For anyone who is interested in the adoptees at the Railway Cottage in Upper Soudley, of whom Violet was one, I wrote a short article summarising the info I have. It can be found on my website at https://www.nickduberley.com/contact/

1939 5 Council House, Soudley,
James C Davis 18 Mar 1902 Male Underground Colliery Engine Factory Married 33 1
Violet Davis 09 Jul 1906 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 33 2
Barbara Kilby (Davis) 02 Apr 1931 Female At School Single 33 3
Jeanne Davis 04 Jul 1933 Female At School Single 33 4
The record for this person is officially closed

Marriages Dec 1930 (>99%)
Davis James E Parnell Westbury S. 6a 563
Parnell Violet Davis Westbury S. 6a 563

Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
PARNELL Violet 1906 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 14 272

PURNELL is a surname with a few families on Blakeney Hill and surroundings not very far from Soudley

Deaths 1989 (>99%)
TARLING HILDA 27FE1919 GLOUCESTER 22 1790

Year: 1946
Month: Dec
Day: 3
Grooms_Surname: TARLING
Grooms_Forenames: Frederick Arthur Robert
Grooms_Age: 25
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Local Government officer
Grooms_Residence: Lower Soudley Crossing
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Tarling
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Frederick James
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Railwayman
Brides_Surname: TARLING
Brides_Forenames: Hilda
Brides_Age: 27
Brides_Condition: widow
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: 19 Sandhurst Road NW9
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Martin
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Ernest Joseph
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Salesman
Licence_or_Banns: Licence
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: both sign
Witness_1: J Worsfold
Witness_2: F Sladen[?]
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Tom T Haines Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/8
Page_Number: 65
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John

Deaths Dec 1945 (>99%)
Tarling Raymond J 21 Chatham 2a 1430

First name(s) Raymond James
Regiment Royal Navy
Last name Tarling
Grave reference Sec. C. Extn. Grave 334.
Birth year 1924
Cemetery or Memorial Kingsbury (St. Andrew) Churchyard
Age 21
Burial country United Kingdom
Death year 1945

Death date 21 Oct 1945
Record set Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt Of Honour
War Second World War, 1939-1945
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Number C/MX 623528
Subcategory Second World War
Rank Engine Room Mechanic 5th Class
Collections from Great Britain, UK None

First name(s) Raymond J
Source Gro War Death Naval Ratings Indices (1939 To 1948)
Last name Tarling
Records year range 1945
Sex Male
Archive reference NAVR
Birth year -
Volume 10
Death year 1945
Page 3790
Registration year -
Line number 24
Rank Engine Room Artificer 5th Class
Archive General Register Office
Unit or regiment Pembroke
Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Deaths And Burials
War Second World War, 1939-1945
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Branch of service -
Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials
Decoration -
Collections from Great Britain, UK None
Type Armed Forces

Marriages Jun 1945 (>99%)
Martin Hilda Tarling Hendon 3a 1566
Tarling Raymond J Martin Hendon 3a 1566

Births Sep 1924 (>99%)
Tarling Raymond J Hook Westbury S. 6a 455

Year: 1921
Month: Feb
Day: 18
Parents_Surname: TARLING
Child_Forenames: Frederick Arthur Robert
Fathers_Forenames: Frederick James
Mothers_Forenames: Amelia
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: High Street Newnham
Occupation: Railway Guard
Officiating_Minister: F.H.V.Paton Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Dec 31 1920
Notes:
Register_Reference: P228 IN 1/12
Page_Number: 61
Parish_Chapel: Newnham

1939 Crossing Cottage, Soudley,
Frederick J Tarling 28 Jul 1895 Male Goods Guard Great Western Railway Married 1 1
Amelia Tarling 20 May 1893 Female Crossing Keeper Great Western Railway Married 1 2
Frederick A R Tarling 31 Dec 1920 Male Clerk Taxation Office Gl Single 1 3
Kathleen M Worsfold (Tarling) 23 Sep 1922 Female Nurse Maid Single 1 4
The record for this person is officially closed.
The record for this person is officially closed.
The record for this person is officially closed.
Gwendoline M Burrows (Dunkley,Sharp) 20 Sep 1925 Female At School Single 1 8
The record for this person is officially closed.
The record for this person is officially closed.
Lucy Barradell 18 Jul 1895 Female Domestic Help Single 1 11
The record for this person is officially closed.
The record for this person is officially closed.

Births Mar 1919 (>99%)
Tarling Marguerite A Hook Gloucester 6a 433
Births Mar 1921 (>99%)
Tarling Frederick A R Hook Westbury S. 6a 481
Births Dec 1922 (>99%)
Tarling Kathleen M Hook Westbury S. 6a 415
Births Sep 1924 (>99%)
Tarling Raymond J Hook Westbury S. 6a 455
Births Jun 1929 (>99%)
Tarling Myra E A Hook Westbury S. 6a 426
Births Jun 1936 (>99%)
TARLING David J Hook Westbury S. 6a 431

1921 Newham
Frederick James, Amelia, Marguerite 1919, Frederick Arthur Robert 1921

Marriages Dec 1917 (>99%)
Hook Amelia Tarling Stroud 6a 779
Tarling Frederick J Hook Stroud 6a 779

1911 Soudley
Frederick James Head Married Male 46 1865 Platelayer railway Cinderford Glos
Charlotte Ann James Wife Married Female 46 1865 - Hanley Staffs
Sam Virgo Brother in law Single Male 48 1863 Labourer general Hanley Staffs
Frederick James Tarling Adopted Single Male 16 1895 Horse driver under ground Blakeney Glos
Edwin Williams Adopted Single Male 8 1903 - Drybrook Glos
Violet Pernell James Adopted Single Female 4 1907 - Soudley Glos

1901 White Horse Soudley
Frederick James Head Married Male 36 1865 Platelayer on railway Ruspidge, Gloucestershire, England
Charlotte James Wife Married Female 37 1864 - Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Samuel Virgo Brother-in-law Single Male 38 1863 General laborer in crown woods Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Emily Allen Aunt Widow Female 70 1831 - Longton, Staffordshire, England
Beatrice Virgo Visitor - Female 7 1894 - Gloucestershire, England
Frederick Tarling Nephew - Male 5 1896 - Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England

Births Sep 1895 (>99%)
TARLING Frederick James Westbury on Severn 6a 251

YYYYY

1911 26 Norwood Street Dalton Near Rotherham, Dalton,
James Lawrence Head Married Male 45 1866 Coal miner hewer Lincolnshire Kirton Lindsey
Mary Lawrence Wife Married Female 45 1866 - Glos New Road Blakeney
Emily Tarling Stepdaughter Single Female 17 1894 - Blakeneu Hill Glos
David Tarling Son - Male 13 1898 Left school not working Sheffield Attercliffe
Violet Tarling Stepdaughter - Female 23 1888 School Yorks Rose Dale East
Arthur Tarling Stepson - Male 10 1901 School Yorks Rose Dale East
Irene Tarling Daughter - Female 4 1907 - Yorks Denaby

1911 a Mary Tarling marries in Doncaster

1910 Nataniel Dies Doncaster Yorks

1901 Low Baring, Rosedale East, Pickering Yorkshire
Nathaniel Tarling Head Married Male 46 1855 Ironstone miner filler under ground Gloucestershire, England
Mary Tarling Wife Married Female 38 1863 - Gloucestershire, England
Beatress Tarling Daughter - Female 11 1890 - Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England
Emily E Tarling Daughter - Female 7 1894 - Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England
Violet R Tarling Daughter - Female 2 1899 - Yorkshire, England
Arthur W Tarling Son - Male 0 1901 - Yorkshire, England

1891 Old Furnace Bottom
Nathaniel Tarling Head Married Male 43 1848 Collier London, Middlesex, England
Mary Tarling Wife Married Female 25 1866 - London, Middlesex, England
Edith Tarling Daughter Single Female 5 1886 Scholar London, Middlesex, England
Amelia Tarling Daughter Single Female 3 1888 - East Dean, London, England
Beatrice Tarling Daughter Single Female 1 1890 - London, Middlesex, England

1881 St Whites Cinderford
Nath Al Tarling Lodger Single Male 37 1844 Coal miner West Dean, Gloucestershire, England

1851 Tomblins Ditch, Monmouth,
Thomas Tarling Head Married Male 34 1817 Shoe maker Not Known
Sarah Tarling Wife Married Female 33 1818 - Gloucestershire, England
Nathaniel Tarling Son - Male 8 1843 Scholar Herefordshire, England
Mary Tarling Daughter - Female 6 1845 Scholar West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
James Tarling Son - Male 4 1847 Scholar West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Sarah Tarling Daughter - Female 2 1849 - West Dean, Gloucestershire, England

This article is a free PDF download from my website. It can be accessed via https://www.nickduberley.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Crossing-keepers-Cottage.pdf

If anyone would rather me email them the file, just message me with your email address, please.

The article covers what I finally managed to find out about Edith Kate Virgo, as well as several other adoptees.

1911 Nailbridge

Thomas Phillips Head Married Male 49 1862 Collier hewer East Dean
Ida Phillips Wife Married Female 35 1876 - West Dean
Ellen Smart Sister in law Single Female 39 1872 - West Dean
Richard Smart Foster son - Male 3 1908 - Ross

1921 East Dean
Ida Thomas and Richard

Year: 1937
Month: Apr
Day: 29
Grooms_Surname: JONES
Grooms_Forenames: Albert John
Grooms_Age: 55
Groom_Condition: Widower
Grooms_Occupation: Labourer
Grooms_Residence: 21 Steam Mills Rd Nr Cinderford
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Jones
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: James
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Deceased
Brides_Surname: PHILLIPS
Brides_Forenames: Ida
Brides_Age: 60
Brides_Condition: Widow
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Pike House Nailbridge Nr Drybrook
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Smart
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Deceased
Licence_or_Banns: Licence
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Basil Alfred Morris Johnson
Witness_2: Alice Emma Jordan
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Samuel E Easter Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN1/22
Page_Number: 53
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

1939 21 Steam Mills Road, Cinderford,
Albert J Jones 06 Jun 1881 Male General Labourer Married 25 1
Ida Jones 19 Jul 1876 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 25 2

First name(s) Ida
County Gloucestershire
Last name Jones
Volume 7B
Sex Female
Page 342
Birth year 1877
Country England
Age 80
Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
Death quarter 2
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Death year 1957
Subcategory Civil Deaths & Burials
District Forest of Dean
Collections from Great Britain, England

Cause of death from DC 'acute nephritis uraemia - informant present at death I? Phillips' - Nailbridge - death cert dated 21 Jun 1907

So it looks like this George W drank himself to death - probably Edith Kate's husband - but no absolute proof of that.

Thanks to all for their help - Nick

I've been digging deep into the Worgans who lived in the Forest pre-1750, so haven't spent much time on more recent genealogy - Cheers Nick

Assuming the deaths are those of the Edith Kate I was looking for and her husband George Williams, then that info completes the picture - rather a sad one.

Edith Kate Virgo was informally adopted by her older sister Charlotte and her husband, Fred James. When Edith was older, she married George W after his first wife died. I suspect they may have met because both Fred and George worked on the railways. Their son Edwin Walter Cooper Colter Williams was born in 1903. In a repeat of history Edwin was given to the James's to bring up around 1908.

My mother, then about 6, stayed with the James's and Uncle Sam Virgo in 1917 after her father was blinded at Ypres. She writes about all of them including cousin Edwin in her book.

On the 1921 census, Edwin was still living with the James's at the gatekeeper's cottage in Upper Soudley, and working underground with the pit horses at the Eastern United colliery, near Cinderford. I don't know what happened to Edwin after that - Williams is too common a name to make researching it easy.

1911 Soudley
Frederick James Head Married Male 46 1865 Platelayer railway Cinderford Glos
Charlotte Ann James Wife Married Female 46 1865 - Hanley Staffs
Sam Virgo Brother in law Single Male 48 1863 Labourer general Hanley Staffs
Frederick James Tarling Adopted Single Male 16 1895 Horse driver under ground Blakeney Glos
Edwin Williams Adopted Single Male 8 1903 - Drybrook Glos
Violet Pernell James Adopted Single Female 4 1907 - Soudley Glos

needs checking could be a transcription error for 28

Year: 1909
Month: Oct
Day: 16
Surname: WILLIAMS
Forenames: Edith
Residence: Cinderford Bridge
Age_at_death: 23 years
Officiating_Minister: F. W. Baldwin Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/14
Page_No: 165
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John

Year: 1907
Month: Jun
Day: 24
Surname: WILLIAMS
Forenames: George
Residence: Nailbridge
Age_at_death: 45 years
Officiating_Minister: H E Barnet Curate
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/13
Page_No: 194
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

Year: 1903
Month: Mar
Day: 29
Parents_Surname: WILLIAMS
Child_Forenames: Edwin Walter Cooper Coltler
Fathers_Forenames: George Cooper
Mothers_Forenames: Edith Kate
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Drybrook Road
Occupation: Railway Ganger
Officiating_Minister: J Lawton Vicar
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 98
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
WILLIAMS Edwin Walter Cooper Coteler VIRGO 1903 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 11 249

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
WILLIAMS George VIRGO Edith Kate Forest of Dean Westbury-on-Severn (FoD) Register Office Closed 1902 12 162

Marriages Dec 1902 (>99%)
VIRGO Edith Kate Westbury S. 6a 610
Williams George Westbury S. 6a 610

1901 Drybrook Rd between Crump Meadow and Trafalgar Colliery aka Nailbridge area
George E Williams Head Married Male 32 1869 Ganger of railway platelayers Ellwood, Gloucestershire, England
Emma J Williams Wife Married Female 30 1871 - Llandogo, Monmouthshire, Wales
George Vivian Williams Son Single Male 1 1900 - Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England

1901 Soudley
Frederick James Head Married Male 36 1865 Platelayer on railway Ruspidge, Gloucestershire, England
Charlotte James Wife Married Female 37 1864 - Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Samuel Virgo Brother-in-law Single Male 38 1863 General laborer in crown woods Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Emily Allen Aunt Widow Female 70 1831 - Longton, Staffordshire, England
Beatrice Virgo Visitor - Female 7 1894 - Gloucestershire, England
Frederick Tarling Nephew - Male 5 1896 - Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England

Death
WILLIAMS Emma Jane 33 1902 Westbury on Severn, East Dean 4 46

Year: 1900
Month: Jan
Day: 14
Parents_Surname: WILLIAMS
Child_Forenames: George Vivian Weaver
Fathers_Forenames: George
Mothers_Forenames: Emma Jane
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Cinderford
Occupation: Platelayer
Officiating_Minister: H. Crowther Off[iciating] Minister

1891 Stockwell Green
Frederick James Head Married Male 24 1867 Plate layer Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England
Charlotte James Wife Married Female 26 1865 - Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England
Kate Virgo Adopted - Female 10 1881 Scholar Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England

1891 Ellwood
Ann Williams Head Widow Female 58 1833 - West Dean
John W Williams Son Single Male 25 1866 Iron worker West Dean
George C Williams Son Single Male 23 1868 Plate layer West Dean

Marriages Jun 1888 (>99%)
JAMES Frederick Westbury S. 6a 415
Virgo Charlotte Ann Westbury S. 6a 415

1881 Old Furnace Bottom
James Virgo Head Married Male 46 1835 Ag lab Gloucestershire, England
Catharine Virgo Wife Married Female 37 1844 - Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Samuel Virgo Son Single Male 18 1863 - Hanley, Staffordshire, England
James Virgo Son Single Male 12 1869 Scholar Gloucestershire, England
Arthur W Virgo Son Single Male 11 1870 Scholar Hanley, Staffordshire, England
Catharine Virgo Daughter Single Female 8 1873 Scholar Gloucestershire, England
Amelia Virgo Daughter Single Female 3 1878 Scholar Gloucestershire, England
Edith K Virgo Daughter Single Female 4 months 1881 - Gloucestershire, England

1881 Ellwood
John W Williams Head Married Male 59 1822 General labourer unemployed Wollaston, Gloucestershire, England
Ann Williams Wife Married Female 50 1831 - Lydney, Gloucestershire, England
George Williams Son Single Male 13 1868 Scholar West Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Ellen Williams Daughter Single Female 10 1871 Scholar West Dean, Gloucestershire, England

1871 Ellwood
John W Williams Head - Male 43 1828 - Gloucestershire, England
Ann Williams Wife - Female 38 1833 - Gloucestershire, England
Amelia A Williams Daughter - Female 14 1857 - Gloucestershire, England
Fanny W Williams Daughter - Female 10 1861 - Gloucestershire, England
Rachel W Williams Daughter - Female 3 1868 - Gloucestershire, England
John W Williams Son - Male 6 1865 - Gloucestershire, England
George C Williams Son - Male 3 1868 - Gloucestershire, England
Ellen Williams Daughter - Female 0 1871 - Gloucestershire, England

Year: 1880
Month: Dec
Day: 12
Parents_Surname: VIRGO
Child_Forenames: Edith Kate
Fathers_Forenames: James
Mothers_Forenames: Catherine
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Old Furnace Bottom
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: E S Smith
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P348 IN 1/1
Page_Number: 53
Parish_Chapel: Viney Hill

1871 Hanley Stoke on Trent
James Virgo Lodger - Male 36 1835 - Gloucestershire, England
Catherine Virgo Lodger - Female 26 1845 - Staffordshire, England
Samuel Virgo - - Male 7 1864 - Gloucestershire, England
Charlotte A Virgo - - Female 6 1865 - Gloucestershire, England
Mary Virgo - - Female 5 1866 - Gloucestershire, England
James Virgo - - Male 2 1869 - Gloucestershire, England
Arthur W Virgo - - Male 1 1870 - Gloucestershire, England

Thanks for nailing down the first marriage and the three children to that one. Quick work :-)

As I mentioned, Edwin Williams lived with the James in Soudley as their adopted son - he was in fact Charlotte James's nephew. He appears listed living with them on the 1911 and 1921 censuses.

I cannot however find any reference to his parents, Edith and George, after 1904 - which seems odd.

All the best

Nick

WILLIAMS George Weaver - mother’s Maiden name BROWN

Westbury on Severn 1899

Adds up to 3 boys with Emma Jane.

Marriage December Qtr 1898 - Cardiff District

George Cooper WILLIAMS
Emma Jane BROWN

Vol 11a
Page 454

Baptism at Lydney Primitive Methodist

15 June 1902 ***

William Cooper Williams,
father: George Cooper Williams
mother : Emma Jane

Residence: Bream
Occupation: Plate Layer

15 June 1902

Felix John Williams
father: George Cooper Williams
mother: Emma Jen
Bream
Occupation: Plate Layer

---

Marriage 29 November 1934

John Weaver WILLIAMS
aged 32, Bachelor, Miner
residence: Clearwell Glois

father: William Cooper WILLIAMS
occupation: unknown

married:

Ethel Mary HAWKINS aged 40
Spinster
residence: Christchurch Glos
fathe: Frederwick HAWKINS, Miner.

----

** Gloucestershirebdm

WILLIAMS John Weaver - Mother's maiden name: BROWN
1902 Forest of Dean, Westbury on Severn, East Dean

WILLIAMS William Cooper - mother's maiden name BROWN
1902 Forest of Dean, Westbury on Severn, East Dean

Ross Gazette Thursday 21 April 1904 (before the Newspaper article - Thurday 29 September 1904)

UNION CHARGABILITY

George Cooper Williams, platelayer of Elmwood, near Coleford, was summoned by M.F. CARTER, Esq., Clerk to the Guardians of Westbury on Severn Union, for neglecting to maintain his wife and child.

Defendant, who said he had a widower mother and three children of his first marriage to maintain on 17s a week, was ordered to pay his wife 7s.6d a week and pay the 50s to the Guardians by 1st June, or go to goal for a month.

Edith Kate Williams (née Virgo) was born in 1881. She got married in December 1902 in Drybrook to George Cooper Williams, born 1868.

In 1903, they had a son, Edwin Walter Williams, born in Drybrook, later adopted by Fred and Charlotte James who lived in Upper Soudley.

I know that in 1921 Edwin was still living in Soudley and working underground at a colliery.
The last I can find of his parents is a press report in 1904 of an action brought by his mother against his father for not supporting her, i.e. she had no money.

George Cooper Williams came from a large family which had lived for a long time at Ellwood. He was a railway worker, and I believe had been married previously.

The best explanation I can come up with is that they moved, either out of the area or may be abroad.

Any new ideas or information welcome.

Nick