"Eliza Taylor, apparently about forty years of age, and who possesses anything but a fascinating appearance, was charged with............."
and
"The bone of contention appears to be the management of a little property, vested in the female as trustee for two children, the offspring of a former marriage."

Edward Jones did not appear at this hearing, and it's not apparent from the report, that George Taylor did either.

All other info, the census entries 1841 - 1881 and the register entry for her marriage to John Harris in 1857, would indicate that Eliza was around 30 years of age at the time, not 40.

I concede that the 1851 census notes Eliza as "U"nmarried, not "W"idowed - although it's clear that she had multiple marriages over time. Maybe in 1851 she just considered herself to be "between" marriages? I'm nevertheless convinced that this is our Eliza due to the presence of the three children.

HEREFORDSHIRE SPRING ASSIZEZ, 1843
TRIAL OF PRISONERS (before Sir Wm. Wightman) -Thursday, March 30

CURIOUS CHARGE OF BIGAMY.- Eliza Taylor was charged with bigamy, she having married, on the 24th September, 1842, at the parish of Penalt, in the county of Monmouthshire, George Taylor, and also having married on the following 1st of November, 1842, at the parish of Welsh Newton, in the county of Hereford, Edward Jones; her former husband, Geo. Taylor, being then living. Mr Smithy, on behalf of the prosecutor, called Francis Crossman, constable, who stated that he went to Penalt church, and examined a certificate, from which he took a copy; he also went to Welsh Newton, and took a copy; afterwards apprehended the prisoner on the 18th of November at Whitchurch, on the charge of bigamy. It appearing that the witness could not prove that the copies he had taken were exactly similar to those in the register books, his lordship refused to admit them as evidence, and stated that he should not allow the attorney his expenses. - James Reynolds, parish clerk of Penalt, was next examined. He remembered the prisoner being married to George Taylor on the 24th of September, and that the banns were regularly published; the prisoner gave her name as Eliza Cutter, widow. - The witness was cross-examined by Mr. Skinner. He stated that he did not know Jones, nor did he know Taylor before the day of the marriage. - James Silvester, clerk of Welsh Newton, deposed that on the 1st of November Edward Jones was married to Eliza Cutter, as a widow, by banns, which were duly published. - Cross-examined: Did not know the prisoner before that time, neither did he know Jones before he brought the banns to him (witness) to have them published; knew well that George Taylor was living at the time the prisoner was apprehended. - By the Judge: Had known George Taylor eight or ten years; heard him accuse the prisoner at Monmouth before the magistrates, of being married to him before she was to Jones, but would not swear to the exact words uttered upon that occasion. - Mr Skinner addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner, after which his lordship summed up in a very clear manner, observing that the present case was a very singular one, inasmuch as it appeared that only six weeks had elapsed from the prisoner's marriage with Taylor to the time of her being married to Jones; that the principal portion of the testimony rested on a person named Taylor, who charged the prisoner with being his wife, but that the person was not in court, and that the great point was whether there was not a mistake as to the identity of the prisoner. - The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty. - The prisoner, who appeared to belong to the humbler class, but was respectably dressed, had been admitted to bail; what makes the case more singular is, that only three weeks could have elapsed between the first marriage and the publishing the banns (sic) for the other.

Was Eliza a scheming manipulator? A wronged woman who felt she had no choice? An unfortunate victim of circumstances beyond her control? Or was this a genuine case of mistaken identity?

It's interesting to note the difference in tone between the Hereford Journal report, and that of the Gloucester Journal. The former makes no mention of Eliza's age, so can we rely on the "38" stated in the latter?

Certainly the LDS transcript of the marriage of Edward Jones and Eliza Cutter looks convincing (it's almost as if she's convinced the marriage to George Taylor never happened!) - it's a shame that the bride's father's occupation isn't stated. William Jones was a bargeman in Eliza's marriage to George Taylor (1842) and to John Harris (1857). Maybe the occupation is noted in the parish register, but wasn't transcribed by LDS? (Their transcriptions seem sometimes to concentrate on what they consider to be important, and to sometimes ignore "ancillary" information.)

In Eliza's marriage to John Harris, she states her name to be Eliza Taylor, effectively discounting her marriage to Edward Jones.
The validity of this marriage is certainly questionable. The rule of Double Jeopardy would prevent Eliza from being re-tried for bigamy, so presumably either Edward Jones had died by this time, or his marriage to Eliza had been annulled in some way because of the pre-existing marriage to George Taylor.

I've done a quick search in www.welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk to see if I could find a report of George's apparent appearance before the magistrate in Monmouth accusing Eliza of bigamy - without success.

I agree that the parentage of the Taylor children is now brought into question. Maybe they were born out of wedlock, and merely took on Eliza's name of TAYLOR. (Although why she retained the surname Taylor, and didn't use JONES, is something I suppose we'll never know.)

Gloucester Journal – Saturday 08 April 1843

HEREFORD, March 30 – Eliza TAYLOR, aged 38, was charged with having married one Edward JONES, at the Parish of Welsh Newton, in this county, her former husband, George TAYLOR, being at the time alive. It appeared from the evidence of the parish clerk of Penalt, in the adjoining county of Monmouth, that the prisoner was married in the church of that parish on the 24th September 1842, to George TAYLOR. For some reason, which the learned counsel for the prosecution did not state, and which did not clearly transpire, she, shortly after her marriage, conceived an aversion for him whose fate and fortunes she had solemnly undertaken to share; and thinking that a few weeks’ trial of the partner of her bed was sufficient to enable her to form an accurate opinion of his merits, she, on the 1st November, united herself in wedlock to another fortunate swain, the above-named Edward JONES and took up her abode under the roof of her newly-acquired husband………………….

[She appears to have been acquitted on the technicality that her former husband’s name was not included on the indictment such that the jury might be satisfied of his being alive at the time of the alleged intermarriage.]

LDS records this marriage but does not have the bride’s age. However, her father’s name matches.

Name: Edward Jones
Birth Date: 1812
Age: 30
Spouse's Name: Eliza Cutter
Event Date: 01 Nov 1842
Event Place: Welsh Newton, Hereford, England
Father's Name: John Jones
Spouse's Father's Name: William Jones
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I04583-1 , System Origin: England-EASy , GS Film number: 1594778 Reference ID: item 3 p 5

This all seems too much to be coincidence even though the age in the report is apparently out by 10 years. But what about the two TAYLOR children? And what about the validity of the marriage to John HARRIS?

Hi there Mike - you've really been doing some homework!
I had found all of these entries, bar the last one.
I looked at the image of the 1851 census for Eliza Taylor/Cutter, and in my opinion the form seems to describe her as a "W"idow, notwithstanding the transcription that says she's unmarried. In fact, poor old Eliza was married 3 times, firstly to John Cutter as we already know, then to George Taylor, whom she married on 24th September 1842, a year after John Cutter's death at age 29:

Hi Nigel,
on reading your post I thought I'd try and find George's burial before the 1851 Census, sadly not a rare name at all but I cannot see an obvious (ie local) candidate in the PRs. That said, I don't know his age, don't think it's mentioned in this thread, do you know it please ?. I couldn't easily find him in the Census etc,

However, viewing the 1851 Census for Eliza, without wishing to appear "picky" I must say I disagree with your interpretation of the Census regarding what looks like a "U" crossed with a "W" next to Eliza. Admittedly it's part-obscured by an enumerator's mark, but to me it clearly appears to be the same "U = unmarried" mark as has been used many times through these census pages. I did wonder if it was a ditto mark, but no judging from the rest of the pages.

Helpfully, a few entries above Eliza is William Jones age 72 who is described as "Widw", for "widow", and is indeed living with another lady who's clearly not his wife.
Unfortunately and in typical fashion for me! I didn't see this entry until after I'd browsed thro the Census pages AFTER Eliza's entry, looking for a "widow", until I reached the base of page 10, where this word is again used against William Davis, aged 61, head of a house with his daughters but no wife.

So, in this instance it seems to be a correctly-transcribed Census by a conscientious enumerator, and I wonder if George has really died, but just gone awol, or working away etc ?

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8860/MONHO107_2444_2444-0627/16766254?backurl=http%3a...

1841 Census Dean Forest - Pillowell

Alice THOMAS - 65 +
John HAMPTON 25
Sarah HAMPTON 25
Alice 3
William ADAMS, 21 Ag Lab +

1851 Census Pillowell

Alice THOMAS - 80 born Lydney
Jno HAMPTON - 39 - son-in-law - Nailer born Little Dean
Sarah HAMPTON - 43 - born West Dean
Alice HAMPTON - 12

---

John HAMPTON married Sarah THOMAS 1838 - not sure what the plus sign means in the end column

Record ID: 41227 Entry Number:
Year: 1842 Month: Sep Day: 24
Grooms Surname: TAYLOR Grooms Forenames: George
Grooms Age: full, Groom Condition: bachelor
Grooms Occupation: woodcutter, Grooms Residence: Penallt
Grooms Fathers Surname: Taylor, Grooms Fathers Forenames: John, Grooms Fathers Occupation: woodcutter
Brides Surname: CUTLER Brides Forenames: Eliza
Brides Age: full, Brides Condition: widow, Brides Residence: Penallt
Brides Fathers Surname: Jones, Brides Fathers Forenames: William, Brides Fathers Occupation: bargeman
Licence or Banns: banns
Signature or Mark: Both mark
Witness 1: James Reynolds
Witness 2: Margaret Miles
Event: Marriage
Register Reference: not given.Page Number: not given. Parish Chapel: Penallt Monmouth

I don't know when George died, but he must have died after Sarah Ann's birth, but before Eliza married John Harris in 1857.

Sarah Ann took to calling herself Margaret Taylor after she got married, and her marriage entry sort of explains this:
Record_ID: 2402
Entry_Number: 177
Year: 1865
Month: Dec
Day: 24
Grooms_Surname: EVANS
Grooms_Forenames: Peter
Grooms_Age: 20
Groom_Condition: Widower
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Joyford
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Evans
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Brides_Surname: TAYLOR
Brides_Forenames: Sarah Ann Margaret
Brides_Age: 19
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Joyford
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Taylor
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: George
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Woodcutter
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both mark
Witness_1: Wm Adams
Witness_2: Mary Ann Berry
Other_Witnesses: None
Officiating_Minister: W. H. Taylor
Event: Marriage
Memoranda: -
Notes: -
Register_Reference: PFC82 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 89
Parish_Chapel: Christchurch

Peter and Margaret Evans are buried in Christchurch

record_id 476
Location Row M
Reference Number 170
Type Double Kerb with urn
Surname EVANS
First Name Peter
Day 18
Month Oct
Year 1910
Age 65
Details In loving memory of Peter Evans died Oct 18 1910 aged 65 years Also of Margaret his wife died feb 25 1934 aged 87 years
Notes
Parish Christchurch

This Margaret Evans is almost certainly the Sarah Ann Margaret Taylor who married Peter Evans. She can be found in the 1911 census as a widow, but filled in the line about live births etc, and it all ties in:
RG14; Piece: 31730; Schedule Number: 91.
MARGARAT EVANS, head, 64, widow, (married 45 years, 8 children born alive, 7 children still living), born Glos West Dean
ELIZABETH EVANS, daughter, 28, single, general domestic, at home, born Glos West Dean
GEORGE ADAMS, (nephew)/boarder, 49, batchelor, farm labourer, worker, born Glos West Dean

And yes, we have the ADAMS connection yet again! This is my G-Grandfather's brother.

I didn't know about this MI last year when I visited UK, otherwise I would have taken a photo of the headstone for my collection......

GR 1841 Census, Extra Parochial, Joyford, Nr Coalfrd,

John CUTTER, 29, Coal Miner, born in county
Eliza, 28, born in county
Elen, 21, Independent, born in county
Mary Ann, 4, born in county
Elizabeth, 1, born in county

The marriage from this site,

Record_ID: 27064
Entry_Number: 295
Year: 1834
Month: Feb
Day: 10
Grooms_Surname: CUTTER
Grooms_Forenames: John
Grooms_Age:
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation:
Grooms_Residence: Hundred of St Briavels
Grooms_Fathers_Surname:
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames:
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation:
Brides_Surname: JONES
Brides_Forenames: Eliza
Brides_Age:
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Hundred of St Briavels
Brides_Fathers_Surname:
Brides_Fathers_Forenames:
Brides_Fathers_Occupation:
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both mark
Witness_1: Henry Grindell
Witness_2: Elizabeth Bozley
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Yate Fosbroke Curate
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P278 IN 1/10
Page_Number: 99
Parish_Chapel: St Briavels

The death of John CUTTER from this site,

Record_ID: 60173
Entry_Number: 3778

Year: 1841
Month: Sep
Day: 23
Surname: CUTTER
Forenames: John
Residence: Joyford
Age_at_death: 29
Officiating_Minister: T.R. Garnsey
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P82 IN 1/1
Page_No: 49
Parish_Chapel: Christchurch

Eliza's baptism?

Record_ID: 387238
Entry_Number:
Year: 1812
Month: Nov
Day: 22
Parents_Surname: JONES
Child_Forenames: Eliza
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Ann
Mothers_Surname:
Residence:
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes: Indexed using transcribed notes.
Register_Reference: B39/1
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Whitchurch

Eliza CUTTER takes the name TAYLOR and has at least one more child (probably two),

GR 1851 Census, Joyford,

Eliza TAYLOR, Head, Un, 38, Labouring Woman, Herefordshire, Goodrich
Mary Ann CUTTER, Daur, U, 13, Scholar, West Dean
Elizabeth CUTTER, Daur, 11, Scholar, West Dean
Sarah Ann TAYLOR, Daur,4, Scholar, West Dean

Sarah Ann TAYLOR's baptism from this site ( Mary Ann and Elizabeth are also here as I'm sure you know,

Record_ID: 333402
Entry_Number:
Year: 1846
Month: Jul
Day: 21
Parents_Surname: TAYLER
Child_Forenames: Sarah Ann
Fathers_Forenames: [not stated]
Mothers_Forenames: Eliza
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: of West Dean
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born 1 Jul 1846
Notes:
Register_Reference: RG4/772
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Coleford Wesleyan

Eliza marries John HARRIS,

GR 1861 Census,

John HARRIS, Head, Mar, 40, Coal Miner, Glos. W. Dean
Eliza, Wife, Mar, 48, Heref. Goodrich
Elizabeth CUTTER, Dau, Un, 21, Glos. W. Dean
Margrett TAYLOR, Dau, 14, Scholar, Glos. W. Dean
William H. TAYLOR, Son, 6, Schlolar, Glos. W. Dean

Record_ID: 4227
Entry_Number: 184
Year: 1857
Month: Apl
Day: 19
Grooms_Surname: HARRIS
Grooms_Forenames: John
Grooms_Age: 35
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Labourer
Grooms_Residence: Lea Bailey
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Harris
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Labourer
Brides_Surname: TAYLOR
Brides_Forenames: Eliza
Brides_Age: 44
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Lea Bailey
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Jones
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: William
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Bargeman
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both Mark
Witness_1: John Morgan
Witness_2: Ann Morgan
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: W. Thornton
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/6
Page_Number: 92
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook

GR 1871 Census, West Dean, Joyford

John HARRIS, Head, Mar, 48, Coal Miner, Glos. W. Dean
Eliza, Wife, Mar, 57, Heref. Goodrich
William Henry TAYLOR, Lodger, Un, 16, Glos. W. Dean

The ADAMS connexion appears,

GR 1881 Census, West Dean, Joyford

John HARRIS, Head, Mar, 60, Ag. Lab., West Dean Glos.
Eliza, Wife, Mar, 67, Goodrich, Heref.
George ADAMS, Grandson, Un, 18, Coal Miner, W. Dean, Glos.
William H. ADAMS, Grandson, 13, Scolar, W. Dean, Glos.

GR 1891 Census, W. Dean, Joyford,

Elizabeth ADAMS, Head, Mar, 51, Charwoman, Glos. Joyford
William H., Son, S, 23, Coal Miner, Glos, E. Bicknor
Elizabeth, Dau, S, 20, Charwoman, Glos. Joyford
John HARRIS, Lodger, Widr, 70, Ag lab, Glos Joyford

Both the William ADAMS’s born in East Dean don’t seem to be candidates. However, there is this one in West Dean:-

GR 1851 Census,

Charles DAVISON, Head, Mar, 47, Wood cutter, Glos. Staunton
Sarah, Wife, Mar, 50, Glos. Bicknor
Samuel, Son, un, 27, Shoemaker & Master, Glos. Staunton
William ADAMS, Visitor, Un, 28, Sawyer & Journeyman, b. Not Known.

The only recommendation of this William ADAMS is that he was in the right area at not too far off the right time.

Again, many thanks for your input.

William Marman ADAMS - full age, bachelor - father John ADAMS - Stone Cutter[/b]
married Deborah WIGMORE at Gloucester St Mary de Lobe - 13 December 1859

witnesses: James TURNER and May NASH?

Baptism at Blakeney

May 16 1824,

Christian Names: William Adams Marmont - son of
John (Quarryman) and Mary
Surname: Adams
residence: Forest of Dean -

- His baptism is as transcribed on the Forest of Dean records.

1871 Census, Stroud, Gloucestreshire

William ADAMS - 44 - Quarryman, born Blakeney, Glos
Deborah - 42 - born Minchinhampton, Gloucs
Maria - 10 - born Blakeney

JOHN DREW, head, married, 55, victualler, born Glostershire Dursley
ANN DREW, wife, married, 55, born Monmouth
ELIZA A DREW, daur, unmarried, 20, dressmaker, born Monmouth
ANN E DREW, daur, unmarried, 18, dressmaker, born Monmouth
JOHN BERRY, lodger, married, 26, labourer, born Monmouth
MARY A BERRY, lodger, married, 22, born Glostershire Joyford
WILLIAM ADDAMS, lodger, unmarried, 36, labourer, born Glostershire Joyford

At first I thought this was not helpful in finding out more about "my" William Adams, but on closer examination, his fellow lodgers are John Berry and Mary A Berry - who just happen to be the witnesses at "my" William's marriage to Elizabeth Cutter:

Copy of marriage certificate, Monmouthshire vol 11a page 70 - application number 6223314/1.
Marriage solemnized at Dorward Chapel Whitchurch in the District of Monmouth 5th August 1862
WILLIAM ADAMS, 37 years, bachelor, labourer, Residence: Monmouth, Father: Jonathan Adams, labourer
ELIZABETH CUTTER, 23 years, spinster, Residence: Berry Hill West Dean, Father: John Cutter, collier
Married at Dorward Chapel according to the rites of the: Independents, in the presence of: JOHN BERRY (mark), MARY ANN BERRY.

AND, it turns out that Mary A Berry is none other than William Adams' wife's sister, Mary Ann Cutter:

Record ID: 107918 Entry Number:
Year: 1856 Month: Nov Day: 9
Grooms Surname: BERRY Grooms Forenames: John
Groom Condition: bachelor, Grooms Occupation: horse keeper, Grooms Residence: of this parish
Grooms Fathers Surname: Berry Grooms Fathers Forenames: John, Grooms Fathers Occupation: nailer
Brides Surname: CUTTER Brides Forenames: Mary Ann
Brides Age: 19
Brides Condition: spinster, Brides Residence: of this parish
Brides Fathers Surname: Cutter, Brides Fathers Forenames: John, Brides Fathers Occupation: collier
Signature or Mark: He marks she signs
Witness 1: Wm Powles, Witness 2: Harriet Uptill
Event: Marriage
Parish Chapel: Monmouth.

Furthermore, John Berry's parents, John and Mary Berry, are recorded on the same page in the 1861 census:

JOHN BERRY, head, married, 52, nail harier(sic), born Monmouth
MARY BERRY, wife, married, 55, born Monmouth
THOMAS BERRY, son, unmarried, 18, labourer, born Monmouth

All these "coincidences" seemed too much to ignore, and they all point towards the William Adams who married Elizabeth Cutter, being the same William Addams in the 1861 census. I can only ascribe the difference in spelling of the surname to the enumerator. In fact, closer scrutiny of the census page shows the name could well be "Aadams"...............even more likely to be an enumerator error.

So that's how I linked the William Addams of the 1861 census to "my" William Adams, who married Elizabeth Cutter in 1862..

I have now seen the image of the Blakeney Parish Baptism records for William Adams Marmont ADAMS 16th May 1824, parents John and Mary Adams, and this confirms the transcription on FoDFHT. I can't be certain that this is "my" William, it just seems highly likely, although I can find NO other record or mention of the name MARMONT, and why the surname Adams was repeated as a forename, escapes me.
I have marked this down as a probable/possible, but I'll need a bit more evidence before I bring John and Mary's family definitively into my tree.

If it were easy, it wouldn't be so much fun!

Parents John and Mary ADAMS,

Thomas, bap. 02/08/1822; Residence – FoD; Parish - Blakeney All Saints
William, 16/05/1824; FoD; Blakeney All Saints
George, 19/03/1826; FoD; Blakeney All Saints
Emily, 09/03/1828; FoD; Blakeney All Saints
Mary Ann, 26/09/1830; FoD; Blakeney All Saints
Robert, 01/12/1833; Old Furnace; Blakeney All Saints

Parents William and Margaret ADAMS,

Henry, 10/08/1823; FoD; Blakeney All Saints
William, 19/12/1824; FoD; Blakeney All Saints
Joseph (1827) [apparently not in GFHS]
Caroline, 15/06/1828; FoD; Blakeney All Saints

These seem to be the only John/Mary and William/Caroline combinations listed.

In the 1841 Census both families seem to be located at Old Furnace.

The William in the first family is marked in GFHS with forenames William Adams M.

I was wondering how you associated this with the William ADDAMS from the 1861 Census, born Glostershire , Joyford. He does not seem to be listed in GFHS.

I had noted the ADAMS family entry before Elizabeth ADAMS on the 1871 census, that of George and Emma Adams, but can't as yet find any link between the two families.

I've looked at the public trees on Ancestry, but I find many of those trees unreliable, and use them as research pointers only. I remember some years ago, on one of my now-defunct public trees, I made a couple of heroic (and unrealistic) assumptions - and within days the same mistakes started popping up on numerous trees, where people had blindly taken my "information" as gospel truth!

My next step is to get hold of "my" WILLIAM ADAMS' death certificate (already ordered, but can take weeks to get out here to Far North Queensland)- this will, I hope, confirm that he is the WA who was buried at English Bicknor on 2nd March 1870.

I also want to verify the baptism entry that is transcribed on FoDFHT for WILLIAM ADAMS MARMONT ADAMS on 16th May 1824. Parents are John and Mary, but I suspect a transcription error on the child's forenames. Do you know where the original documents that were transcribed, are held?

Small steps I know. We can't always have "Eureka" moments!!

Cheers for now, and thanks again for your input.

When Elizabeth (the daughter) got married, on 20th February 1897, her father is noted as "WILLIAM ADAMS, deceased", but that in itself is not conclusive - if she were in fact conceived while her mother was recently widowed, she would hardly want to advertise the fact!!
Record ID: 2625 Entry Number: 401
Year: 1897 Month: Feb Day: 20
Grooms Surname: BODY
Grooms Forenames: William John
Grooms Age: 29
Groom Condition: Bachelor
Grooms Occupation: Furnisher
Grooms Residence: Llangenny
Grooms Fathers Surname: Body
Grooms Fathers Forenames: William
Grooms Fathers Occupation: Paper Maker
Brides Surname: ADAMS
Brides Forenames: Elizabeth
Brides Age: 25
Brides Condition: Spinster
Brides Occupation: [not stated]
Brides Residence: Joyford
Brides Fathers Surname: Adams
Brides Fathers Forenames: William
Brides Fathers Occupation: deceased
Licence or Banns: Banns
Date of Banns:
Signature or Mark: Both sign
Witness 1: William Henry Adams
Witness 2: Mary Ann Boddy
Other Witnesses: None
Officiating Minister: C. Barnes Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda: -
Notes: Groom signs surname as BODDY. Also appears in 1901 Census as BODDY
Register Reference: PFC82 IN 1/7 Page Number: 201 Parish Chapel: Christchurch

(This is definitely "my" Elizabeth - her brother, William Henry Adams, my G-Grandfather, is a witness).

I guess the next logical step will be for me to get hold of William Adams death certificate, to see if that will confirm that he is the William Adams who was buried at English Bicknor on 2nd March 1870...........

I suppose it would be too much to expect there to have been a headstone, and for it to have survived to today!!

Many thanks again for your input.

From Glos BMD

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
ADAMS Elizabeth [none] ADAMS CUTTER 1871 Forest of Dean Monmouth, Coleford 27 272

And then from this site,

Record_ID 151831
Entry_Number 419
Year 1873
Month Mar
Day 6
Parents_Surname ADAMS
Child_Forenames Elizabeth
Fathers_Forenames [not stated]
Mothers_Forenames Elizabeth
Mothers_Surname
Residence Shortstanding
Occupation [not stated]
Officiating_Minister W.H. Taylor
Event Baptism
Memoranda
Notes
Register_Reference PFC82 IN 1/4
Page_Number 53
Parish_Chapel Christchurch

No father’s name is given in either case. If William ADAMS had been the father would this not have been stated?

Two marriages on Fod Records

1822 William ADAMS - residence, Forest of Dean, married Margaret LOWE - Forest of Desn - at Awre (one witness was a John ADAMS)
1826 William ADAMS - residence, Mitchel Troy, married Margaret Ann LUCAS of this Parish at Monmouth

-----

1841 census, Newnham, Glos, Old Furnace

ADAMS

John - 40 - Quarryman - all born in County
Mary - 40
Thomas - 20 - Shoem
William - 15 - lab ***
George - 14
Emily - 12
Mary - 10
Robert - 7 (Robert Waters ADAMS - fod records)

John ADAMS married Mary WATERS at Awre 25 September 1821)

----
? There is a marriage at Dixton - 9 September 1860 for a Samuel ADAMS - residence, Buckholt, father: Jonathan ADAMS a labourer - and Susan HUNT

--

***

I don't think this is your William either - as on the 1851 census aged 26 - he is a Quarryman and was christened in Blakeney.

Looking at Freebdm/Gloucestershirebdm - William Marman ADAMS married Deborah WIGMORE in 1859 Gloucester District/St Mary de Lobe - and Jessie Maria ADAMS registered 1860.

This family are on the 1871 census for Stroud, Gloucetershire, and William is a Quarrman as was his father John ADAMS

----

The entry before Elizabeth ADAMS on the 1871 census - has another ADAMS family - mother's Maiden name ASTON - on Gloucestershirebdm

George - 33
Emma - 34
Annie - 11 (1865 - Monmouth, Coleford)
Giles - 10
Eliza J - 3 (1863 Eliza Jane - Monmouth, Coleford
Ada - 6 (1865) - Monmouth, Coleford
James - 4
George E - 1

Gloucestershirebdm

George ADAMS - married Emma ASTON - Forest of Dean, Monmouth, Register Office 1859

This tree is on Ancestry:

George ADAMS (father Giles) - married Emma ASTON SMITH - 3 September 1859 - Baptists Chapel, Monmouth

I have found what I think may be William's burial record
Record ID: 16820 Entry Number: 2640
Year: 1870, Month: Mar, Day: 2
Surname: ADAMS
Forenames: William
Residence: Joyford Lane
Age at death: 44
Officiating Minister: J Burdon
Event: Burial
from 1813 Page No: 140 Parish Chapel: English Bicknor
The problem with this is that he seems to have died before his 4th child was conceived!!

The 1851 census provides 2 possible families for William. The first, Class: HO107; Piece: 1959; Folio: 335; Page: 5; GSU roll: 87359, gives the following:
Quarrymans Arms or Ancient Britain(?), East Dean St Paul's
John Adams, head, m, 55, victualler & quarryman, born East Dean
Mary Adams, wife, m, 56, born Monmouthshire Chepstow
William Adams, son, u, 26, quarryman, born East Dean
George Adams, son, u, 25, quarryman, born East Dean
Mary Ann Adams, dau, u, 20, born East Dean
Robert Adams, son, u, 17, quarryman, born East Dean

The other possibility is Class: HO107; Piece: 1959; Folio: 336; Page: 6; GSU roll: 87359
East Dean St Paul's
Margreat Adams, head, w, 62, victualler, born East Dean
Henry Adams, son, u, 27, quarryman, born East Dean
William Adams, son, u, 26, quarryman, born East Dean
Joseph Adams, son, u, 24, quarryman, born East Dean
Carraline Adams, daur, u, 22, born East Dean
Ann James, serv, u, 16, born East Dean

As you can see, the entries for both of these Williams are identical! So which, if either, can we rule out?

There is a baptism entry that could resolve this in favour of the first family at the Quarryman's Arms.

record_id 133551 Entry Number 614 Year 1824 Month May Day 16 Parents Surname ADAMS Child Forename(s) William Adams Marmont Father's Forename(s) John Mother's Forename(s) Mary Mother's Surname Place of Residence Forest of Dean Occupation Quarryman Officiating Minister C P N Wilton Sub Curate Event type Baptism Memoranda Notes Register Reference P50 IN1/1 Page No 77 Parish Chapel: Blakeney.

The problem with this one is the child's forenames. Could this be a transcription error?

I'm sorry this post is so long-winded! Can anyone provide me with any insights that will have me slapping my forehead?

Many thanks