Record_ID: 9035
Entry_Number: 348
Year: 1922
Month: Dec
Day: 2
Grooms_Surname: MIDDLECOTE
Grooms_Forenames: William John James
Grooms_Age: 19
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Collier
Grooms_Residence: Broad Street Littledean
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: MIDDLECOTE
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: James William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Deceased
Brides_Surname: WILLSTEAD
Brides_Forenames: Hilda Annie
Brides_Age: 19
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Dockham Rd. Cinderford
Brides_Fathers_Surname: WILLSTEAD
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Charles Willstead
Witness_2: Elsie Willstead
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Arthur L. F. Baker Rector
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P 110 IN 1/10
Page_Number:
Parish_Chapel: Littledean
Soundex_Groom: M342
Soundex_Bride: W423

I cannot find her Baptism, but GLosBMD has;

Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
WILLSTEAD Hilda Annie WILLSTEAD WILLSTEAD STEPHENS 1902 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 11 141

Searching for a Wilstead/Stephens marriage, GlosBMD has just one;

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
WILLSTEAD Charles STEPHENS Dora Forest of Dean Westbury-on-Severn (FoD) Register Office 1896 10 193

So a good fit with previous Baptisms, hence no Marriage PR.

------------------------

Another local Wilstead/Wilsted/etc, father Charles;

Record_ID: 1014521
Entry_Number:
Year: 1931
Month: Dec
Day: 12
Grooms_Surname: WHITE
Grooms_Forenames: John William Thomas
Grooms_Age: 24
Groom_Condition: bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: panel fixer
Grooms_Residence: Ruspidge
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: WHITE
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: John
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: colliery deputy
Brides_Surname: WILLSTEAD
Brides_Forenames: Dorothy
Brides_Age: 26
Brides_Condition: spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Dockham Rd
Brides_Fathers_Surname: WILLSTEAD
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: collier
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Annie May White
Witness_2: Charles Henry White
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: C Paul Glidden
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 43
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex_Groom: W300
Soundex_Bride: W423

Again I cannot find her Baptism, but GlosBMD suggests the same parents as Hilda,

Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
WILLSTEAD Dorothy WILLSTEAD WILLSTEAD STEPHENS 1905 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 13 482

This MAY be our father Charles, from LDS;

"England and Wales Census, 1881"
Name: Charles Willstead
Age (Original): 9
Gender: Male
Birth Year: 1872
Birthplace: Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England
Relationship to Head of Household: Nephew
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Scholar
Address: ?
Event Place: East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Disability:
Record Type: Household
GS Film number: 1341609
Affiliate Publication Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 2522 / 63
Page Number: 18
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head William Willstead M 57 Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Wife Mary Willstead F 29 Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Elizabeth Willstead F 26 Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England
Nephew Charles Willstead M 9 Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England
Niece Elizabeth Willstead F 1 Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England
Lodger James Price M 37 Dean Forest, Gloucestershire, England

"England and Wales Census, 1901"
Name: Charles Wilstead
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Birthplace: East Dean, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Westbury On Severn
Sub-District: East Dean
Ecclesiastical Parish: St Stephen
Civil Parish: East Dean
District/Parish/County: Gloucestershire

Same household ?;

Name: Dora Wilstead
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Gender: Female
Age: 27
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Birthplace: East Dean, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Westbury On Severn
Sub-District: East Dean
Ecclesiastical Parish: St Stephen
Civil Parish: East Dean
District/Parish/County: Gloucestershire

Name: Charles Wilstead
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 31 Mar 1901
Gender: Male
Age: 5
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Birthplace: East Dean, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Westbury On Severn
Sub-District: East Dean
Ecclesiastical Parish: St Stephen
Civil Parish: East Dean
District/Parish/County: Gloucestershire

???

Another possible link, Charles Willstead, Cinderford collier born abt 1823 ?
http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=38625

???

PLEASE DON'T UNDULY WORRY ABOUT COMPLETING THIS LINE, AT LEAST NOT FOR MY BENEFIT - I'M ONLY POSTING IN CASE OF HELP TO FUTURE WILSTEAD RESEARCHERS, THANKS !

Marriage Details
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
MEREDITH Darius BARNARD Eliza Gloucester Gloucester St Nicholas 1856 35A X No 2 260

From LDS;
"England Marriages, 1538–1973"
Name: Darius Meredith
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Age:
Spouse's Name: Eliza Barnard
Spouse's Birth Date:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age:
Event Date: 06 Oct 1856
Event Place: Saint Nicholas,Gloucester,Gloucester,England
Father's Name:
Mother's Name:
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Race:
Marital Status:
Previous Wife's Name:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M03611-1
System Origin: England-ODM
GS Film number: 855636, 855637, 855638
Reference ID:

They had the following children, from this site's PRs (GlosBMD suggests possibly more ?) ;

Year, Parents Surname, Child Forenames, Fathers & Mothers Forenames, Mothers Surname, Residence, Occupation, Parish_Chapel
1857 MEREDITH Alfred William, Darius & Eliza, LIttle Dean, Engineer, Littledean
1858 MEREDITH Sarah Jane, Darius & Eliza, LIttle Dean, Engineer, Littledean
1861 MEREDITH Emma, Darius & Eliza, Little Dean, Engineer, Littledean
1863 MEREDITH Edwin, Darius & Eliza, LIttle Dean, Engineer, Littledean
1869 MEREDITH William Darius, Darius & Eliza, Cinderford, Engine Fitter, Cinderford St John
1871 MEREDITH Mary Ann, Darius & Eliza, Cinderford, Engine-fitter, Cinderford St John

Clearly W.D. followed his father's trade, presumably within the Crawshay collieries, perhaps related to it's steam winding engine ?.

From this site;

Record_ID: 32236
Entry_Number: 601
Year: 1831
Month: Apr
Day: 1
Parents_Surname: MEREDITH
Child_Forenames: Darius
Fathers_Forenames: William
Mothers_Forenames: Sarah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: L[ittle] Dean
Occupation: Coalminer
Officiating_Minister: J Parsons Curate
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P110 IN 1/5
Page_Number: 76
Parish_Chapel: Littledean
Soundex: M633

Record_ID: 6048
Entry_Number: 638
Year: 1899
Month: Nov
Day: 16
Surname: MEREDITH
Forenames: Darius
Residence: Cinderford
Age_at_death: 68 years
Officiating_Minister: W[illia]m Lynes Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/14
Page_No: 81
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: M633

Record_ID: 6804
Entry_Number: 1369
Year: 1910
Month: Aug
Day: 16
Surname: MEREDITH
Forenames: Eliza
Residence: Saint Whites Cinderford
Age_at_death: 79 years
Officiating_Minister: G. Watson Curate
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/14
Page_No: 173
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: M633

Fits her Census age, as does this perhaps;

Record_ID: 13146
Entry_Number: 600
Year: 1827
Month: Nov
Day: 11
Parents_Surname: BARNARD
Child_Forenames: Eliza
Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Mothers_Forenames: Lucy
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Hawthorns
Occupation: Labourer
Officiating_Minister: H. Berkin
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/1
Page_Number: 75
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Soundex: B656

Also see this prior thread for Darius & family http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=346

"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"
Name: Henry William Jesse Meredith
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 21 May 1899
Christening Place: Westbury-on-Trym, Gloucester, England
Birth Date: 16 Mar 1899
Birthplace:
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: William Darius Meredith
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Kate Mary
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C02839-4
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 1596411
Reference ID: item 5 p 38

From this site's database is this very useful Marriage Record;

Record_ID: 26088
Entry_Number: 461
Year: 1924
Month: Jan
Day: 3
Grooms_Surname: MEREDITH
Grooms_Forenames: William Henry Jesse
Grooms_Age: 24
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Surveyors Assistant
Grooms_Residence: Forest Lodge Ruspidge
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Meredith
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William Daniel#
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Mining Engineer
Brides_Surname: WILLSTEAD
Brides_Forenames: Mary Elizabeth Elsie
Brides_Age: 25
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Little Dean Hill
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Willstead
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both Sign
Witness_1: W[illia]m Meredith
Witness_2: Charles Willstead
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: F W Baldwin Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/6
Page_Number: 231
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex_Groom: M633
Soundex_Bride: W423

(# should read Darius not Daniel, I'll submit a correction request).

I think Henry dies in Gloucestershire in 1969 wrt Ancestry Free search pages.
NB: Take care not to confuse with another William Henry Meredith also in Ruspidge and with similar age & marriage dates.

Record_ID: 88353
Entry_Number: 746
Year: 1898
Month: Nov
Day: 13
Parents_Surname: WILSTED
Child_Forenames: Mary Elizabeth Elsie
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Dora
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Cinderford
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: Th[oma]s Longstaff
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/2IN 1/1
Page_Number: 94
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St Stephen
Soundex: W423

(Also found)
Record_ID: 88354
Entry_Number: 747
Year: 1898
Month: Nov
Day: 13
Parents_Surname: WILSTED
Child_Forenames: Charles Henry
Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Mothers_Forenames: Dora
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Cinderford
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: Th[oma]s Longstaff
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/2IN 1/1
Page_Number: 94
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St Stephen
Soundex: W423

Record_ID: 101323
Entry_Number:
Year: 1918
Month: Feb
Day: 18
Surname: WILLSTEAD
Forenames: Charles Henry
Residence: Dockham R[oa]d Cinderford
Age_at_death: 21 Y[ears]
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes: Entry followed by 188 and ED / WoS
Register_Reference: PA 85/3
Page_No:
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford Baptist
Soundex: W423

Why did he die so young ?. I cannot find an inquest for him (mining accident?) or an entry in this site's WW1 Soldier database, or the CWGC site for WW1 Graves.
???

Possible burial for Mary Eliza MEREDITH, PERHAPS ?, correct age but ??

Record_ID: 310886
Entry_Number: 725
Year: 1977
Month: Apr
Day: 27
Surname: MEREDITH
Forenames: Mary Elizabeth
Residence: Everets Farm Redmarley
Age_at_death: 80
Officiating_Minister: Fred Archer Staunton
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: R13 35
Notes:
Register_Reference: P265 IN 1/28
Page_No: 92
Parish_Chapel: Redmarley
Soundex: M633

Her father;

Record_ID: 101418
Entry_Number:
Year: 1940
Month: Mar
Day: 4
Surname: WILLSTEAD
Forenames: Charles
Residence: 74 Dockham R[oa]d Cinderford
Age_at_death: 68 Y[ears]
Officiating_Minister:
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes: Entry followed by 403 and Cin / FoD
Register_Reference: PA 85/3
Page_No:
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford Baptist
Soundex: W423

This brief mention may have been Charles, http://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=43373

GlosBMD has just one W.D. Meredith on their database;

Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
MEREDITH William Darius MEREDITH MEREDITH BARNARD 1869 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham 30 63

So;

Record_ID: 75003
Entry_Number: 621
Year: 1869
Month: Mar
Day: 14
Parents_Surname: MEREDITH
Child_Forenames: William Darius
Fathers_Forenames: Darius
Mothers_Forenames: Eliza
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Cinderford
Occupation: Engine Fitter
Officiating_Minister: Newton C. Bennett
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 78
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: M633

Record_ID: 108227
Entry_Number: 758
Year: 1956
Month: Jun
Day: 20
Surname: MEREDITH
Forenames: William Darius
Residence: Hill Rise Littledean Hill Cinderford
Age_at_death: 87 years
Officiating_Minister: Eric G Pritchard Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes: 46/56 written in margin
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/16
Page_No: 95
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: M633

-------------

From LDS/Familysearch;

"England and Wales Census, 1871"
Name: William Meredith
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1871
Gender: Male
Age: 2
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Birthplace: East Dean, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Westbury On Severn
Sub-District: Newnham
Parish: East Dean
County: Gloucestershire
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Self Darius Meredith M 41 Little Dean, Gloucestershire
Wife Eliza Meredith F 40 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Daughter Jane Meredith F 12 Little Dean, Gloucestershire
Son William Meredith M 2 East Dean, Gloucestershire
Daughter Mary Ann Meredith F 0 East Dean, Gloucestershire

"England and Wales Census, 1881"
Name: Willie Meredith
Age (Original): 12
Gender: Male
Birth Year: 1869
Birthplace: Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Scholar
Address: St Whites
Event Place: East Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Disability:
Record Type: Household
GS Film number: 1341609
Affiliate Publication Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 2523 / 8
Page Number: 10
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Darius Meredith M 57, Engine Fitter, Littledean Parish, Gloucestershire, England
Wife Eliza Meredith F 49 Drybrook, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Jane Meredith F 22 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England
Son Willie Meredith M 12 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England
Daughter Mary A Meredith F 10 Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England

--------------

His Marriage, from FreeBMD;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
-----------------------------------------------
Marriages Mar 1898 (>99%)
-----------------------------------------------
Bateman Hannah Louisa Barton R. 6a 155
Long Mary Kate Barton Regis 6a 155
Meredith William Darius Barton R. 6a 155

Supported by LDS;

"England Marriages, 1538–1973 "
Name: William Darius Meredith
Birth Date: 1869
Birthplace:
Age: 29
Spouse's Name: Mary Kate Long
Spouse's Birth Date: 1873
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age: 25
Event Date: 20 Jan 1898
Event Place: St. John The Evangelist, Clifton, Gloucester, England
Father's Name: Darius Meredith
Mother's Name:
Spouse's Father's Name: Henry Long
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Race:
Marital Status: Single
Previous Wife's Name:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status: Single
Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M01973-1
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 1596545
Reference ID: 161

My immediate thought on reading this was an error had been made by LDS, and "Clifton" is incorrect - I know the Clifton in Bristol but not in Gloucester. HOWEVER I'm ashamed to have just learnt that Barton Regis district is not in Gloucester as I'd thought (re Barton Street etc) but is indeed in Clifton, Bristol !. Considerable detail about Clifton's St John Evangelist Church is here, not to be confused with Cinderford's St Johns church, or even the St John Evangelist Church in Clifton LANCASHIRE....!
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/GLS/Clifton/Gaz1868.html

Later Census's c/o LDS prove this is definitely our family, eg;

"England and Wales Census, 1911"
Name: Mary Kate Meredith
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Female
Age: 40
Birthplace: Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Westbury On Severn
Sub-District: East Dean
Parish: East Dean
County: Gloucestershire

"England and Wales Census, 1911"
Name: William Darius Meredith
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Gender: Male
Age: 41
Birthplace: Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Schedule Type: Household
Registration District: Westbury On Severn
Sub-District: East Dean
Parish: East Dean
County: Gloucestershire

This site shows that W.D. Meredith eventually rose to become Manager of Lightmoor & Speech House Main collieries during the 1930s. It also shows Abbotswood House was then home to his Managing Director Arthur J. Morgan, JP.
http://www.dmm.org.uk/company/c1005.htm

The Gloucestershire Echo of 2nd January 1933 reported that "William Meredith of Forest Lodge Ruspidge was a new Justice of the Peace for Gloucestershire".

This detailed history of Henry Crawshay's Eastern United Colliery at Ruspidge contains several mentions to William's managerial work. He's not mentioned in the Lightmoor history altho his boss Arthur Morgan is.
http://lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalEasternUtd.html
http://lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalLightmoor.html

Intriguingly an earlier William Meredith, also of Littledean Hill, owned a small local colliery abt 1855. A relation ??
http://lightmoor.co.uk/forestcoal/CoalRichardW.html

William also became President of Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union, eg
http://www.gloucesterrugbyheritage.org.uk/documents/Press_Report_GRFC_Other;_1924_All_B...