Forest of Dean FHT Forum - Thomas Adams and Elizabeth Archer

Thomas Adams and Elizabeth Archer (reply)

jerigby — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:25:05 +0000

Sorry Chris should have been William. The 1901 census entry is correct with Elizabeth Adams a widow living at West Dean with lodger William Dobbs. Willie Archer the grandson is the key, born in Tredegar. Elizabeth's daughter in law Sophie Hall moved to Wales and married a Thomas Hancock on the death of her husband Hiram. Hiram of course had been named after Elizabeth Archer's brother Hiram who was transported to Bermuda c 1853 and who died of yellow fever as told by Averil Kear in her book 'Bermuda Dick'. Thank you very much for the marvellous help I get on this site, we are very fortunate to have these genealogy pages. Especially good for descendants living out of the area.

Pillowell Level Colliery (reply)

Jefff — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:41:05 +0000

Well done MPG, you're correct again (of course!), it is "Level".

I first tried the excellent Old-Maps site for Phipps Bottom (a new area for this East Dean lad so very interesting) and the 1878-81 (1:2500scale) map gives excellent close detail. I first thought of the "level" crossing as per your photo and the map, but further study of the map shows a small "level(coal)" north of Phipps Bottom.
http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html
Apparently a level is "a small mine driven horizontally into the hillsides, working the seams of coal closest to the surface." http://welshcoalmines.co.uk/

Looking again at the above map but southeast "down" from Phipps Bottom it clearly shows "Pillowell Level(coal)" at the southern edge of Pillowell village and not surprisingly at the end of the railway line.
This is just marked "disused level" on the 1959 map off the same site.

Here is a detailed history from 1838 of Pillowell Level colliery.
http://www.lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalPillowellLev.html

Elizabeth ADAMS /William DOBBS 1891/1901 Census (Wales) (reply)

m p griffiths — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:03:35 +0000

I think it is actually Near level

houses on this page are

Phipps Bottom
Hope Cottages
Phipps Bottom
Near Level
Level Yard
Near Level (lots of houses, next to Kidnolls? Corner)

Level is very clear.....

'Phipps Bottom is where Whitecroft & Pillowell meet'

http://www.coghlan.co.uk/Village%20files/pillowcards.html

Elizabeth ADAMS /William DOBBS 1891/1901 Census (Wales) (reply)

Jefff — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:29:42 +0000

Welldone again MPG, just wishing to clarify in case of any doubt;

Presumably "Nearland" should read Newland.
There is indeed a place called Bryngwyn, just west of Monmouth hence Coleford/Newland.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/MON/Bryngwyn/index.html

Elizabeth ADAMS /William DOBBS 1891/1901 Census (Wales) (reply)

m p griffiths — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:10:58 +0000

FOD records - Burial at Parkend - 18 October 1885

Thomas ADAMS age 60 - residence Pillowell

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1901 Census, Wales, Monmouthshire, West Dean District 11

page 19

Pillowell

Elizabeth ADAMS - Head - Widow - 70 living on means - born West Dean Glos
William Dobbs - Lodger, Widow - 75 - born West Dean
Willie ARCHER, Grandson - think he's 9 (line through age) born Tredegar, Monmouthshire

1891 Census, Glos. West Dean
- Whitecroft Page 15

(difficult to read census return, writing terrible and most things lined through....)

Nearland

Elisabeth ADAMS - 60 - Widow - Head
William DOBBS - 65 - Widower, Lodger, Coalminer

----
?

1881 Census, Pillowell - District 14, page 7

William DOBBS - 55 - Coalminer, born West Dean
Sarah DOBBS - 50 - born Bryngwyn? Monmouthshire
Caroline HIGGS, 6 - visitor, born West Dean

and same census/district, but page 14

Thomas ADAMS 57
Elizabeth AMAMS 50

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1871 Census Pillowell

Thomas ADAMS - 47
Elizabeth ADAMS - 40
Hiram ARCHER, step-son - 18 born Pillowell

Thomas Adams and Elizabeth Archer (reply)

ChrisW — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:06:39 +0000

Hi Janet

Just had a look at the 1861 and son's name is given as William. Where did you get Thomas from? I wonder if Hiram has been transcribed as William!

Possible death for Thomas snr?

Record_ID: 77071
Entry_Number: 422
Year: 1885
Month: Oct
Day: 18
Surname: ADAMS
Forenames: Thomas
Residence: Pillowell
Age_at_death: 60
Officiating_Minister: Jno. (sic) (John) Jos[ep]h Ebsworth (Vicar)
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/30
Page_No: 53
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex: A352

Regards
Chris

Thomas Adams and Elizabeth Archer

jerigby — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:07:48 +0000

Thomas Adams and Elizabeth Archer married at Parkend on 26 December 1859, witnesses were Philip and Ann ADAMS. Thomas was born in 1824 at Newland and was a woodcutter.
In the 1861 Census in West Dean Thomas and Elizabeth have a son Thomas aged eight.
He doesn't appear in the next census and after 1881 census I can find no trace of Thomas or Elizabeth. Prior to Elizabeth Archer's marriage she had two illegitimate children, Frederick Archer Morse (father Frederick Morse) and Hiram Archer born c 1853 (named after Elizabeth's brother who was transported to Bermuda). Can anyone help?

Janet Rigby