Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Charles Skidmore abt 1850 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England Son Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
James Skidmore abt 1837 Westborough, Staffordshire, England Son Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
John Skidmore abt 1839 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England Son Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Mary Skidmore abt 1836 Westborough, Staffordshire, England Daughter Wolverhampton, Staffordshire

1861
Ephraim Skidmore abt 1809 West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England Head Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Jane Walton abt 1844 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England Servant Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Mary Whitehouse abt 1814 West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England Servant Wolverhampton, Staffordshire

William SKIDMORE born 1865/66 in Walbrook / Tamworth area ?

Name: Thomas Aston
Name: Bertha Skidmore
Year of Registration: 1868
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Westbury On Severn
County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 327

1871
John James abt 1828 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Bertha Aston abt 1848 Wolverhampton Lodger East Dean, Gloucestershire
William Aston abt 1866 Walbroke, Staffordshire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
William James abt 1843 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Lodger East Dean, Gloucestershire

12/2963 15 Feb 1845 Bertha Anne dau.of Ephraim & Susannah SKIDMORE
address : Walsall Street
Occupation of father: Turner

http://www.wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk/resources/familyhistory

BERTHA SKIDMORE (born 1845 in Wolverhampton) married THOMAS ASTON (Collier, born about 1842) in the Registry Office of Westbury on Severn. For both it was their 1st marriage and they were both living at Blakeney Hill. (Thomas’ father was THOMAS ASTON, Quarryman, deceased.)

In the 1871 Census BERTHA ASTON, 23, married, is the housekeeper in the home of JOHN JAMES, head, 43, woodcutter, at Blakeney Hill. Also in the house is WILLIAM ASTON 5, son, and William James 28.

I assume that William Aston is the son of Bertha Aston (nee Skidmore). I don’t know what happened to William Aston.

I don’t know what happened to Bertha’s husband Thomas Aston. There is a reference in the Roll of Honour Mining & Quarry Fatalities in the Forest of Dean, to the death of a Thomas Aston aged 33, on 12/01/1877, but I don’t know if this is Bertha’s husband.

I assume John James and Bertha Aston (nee Skidmore) married, but I can’t find any record of a marriage. Bertha’s death certificate says they married in England.

I can’t find them in the 1881 England census.

John and Bertha James immigrated to New Zealand, around 1875 according to their death certificates. They had three children MAURICE LLEWELYN (born about 1874), JOHN (known as Jack, born about 1877) and RHODA MARIA. I’m not sure where the boys were born, but Rhoda was born in South Malvern, New Zealand on 7 January 1883.

At some stage the family moved to Melbourne Victoria Australia, where John died in 1895. His death certificate shows he was born in Gloucestershire about 1827, his three living children, but no details of his wife. Were John and Bertha married?

Bertha married (for a 3rd time?) ROBERT JAMES (bachelor, born about 1854 in Gloucestershire) in 1898 in Melbourne Australia, and the marriage certificate shows Bertha had 3 children living, and 4 deceased. Bertha died in Cessnock, NSW Australia in 1931. Her death certificate shows only 2 marriages (to John James and Robert James) and her 3 living children, plus 2 males and 2 females deceased. There was “no issue” from her marriage to Robert James.

I would appreciate help in finding

- if the John James in the 1871 census is the John James Bertha “married”.
- if John James and Bertha were ever married - and if so, his parents.
- what happened to Thomas Aston (Bertha's 1st husband)
- what happened to William Aston (aged 5 in the 1871 census)