1841 Ho 107 364 7 folio 32 High Beech Lydbrook
John Watkins 30 Collier N
Comfort 30 N ( nee COLE)
Elizabth 9 Y
Sarah 7 Y
Hester 3 Y
John 16 months Y

1851 East Dean
WATKINS John 40 Coal Miner Ruardean
Comfort 43 Bicknor
Sarah 17 Ruardean
Esther 13 Ruardean
John 11 Coal Miner Ruardean
Eve 7 Scholar Ruardean
Jane 5 Scholar Ruardean

1861 Hausley
John Watkins abt 1810 Herefordshire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Comfort Watkins abt 1810 Monmouthshire, Wales Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Esther Watkins abt 1840 Parish of Ruardeas, Herefordshire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Josiah Watkins abt 1859 East Dean, Herefordshire, England Grandson East Dean Gloucestershire
Mary Watkins abt 1853 Parish of Ruardeas, Herefordshire, England Granddaughter East Dean Gloucestershire
George Watkins abt 1859 East Dean, Herefordshire, England Grandson East Dean Gloucestershire
Henry Watkins abt 1855 Parish of Ruardeas, Herefordshire, England Grandson East Dean Gloucestershire
James Watkins abt 1852 Parish of Ruardeas, Herefordshire, England Grandson East Dean Gloucestershire
John Williams abt 1835 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Sarah Ann Williams abt 1834 Parish of Ruardean Wife East Dean Gloucestershire
Eliza Williams abt 1861 East Dean Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire

1871
Esther Watkins abt 1839 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean Gloucestershire
Edwin Watkins abt 1870 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Emma Watkins abt 1862 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean Gloucestershire
Fredk Watkins abt 1865 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire
Sydney Watkins abt 1859 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean Gloucestershire

1881(Newham Bottom), Westbury On Severn - East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Comfort Watkins abt 1808 Goodridge, Hereford, England Mother
Esther Watkins abt 1838 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Head
Edwin Watkins abt 1871 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Emma Watkins abt 1862 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter
Fredrick Watkins abt 1865 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Joseph Watkins abt 1868 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son
Lucy Watkins abt 1874 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter
Oliver Watkins abt 1877 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son

Name: Esther Watkins
Name: Benjamin Johnson
Year of Registration: 1884
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Ross
County: Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Hereford And Worcester
Volume: 6a
Page: 685

1891 Petty Croft
Benjamin Johnson abt 1843 Linton, Gloucestershire, England Head Ruardean Gloucestershire
Hester Johnson abt 1839 R Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife Ruardean Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Johnson abt 1880 R Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter Ruardean Gloucestershire
Ernest Johnson abt 1877 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son Ruardean Gloucestershire
George Johnson abt 1873 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son Ruardean Gloucestershire
Edwin Watkins abt 1871 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Stepson Ruardean Gloucestershire
Kinei [OLIVER] Watkins abt 1876 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Stepson Ruardean Gloucestershire

1901 Petty Croft
Benjamin Johnston abt 1846 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Head Ruardean, Herefordshire
Ertha [ESTHER] Johnston abt 1838 East Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife Ruardean, Herefordshire
Ernest Johnston abt 1879 Ruardean, Gloucestershire, England Son Ruardean, Herefordshire

On census records Joseph is listed as the son of Esther WATKINS this I'm not totally convinced is fact as Esther was also listed as the mother of 6 other childred all who had the WATKINS surname. My theory is that Esther was the minder of many Watkins children born out of wedlock.

On Joseph's marriage certificate his fathers name is listed as John WATKINS. John was his grandfathers name and I believe that name was entered for convenience. There are also no birth records to be found of the other 6 children of Esther except for the youngest whose name is Oliver and his fathers name is listed as Esther WATKINS.

So I am still trying to discover who were the parents of Joseph and the other six children:
Sydney George - born abt 1859
Emma - born abt 1862
Frederick - born abt 1865
Joseph - born abt 1867
Edwin - born abt 1871
Lucy - born abt 1874
Oliver - born 1876

Their births may never have been recorded or it may be possible that they were recorded with a different surname.