Slowhands has it right as usual. Clara Edwards was the daughter of Thomas Edwards & Mary Ann Hale; Thomas & Mary Ann nee Hale had 3 children, but obviously the last Clara born 9 Jan 1867 was the cause of Mary Ann's death as she died 24 Feb 1867.

Clara Edwards married William Read born 26 Dec 1863 on 11 Jun 1883 Ruardean William being the son of William Read 1839 & Selina Marfell 1839. William Read 1863 & Clara Edwards had 11 children and emigrated to LaSalle IL. USA 1885.

An interesting fact is that following the death of William Read 1839, Selina nee Marfell born 1839 remarried to Clarence Oliver Whittington born 21 Jan 1876. He was son of John Frederick Whittington 1851 & Elizabeth Read 1852, Elizabeth being the sister of Selina's first husband William Read.

Following Thomas Edward's second marriage to Susan Bourne nee Howell 24 Jul 1870. The family emigrated to Australia in 1876 on the "Queen of Nations", initially settling in Queensland but shortly after moving to Minmi, NSW a coal mining area near Newcastle.

Jim Ashton

If this is the correct Thomas, than a death and remarriage may go along way to explaining things

1871
Thomas Edwards 31
Susan Edwards 25
Elizabeth Edwards 8
Harriet Edwards 6
Hellen Edwards 1

Year: 1867
Month: Feb
Day: 28
Surname: EDWARDS
Forenames: Mary
Residence: Lydbrook Hill
Age_at_death: 27 years
Officiating_Minister: Henry T. Hoitt Incumbent
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P208 IN 1/11
Page_No: 32
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook

Year: 1870
Month: Jul
Day: 24
Grooms_Surname: EDWARDS
Grooms_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Age: 31
Groom_Condition: Widower
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: High Beech
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: EDWARDS
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: John
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Brides_Surname: BOURNE
Brides_Forenames: Susan
Brides_Age: 24
Brides_Condition: Widow
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: High Beech
Brides_Fathers_Surname: HOWELL
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: George
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Postman
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: he mark she sign
Witness_1: William Bennett
Witness_2: Lydia Howell
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Henry Tho[ma]s Hoitt
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P208 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 38
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook

The closest EDWARDS / HALE union I can find is :-

Year 1862
Month June
Day 15
Grooms Surname EDWARD
Grooms Forenames Thomas
Grooms Age 22
Groom Condition Bachelor
Grooms Occupation Collier
Grooms Residence Lydbrook
Grooms Fathers Surname Edwards
Grooms Fathers Forenames John
Grooms Fathers Occupation Collier
Brides Surname HALE
Brides Forenames Mary
Brides Age 21
Brides Condition Spinster
Brides Occupation
Brides Residence Lydbrook
Brides Fathers Surname Hale
Brides Fathers Forenames John
Brides Fathers Occupation Collier
Licence or Banns Banns
Date of Banns
Signature or Mark He Mark She Signs
Witness 1 Elijah Harrison
Witness 2 Elizabeth Hale
Other Witnesses
Officiating Minister William Lockett
Event Marriage
Memoranda
Notes
Register Reference P109 IN 1/6
Page Number 154
Parish Chapel Drybrook

Eliza Hale (1821) who is the wife of my John Hale (1821) lived until she was 65 (1853) so Hiram doesn't seem to fit into this family.

Also cant see how Clara Edwards fits.

Sorry, hope the above makes sense.

Craig

1871 Lydbrook
John Hale 55
Eliza Hale 53
Mary Hale 22
William Hale 17
Joseph Hale 15
Hiram Hale 18 Boarder
Clara Edwards 14

Name: Hiram Hale
Name: Caroline Phelps
Year of Registration: 1872
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
District: Westbury On Severn
County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 488

1881
Hiram Hale abt 1854 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Head Snydale, Yorkshire
Caroline Hale abt 1854 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Wife Snydale, Yorkshire
Clara Hale abt 1874 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Snydale, Yorkshire
Oliver Hale abt 1876 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son Snydale, Yorkshire

1901
Hiram Hale abt 1854 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Head Snydale, Yorkshire
Carolion Hale abt 1853 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Wife Snydale, Yorkshire
Hiram Hale abt 1885 Streethouse, Yorkshire, England Son Snydale, Yorkshire
Isiah Hale abt 1889 Streethouse, Yorkshire, England Son Snydale, Yorkshire
Fanny Hale abt 1892 Streethouse, Yorkshire, England Daughter Snydale, Yorkshire
Florrie Hale abt 1894 Streethouse, Yorkshire, England Daughter Snydale, Yorkshire

<><><> His parents ?
1851
John Hale abt 1817 High Beech East Deane, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Susan Hale abt 1825 Ganarew, Monmouthshire, Wales Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Elam Hale abt 1849 Joys Green East Deane Son East Dean, Gloucestershire

I have found the 1871 Census for John and Eliza Hale however there appears to be to family members living with them who I can not trace as part of the family:

Hiram Hale abt 1853 (Brother)
Clara Edwards abt 1857 (Grand Daughter)

Has anyone come across these records and worked out a link?

Regards

Craig

Moses HALE 66 Labourer
Mary 67
John 20 Labourer
Richard 20 Labourer
Eliza 20
Elizabeth 2
Marcy (?) 2 months

All born in county

Entry Number 214
Year 1798
Month Nov
Day 14
Groom Surname HALE
Groom Forename(s) Moses
Bride Surname JONES
Bride Forename(s) Mary

Parish Walford

1841 Forgehill Lydbrook
Moses Hale abt 1775 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire
Mary Hale abt 1774 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire
John Hale abt 1821 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire
Richard Hale abt 1821 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire
Eliza Hale abt 1821 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Hale abt 1839 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire
Mary Hale abt 1841 Gloucestershire, England Dean Forest Gloucestershire

1851 Hausley / Sladd
John Hale abt 1816 Iladd Well East Dea, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Eliza Hale abt 1817 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Hale abt 1839 Iladd Well East Deane Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
John Hale abt 1845 Iladd Well East Deane Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Marcy Hale abt 1841 Iladd Well East Deane Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Moses Hale abt 1849 Iladd Well East Deane Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Richd Hale abt 1819 Iladd West Ruardean Lodger East Dean Gloucestershire
Thomas Hale abt 1850 Iladd Well East Deane Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Mary Hale abt 1773 Iladd Ruardean Mother East Dean Gloucestershire

< Iladd Well = Sladd Hill >

1861
John Hale abt 1816 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Eliza Hale abt 1818 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Hale abt 1840 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
John Hale abt 1845 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Joseph Hale abt 1856 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Moses Hale abt 1849 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Thomas Hale abt 1851 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
William Hale abt 1854 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Mary Hale abt 1771 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Mother East Dean Gloucestershire

1871 Lydbrook
John Hale 55
Eliza Hale 53
Mary Hale 22
William Hale 17
Joseph Hale 15
Hiram Hale 18 Boarder
Clara Edwards 14 grand daughter

1871

1881 Hausley, Westbury On Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Moses Hale abt 1849 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head
Elizabeth Hale abt 1851 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife
Fanny Hale abt 1872 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter
Mary Ann Hale abt 1875 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter
Rosa Mary Hale abt 1870 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter
Sarah Jane Hale abt 1878 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter

1891 Timber Tump
Moses Hale abt 1849 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Hale abt 1850 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Frances Hale abt 1888 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Hubert Hale abt 1884 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Edith Hale abt 1886 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Rosa Mary Hale abt 1870 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Sarah Hale abt 1877 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire

1901 nr Lydbrook Vicarage
Moses Hall abt 1850 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Hall abt 1851 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Hubert Hall abt 1884 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Edeth Hall abt 1887 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Oliver Hall abt 1891 Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, England East Dean Gloucestershire

Could this be Hubert Hale 1884 ?
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/gallery/fod_variety/pages/page_41.html